Sacraments
Sacraments of the Catholic Church
Sacrament defined: a visible sign instituted by Christ, through which the church confers sanctifying grace upon the soul who is properly disposed to receive it.
Baptism
Baptism is God's call to His children, a symbolic action which initiates a child into the Catholic community. It signifies the entrance of new disciples into full and universal membership in the Catholic faith. Baptizing infants is seen not only for what it takes away, original sin, but for what it gives, which is love and grace of God nurtured in community.
First weekends during Mass or the third Sunday after the 10:30 AM Mass. Pre-registration for a class and attending a class is required.
Membership with a parish is required.
Please call the parish office three months before the birth of your child.
Penance / Reconciliation / Confession
Jesus entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church. The Sacrament of Penance is God's gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven. In confession we have the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. It is a holy moment in which we place ourselves in his presence and honestly acknowledge our sins, especially mortal sins. With absolution, we are reconciled to God and the Church. The Sacrament helps us stay close to the truth that we cannot live without God. "In him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). ~from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
* Available at these times or by appointment. Subject to change due to priest availability.
Tuesday 5:15 PM, Friday 9:00 AM, Saturday 3:45 PM
Eucharist
The real presence of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist, click to learn more.
Confirmation
In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is "sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit" and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ.
Confirmation Program Information
Marriage
The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. Covenant always expresses a relationship between persons. The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God. The celebration of marriage is also a liturgical act, appropriately held in a public liturgy at church. Catholics are urged to celebrate their marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy.
Please contact the pastor at least 8 months before the wedding date to begin preparation.
Dates are only reserved after meeting with the pastor.
Step 1. Meet with the Priest
-A one-hour appointment with Father
-Another one-hour appointment with Father
-A two-hour session with the presentation of "God's Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage"
-One more two-hour session of the same.
Step 2. Take the Premarital Inventory and meet with your Mentoring Couple
-A one-hour time frame to take the inventory.
-An approximately two-hour time frame to meet with your mentoring couple.
-One more two-hour session of the same.
Step 3. Attend an Engaged Couple Retreat (a couple of options)
-University of St. Thomas (offered monthly)
-Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo
Step 4. Attend Natural Family Planning Classes (Programs vary in the number of classes and costs.)
Step 5. Continue Meeting with the Priest to move to Wedding Planning (Liturgy planning, music selection, scripture readings etc.)
-Attend wedding rehearsal with your entire wedding party.
Anointing of the Sick
In the Church's Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, through the ministry of the priest, it is Jesus who touches the sick to heal them from sin – and sometimes even from physical ailment. His cures were signs of the arrival of the Kingdom of God. The core message of his healing tells us of his plan to conquer sin and death by his dying and rising.
Holy Orders
From the moment of Jesus' conception in the womb of Mary until his Resurrection, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. In biblical language, he was anointed by the Holy Spirit and thus established by God the Father as our high priest. As Risen Lord, he remains our high priest. . . . While all the baptized share in Christ's priesthood, the ministerial priesthood shares this through the Sacrament of Holy Orders in a special way.