“A sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible reality.”
-Mother Angelica
Baptism
“Baptism is the best gift we have received. Through it, we belong to God and we possess the joy of salvation.”
Pope Francis
“Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Baptism is the sacrament of new life in Christ, washing away original sin and marking us as children of God. Through the waters of baptism, we are united with Christ, welcomed into His Church, and called to live as His disciples.
Reconciliation
“The Lord never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for forgiveness.”
Pope Francis
Saint Padre Pio encourages us to regular confession more than twice a year. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is God’s gift of mercy, restoring our relationship with Him through the forgiveness of sins. In this sacred encounter, we confess our sins with a contrite heart, receive absolution through the priest, and are strengthened by God’s grace to walk in His love. A good Catholic examination of conscience can be great help in making a new start in the life of faith and making an act of contrition daily.
Eucharist (Holy Communion)
“The Eucharist is the bread that gives strength… It is at once the most eloquent proof of His love and the most powerful means of fostering His love in us.”
Saint Damien of Molokai
The Eucharist is the real presence of Jesus Christ—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—offered to us as the living bread from heaven. In this sacred sacrament, we are united with Christ and one another, strengthened by His grace to live as His disciples.
“He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” (John 6:56)
“As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1391).
“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:53)
Confirmation
“Baptism, the 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…”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church #1285)
For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
The Sacrament of Confirmation is one of the three sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church (together with Baptism and Holy Communion). This special anointing given by the bishop or priest has the effect of increasing, deepening, and strengthening the sanctifying grace of God given to us at our baptism; while baptism removes from our souls the stain of original sin, Confirmation pours into our souls the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit – just like the Apostles received at Pentecost, we are sent forth as witnesses of Christ in the world.
Holy Orders
“Christ’s invitation to the priesthood is an invitation to a way of life that is athletic in its intensity and heroic in its form.”
Bishop Robert Barron
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which Christ calls men to serve His Church as deacons, priests, and bishops. Through the laying on of hands and the power of the Holy Spirit, they are configured to Christ and entrusted with preaching the Gospel, celebrating the sacraments, and shepherding God’s people. If you are someone you know feels they have a vocation to the priesthood or permanent diaconate please reach out to a Parish Priest.
Matrimony
“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
St. Teresa of Calcutta
Marriage is the sacred covenant between a man and a woman, reflecting Christ’s love for His Church. In this sacrament, husband and wife are united by God in an unbreakable bond, strengthened by His grace to love, honor, and serve one another in faithfulness and holiness.
Anointing of the Sick
The anointing of the sick can be administered to any member of the faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger by reason of illness or old age.”
(Canon 1004; cf. CCC 1514)
The Anointing of the Sick is the sacrament of Christ’s healing and strength, given to those suffering from illness or infirmity. Through prayer, anointing with oil, and the laying on of hands by a priest, the sick receive God’s grace for healing, peace, and spiritual renewal.
A new illness or a worsening of health enables a person to receive the sacrament a further time. For emergencies, please call the parish office.