What is a Visitation?Prayer cards and bookmarks are now available from the Bishop's office. The leaflet has been so popular it is awaiting reprint and will be available again shortly.
Parish Visitations, Lent 2010
What happens at a Visitation?
The parish visit to each home lasts 30-40 minutes.
The purpose of the visit is pastoral. It is a time to share God’s word and to pray for God’s blessing upon your life as a disciple of Jesus and for your home.
The priest or lay visitor will read a passage of scripture and share its message with you. You can also share your own thoughts about it. You may wish to have your own bible with you.
Your visitor will ask you if there is anything for which you would particularly like prayer - perhaps for yourself or for relatives and friends or for things that particularly concern you. Your visitor will pray with you.
If the visitor is a priest and you feel in need of particular healing, you can ask to be anointed with holy oil.
The visit ends with a prayer for the blessing of your home and you will be given a card as a reminder of the visit. There will then be a short time to chat informally.
Please feel free to welcome relatives, friends and neighbours to be present at the visit.
Please try to avoid any interruptions during the visit and please switch the TV off.
Be relaxed about it – it is your home!
You may wish to offer the visitor a cup of tea, coffee or a soft drink and a biscuit at the end of the visit – but please, nothing else!