"Our experience tells us that the faith of children is best nurtured when home, school and parish work together in partnership. Firstly and most importantly, children learn about faith in the home. Their faith is supported in the school by the hard work of teachers and chaplains, and by both priests and people in the wider parish community."

CATECHETICS COMMISSION OF THE IRISH BISHOPS' CONFERENCE
NURTURING OUR CHILDREN’S FAITH: PASTORAL LETTER: Feb.5th 2006

"The principles of active and conscious participation are in a sense even more significant for Masses celebrated with children. Every effort should therefore be made to increase this participation and to make it more intense. For this reason as many children as possible should have special parts in the celebration: for example, preparing the place and the altar, acting as cantor , singing in a choir, playing musical instruments, proclaiming the readings, responding during the homily , reciting the intentions of the general intercessions, bringing the gifts to the altar, and performing similar activities in accord with the usage of various peoples."

Directory for Masses for Children: Congregation for Divine Worship; Nov. 1st 1973

For the last eight years, Children's Liturgy has been a priority in St. Patrick's Parish. The Children's Liturgy Group has always sought to make liturgical celebrations more meaningful to children so that they might be led to full, conscious and active participation in the Sunday Eucharist.

Children are encouraged to take part in celebrating the Sacred Mysteries by welcoming the congregation, proclaiming or dramatising God's Word, responding during the homily, singing in the Children's Choir or singing with the congregation, offering gifts, leading the Prayers of the Faithful, and praying the responses to the Eucharistic Prayer. At the same time they are encouraged to respect the sanctuary as a sacred space and to be reverent and silent at appropriate time during the liturgy.

For the past two years the parish has used the 'Do This In Memory' preparation programme for First Eucharist. All four primary schools in the parish participate in this programme. The children's liturgy take place in St. Nicholas' Church at 10.30 Mass.

The following are the dates for the Children's Liturgy for 2010 - 2011

Sunday, September 27th Enrolment Sunday.

Sunday, October 10th 2010 

Sunday, November 14th 2010 -33rd Sunday in Ord. Time

Sunday, December 12th 2010 -3rd Sunday of Advent

Sunday, January 23rd 2011- 3rd Sunday in Ord. Time 

Sunday, February 13th 2011 - 6th Sunday in Ord.

Sunday, April 3rd 2011 - 4th Sunday of Lent

Thursday, 21st April 2011  - Holy Thursday

Sunday,May 8th 2011 -  4th Sunday of Easter

Sunday, June 26th 2011 -Corpus Christi 

Special Children's Liturgy of the Word

Children who have not yet made their First Holy Communion are encouraged to participate in A Special Children's Liturgy of the Word at 1.00pm Mass each Sunday in St. Patrick's Church. Chilren participate in the Introductory Rite of Mass with the general congregation and then having received a special blessing from the celebrant, they retire to the confraternity room (behind the sacristy) with at least two adults who lead the Liturgy of the Word. This liturgy is suitable for younger children and the message of the Word of God is communicated to them in a meaningful way. Children are encouraged to participate in this prayerful liturgy.

The children return to the church for the Liturgy of the Eucharist and they return to their families to celebrate the rest of the liturgy.