Join Us

More than 700 people from over 24 nationalities attend Mass each weekend at St Thomas’. Alongside our regular parish members, we welcome visitors from all over the world as well as local students who are with us at a vital time in their personal development.

Our Church is made up of a wide and diverse community of worshippers. If you are interested, you can make yourself known to our Priests so they can provide you with further information about joining our community.

We want you to feel welcome here, whatever your religious background. Make yourself known to Canon Anthony or Fr Giovanni the next time you are at Mass or simply passing by.

Periodic ‘Welcome Evenings’ at the Presbytery are organised to meet with other Parish newcomers and to get to know other parishioners. These will be advertised in our newsletters and on the Featured Events section of our website.

Catholics

If you and/or your family are already Catholics and would like to join our community, just complete the Welcome Form and drop it in at the Presbytery. Alternatively, just email the completed form to canterbury@rcaos.org.uk. This will ensure that we have accurate records for our Parish Census.

Other non-Catholics

If you are interested in finding out about or joining the largest and oldest Christian Church in the world, just speak to one of our Priests. You will be able to ask questions about the Catholic Church and Christianity. This may help you to make a decision on whether you wish to pursue your interest further.

There is no need to have an in-depth knowledge of the Church. All that is required is a desire and a commitment to learn more. After taking the time to reflect on the answers and information provided, you may wish to proceed further:

There are several paths available:

  • If you have not been baptised (christened), then you will undergo Baptism and Confirmation, generally during the Easter Vigil, the most important feast in the Catholic Church.
  • If you have already undergone Baptism, for example, in the Church of England, then you will need to be received into the faith through Confirmation.

Once baptised:

  • Children will normally undertake a First Communion Programme followed by Confirmation.
  • Adults (both young and old) tend to undertake the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) programme which meets on a weekly basis. Further information on the programme is found here – Becoming a Catholic.

There are different programmes available for different age groups to develop your faith.

Your first step, though, is to make personal contact with our Parish Priest to see for yourself whether the Roman Catholic Church is for you. It only requires a little of your time for an initial meeting. The Church welcomes all who seek her.

There are also brochures in the entrance hall to the Church and booklets available from St Thomas’ Bookshop, close by in Canterbury Lane.

Whether you are an individual or part of a family, there is something for everyone in the Parish that will interest and involve you in our community.