Baptism
Gateway to other sacraments and the spiritual life.
We welcome our parishioners to have their newborn children baptized as soon as possible at Saint Francis of Assisi Church. Baptism is the first of the sacraments and the gateway to the other sacraments and to the spiritual life.
The Catholic Church holds true Our Lord’s words that the Sacrament of Baptism is necessary for salvation. Baptism puts a special seal on a person’s soul, making them an adopted child of God. The other effects of Baptism are:
- Removes the stain of Original Sin, forgives any actual sins and removes the temporal punishment for any actual sins
- Infuses the gifts of the Holy Spirit into the soul
- Infuses the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity into the soul
- Makes them a member of the Church – the Body of Christ
When parents bring their child to the Church to be baptized, they are making a solemn promise to God that they will raise their child in the Catholic faith. It is important for parents to realize that the living out of this promise involves their own practice of the faith through their dedication to prayer, weekly Mass attendance and living the sacramental life of the Church.
Godparents:
Parents will need to choose Godparents for the new baby. A Godparent must be able to assist the parents in the education of the child in the Catholic faith through support, encouragement and prayer. At least one Godparent must be Catholic and meet all of the following criteria:
- Must be at least 16 years of age
- Must be fully initiated into membership in the Catholic Church through the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation
- Must be an active, participating member of a Catholic Parish – attending Mass weekly and living the sacramental life of the Church
- If married, the marriage must be recognized by the Catholic Church
- A person that is not Catholic may not serve as a Godparent, but may take the role of a Christian witness.
Eucharist
First Holy Communion:
Opportunities for First Holy Communion are normally offered in second grade. Preparation for First Holy Communion begins when preparation for First Reconciliation is finished. This is offered to all second graders and to any older child that has not previously received the sacrament.
The Eucharist – Source and Summit of Ecclesial Life
The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and we are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.” (CC 1324)
“The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being. It is the culmination both of God’s action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit.” (CC 1325)
Finally, by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all. (CC 1326)
Confirmation:
Although immediate focus on the sacrament of Confirmation takes place in 11th grade, adequate completion of 9th and 10th grade Faith Formation is a pre-requisite for receiving this sacrament. Confirmation preparation includes attendance at weekly classes, a retreat, discernment, reflection, and prayer. Confirmation will take place in the eleventh grade.
Baptism, Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the “sacraments of Christian initiation,” whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For “by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.” (CCC 1285)
Reconciliation
Confessions/Penance
Reconciliation Celebrated Wednesdays 6pm – 7:30pm and Saturdays 8am – 9:00am
First Reconciliation:
Opportunities for First Reconciliation are normally offered in second grade. Any older child who has not previously received this sacrament, please notify the Faith Formation Coordinator so that arrangements can be made.
A Guide for Confession
The basic requirement for a good confession is to have the intention of returning to God.
Sin in my Life
I must make an effort to recognize sin in my daily actions, words and omissions.
Three simultaneous conditions must be fulfilled for a mortal sin:
- the act must be something very serious
- the person must have sufficient understanding of what is being done
- the person must have sufficient freedom of the will
Before Confession
Be truly sorry for your sins. The essential act of Penance, on the part of the penitent, is contrition, a clear and decisive rejection of the sin committed, together with a resolution not to commit it again, out of the love one has for God. The resolution to avoid committing these sins in the future (amendment) is a sure sign that your sorrow is genuine and authentic. This does not mean that a promise never to fall again into sin is necessary. A resolution to try to avoid the near occasions of sin suffices for true repentance. God’s grace in cooperation with the intention to rectify your life will give you the strength to resist and overcome temptation in the future.
A helpful pattern for examination of conscience is to review the Commandments of God and the Precepts of the Church.
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the priest of the Church, and let him pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (Jas 5:14-15).
The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick has as its purpose the conferral of a special grace on the Christian experiencing the difficulties inherent in the condition of a grave illness or old age. (CC 1527).
Having your wedding at Saint Francis Assisi Church
WELCOME! On behalf of the entire faith community of Saint Francis Assisi Church, we would like to congratulate you on your engagement and upcoming marriage!
It is with a deep and keen awareness of your anticipation that we welcome you to our parish as you consider, plan and prepare for the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage. We are honored that you have come to us as an aide and resource for this lifetime commitment.
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to the apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate (bishop), presbyterate (priest), and diaconate (deacon). (CC 1526)
The whole Church is a priestly people. Through Baptism all the faithful share in the priesthood of Christ. This participation is called the “common priesthood of the faithful.” Based on this common priesthood and ordered to service, there exists another participation in the mission of Christ: the ministry conferred by the sacrament of Holy Orders, where the task is to serve in the name and in the person of Christ the Head in the midst of the community. (CC 1591)
The ministerial priesthood differs in essence from the common priesthood of the faithful because it confers a sacred power for the service of the faithful. The ordained ministers exercise their service for the People of God by teaching (munus docendi), divine worship (munus liturgicum) and pastoral goverance (munus regendi).