The Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church
The history of human salvation is the history of the way God came to us. The first step on this way was the bridging of the gulf separating God and human in the person of the one Mediator, Jesus Christ, and by His work of redemption. By means of His church, Christ makes His grace available to all. Only in this application of redemption to humankind is the redemptive action of Christ completed. The doctrine of the Sacraments is the doctrine of the second part of God’s way of salvation for us. It deals with the holy signs, which Christ instituted as the vehicles of His grace. The Church teaches that there are seven Sacraments. They were instituted by Christ and given to the Church to administer. They are necessary for salvation. The sacraments are the vehicles of grace which they convey. They are validly administered by carrying out the sign with the proper intention. Not all are equally qualified to administer all the sacraments, yet the validity of the sacrament is also independent of the worthiness of the minister. Sacramentals are instituted by the Church and are effective by virtue of the Church’s intercession. Institution and alteration of them is reserved to the Holy See.
The Sacrament of Baptism
Baptism is the sacrament that frees us from original sin and from personal guilt. It makes us a member of Christ and His Church. It is thus the door to a new life, a life of supernatural grace. For more information, please contact Anna with the Parish Office at [email protected]. Baptism registration form: baptism_registration_fillable_form.pdf
The Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation)
If the Church is to fulfill in its entirety her task of saving humankind, she needs the power to forgive sins. It is a power essentially different from her mission to preach the Gospel and baptize. In baptism, indeed all sins, and the punishment due to them, are remitted. Baptism is the first justification. In baptism, all sin (and all due punishment) is forgiven and a new life of grace begins. Yet human weakness remains, and even after baptism we continue to struggle with temptation and sin. Through the sacrament of reconciliation, Christ meets us in our brokenness, offering forgiveness, healing, and the grace to begin again.
It not only restores us to friendship with God but also strengthens us against future sin, brings peace to the conscience, and renews our life in Christ and His Church. Reconciliation is one of the most beautiful expressions of God's mercy. No sin is too great for God's forgiveness when we turn to Him with a repentant heart. The Church encourages Catholics to celebrate this sacrament regularly as a source of ongoing conversion, spiritual growth, and freedom in Christ. For information about confession times or to arrange an appointment, please contact the Parish Office.
The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist (First Holy Communion)
The doctrine of the Holy Eucharist consists of the Eucharistic sacrifice: the sacrificial meal and the sacrificial food. Expressed otherwise, it consists
of the doctrine of the Mass, of Communion, and of the Real Presence. The presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is meant, first and foremost, as food for the faithful. Sacramental union with Christ in Holy Communion is always thought of as a sacrificial meal: “For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall show the death of the Lord, until he come” (1 Cor. 11:26). The Eucharistic meal can only be prepared in the sacrifice of the Mass. For more information, please contact the Parish Office. First Holy Communion registration form: first_holy_communion_registration_fillable.pdf
The Sacrament of Confirmation
The sacrament of confirmation completes the sacrament of baptism. If baptism is the sacrament of re-birth to a new and supernatural life, confirmation is the sacrament of maturity and coming of age. The real confession of Christ consists in this “that the whole man submits himself to Truth, in the judgement of his understanding, in the submission of his will and in the consecration of his whole power of love ... To do this, poor-spirited man is only able when he has been confirmed by God’s grace." For more information, please contact the Parish Office. Confirmation registration form: confirmation_registration_fillable_form.pdf
The Sacrament of Matrimony
Matrimony is the marriage contract between Christians, raised by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament. The theological and dogmatic treatment of this sacrament does not look very much to its main features of unity and indissolubility, which are basic characteristics of all marriage in natural ethics. They are rather premises, though they attain greater significance, depth and stability in marriage as a sacrament. The fact, then, that these features take up a considerable amount of space in church documents must not be allowed to hide the theological content of this sacrament, which comes to us from revelation and belongs to the supernatural order. As a sacrament matrimony is entirely oriented on humanity's supernatural goal.
Matrimony and Holy orders are the two sacraments which not only serve the individual in reaching this goal, but also benefit the community. Matrimony is there for the mutual help of the spouses and the increase of the people of God. Devotion to this twofold end is the way of salvation for married couples, a way sanctified by the sacrament. “Yet she shall be saved through childbearing; if she continue in faith, and love, and sanctification, with sobriety” (1 Tim. 2:15). For more information, please contact the Parish Office.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders
The supreme task which Christ had to fulfill was his priestly work of atonement, which He completed as mediator between God and man. By the union in Himself of humanity and divinity Christ is, by nature, the mediator. As a man from among men, Christ is our mediator with the Father. Yet He is also capable of offering a worthy sacrifice to God because, by virtue of the union of his human nature with the Second Person of the Godhead, His human actions have infinite value. In this fullest sense, the priesthood belongs to Christ alone. For more information, please contact the Pastor at: [email protected]
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick
The Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of healing and hope. Through prayer and anointing with blessed oil, Christ strengthens those who are seriously ill, preparing for surgery, experiencing the frailty of old age, or approaching the end of life. This sacrament offers a deeper union with the suffering and risen Christ, helping us to trust in God's love and the promise of eternal life.
