Liverpool celebrates the gift of children

Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King © Copyright Donna Barber and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence

This coming Sunday, 6 June 2010, people from parishes across the Archdiocese of Liverpool will gather with their families and fellow parishioners at 3pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool, for the annual children's Mass with the theme: 'Celebrate the Child'. This is the seventh such celebration and this year takes place as the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi (the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ). In honour of the Feast there is a special invitation for children who have recently celebrated their First Holy Communion, who are invited to attend in their First Communion outfits.

Children, their families and those who work with them in parishes are invited to come along and celebrate the part that children play in the life of parishes of the Archdiocese. The Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Patrick Kelly, will celebrate the Mass and says: 'We may rejoice and be encouraged by the Mass in our Cathedral, bringing together children from across the Archdiocese. In the name of thousands I thank everyone involved in ensuring that children are safe from harm and will be blest, enriched and know peace and joy. And this year at the end of the Mass there will be a procession with the Blessed Sacrament to the piazza on Brownlow Hill, where, accompanied by the children and their families and friends, I will pray that the Lord Jesus will bless every troubled heart, home and country, with his peace.'

Deacon Des Bill is Safeguarding Coordinator for the Archdiocese, he says 'the event will enable the people of the Archdiocese to come together to rejoice in the gift of our children, their place with us in the Church, and all the good work that goes on to support and encourage them in our parishes.'

Taking part in the music of the Mass will be the junior Choir of the Cathedral, and other parts of the liturgy, which have been prepared with children in mind, will be led by children from the parishes throughout the Archdiocese.

Those wishing to attend the Mass can obtain further information from the Archdiocesan Safeguarding Office on 0151 522 1043.

Source: Archdiocese of Liverpool