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Primary education

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School Admissions: Certificate of Catholic Practice?

27 replies

paternoster · 29/04/2016 15:55

Our local Catholic primary prioritises admissions for baptised Catholics who have a Certificate of Catholic Practice signed declaration by the parish priest, but the policy doesn't say how often we would need to go to church in order to get one, or for how long before we apply. I'm guessing that's the decision of the priest, based on his interpretation of Canon Law about mass attendance, and his benevolence towards transgressions. Does anyone have any experience of this type of policy? How long the practice has to be maintained generally speaking if there's no information about it in the policy?

OP posts:
Lazytiger · 09/07/2025 09:22

It used to be that your had to have your child baptised within 6 months and have proof of weekly mass attendance to get into some schools. Covid threw all that out of the window (thank goodness as I took until 7 months to get it in everyone's diary before I baptised my first!).

When I applied for a Catholic nursery place (London) pre-covid schools in the Westminster diocese had a CCP that confirmed you attended weekly, plus holy days, for (I think) 2 years. The other diocese (Southwark) wanted the priest to tick if attendance was weekly, bi-monthly or monthly for up to 5 years.
So you will just need to check the parish you are in, is in the same diocese as the schools you are applying to. Then get the CCP from the school or the parish and the priest will sign it - if he recognises you as a regular church goer.

Lazytiger · 09/07/2025 09:25

Lord above! Just seen this is an old thread! Oh well, hopefully helpful for anyone doing a search :-)

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