As Confirmation completes the sacrament of baptism by conferring the Holy Spirit, so extreme unction (Last Rites) is the complement and completion of penance. Penance restores the justification lost by sin, extreme unction takes away the infirmity left by sin. It “removes that state which might be an obstacle to the clothing with glory of the resurrection.” As every sacrament makes us in some respect like Christ, “so we become, by extreme unction, like the risen Christ because it will be given to the dying as a sign of the glory to come, in which everything mortal will be stripped from the elect” (Albertus Magnus). According to the teaching of great theologians, the holy anointing makes the soul--who stands at the threshold of eternity and loyally co-operates with the grace of the sacrament--ready to enter directly upon the Beatific Vision. For more information, please contact the Pastor at: [email protected]
The history of human salvation is the history of the way God came to us. The first step on this way was the bridging of the gulf separating God and human in the person of the one Mediator, Jesus Christ, and by His work of redemption. By means of His church, Christ makes His grace available to all. Only in this application of redemption to humankind is the redemptive action of Christ completed. The doctrine of the Sacraments is the doctrine of the second part of God’s way of salvation for us. It deals with the holy signs, which Christ instituted as the vehicles of His grace. The Church teaches that there are seven Sacraments. They were instituted by Christ and given to the Church to administer. They are necessary for salvation. The sacraments are the vehicles of grace which they convey. They are validly administered by carrying out the sign with the proper intention. Not all are equally qualified to administer all the sacraments, yet the validity of the sacrament is also independent of the worthiness of the minister. Sacramentals are instituted by the Church and are effective by virtue of the Church’s intercession. Institution and alteration of them is reserved to the Holy See.
The Sacrament of Baptism
Baptism is the sacrament that frees us from original sin and from personal guilt. It makes us a member of Christ and His Church. It is thus the door to a new life, a life of supernatural grace. For more information, please contact Anna with the Parish Office at [email protected]. Baptism registration form: baptism_registration_fillable_form.pdf
The Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation)
If the Church is to fulfill in its entirety her task of saving humankind, she needs the power to forgive sins. It is a power essentially different from her mission to preach the Gospel and baptize. In baptism, indeed all sins, and the punishment due to them, are remitted. Baptism is the first justification. In baptism, all sin (and all due punishment) is forgiven and a new life of grace begins. Yet human weakness remains, and even after baptism we continue to struggle with temptation and sin. Through the sacrament of reconciliation, Christ meets us in our brokenness, offering forgiveness, healing, and the grace to begin again.
It not only restores us to friendship with God but also strengthens us against future sin, brings peace to the conscience, and renews our life in Christ and His Church. Reconciliation is one of the most beautiful expressions of God's mercy. No sin is too great for God's forgiveness when we turn to Him with a repentant heart. The Church encourages Catholics to celebrate this sacrament regularly as a source of ongoing conversion, spiritual growth, and freedom in Christ. For information about confession times or to arrange an appointment, please contact the Parish Office.
The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist (First Holy Communion)
The doctrine of the Holy Eucharist consists of the Eucharistic sacrifice: the sacrificial meal and the sacrificial food. Expressed otherwise, it consists
of the doctrine of the Mass, of Communion, and of the Real Presence. The presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is meant, first and foremost, as food for the faithful. Sacramental union with Christ in Holy Communion is always thought of as a sacrificial meal: “For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall show the death of the Lord, until he come” (1 Cor. 11:26). The Eucharistic meal can only be prepared in the sacrifice of the Mass. For more information, please contact the Parish Office. First Holy Communion registration form: first_holy_communion_registration_fillable.pdf
The Sacrament of Confirmation
The sacrament of confirmation completes the sacrament of baptism. If baptism is the sacrament of re-birth to a new and supernatural life, confirmation is the sacrament of maturity and coming of age. The real confession of Christ consists in this “that the whole man submits himself to Truth, in the judgement of his understanding, in the submission of his will and in the consecration of his whole power of love ... To do this, poor-spirited man is only able when he has been confirmed by God’s grace." For more information, please contact the Parish Office. Confirmation registration form: confirmation_registration_fillable_form.pdf
The Sacrament of Matrimony
Matrimony is the marriage contract between Christians, raised by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament. The theological and dogmatic treatment of this sacrament does not look very much to its main features of unity and indissolubility, which are basic characteristics of all marriage in natural ethics. They are rather premises, though they attain greater significance, depth and stability in marriage as a sacrament. The fact, then, that these features take up a considerable amount of space in church documents must not be allowed to hide the theological content of this sacrament, which comes to us from revelation and belongs to the supernatural order. As a sacrament matrimony is entirely oriented on humanity's supernatural goal.
Matrimony and Holy orders are the two sacraments which not only serve the individual in reaching this goal, but also benefit the community. Matrimony is there for the mutual help of the spouses and the increase of the people of God. Devotion to this twofold end is the way of salvation for married couples, a way sanctified by the sacrament. “Yet she shall be saved through childbearing; if she continue in faith, and love, and sanctification, with sobriety” (1 Tim. 2:15). For more information, please contact the Parish Office.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders
The supreme task which Christ had to fulfill was his priestly work of atonement, which He completed as mediator between God and man. By the union in Himself of humanity and divinity Christ is, by nature, the mediator. As a man from among men, Christ is our mediator with the Father. Yet He is also capable of offering a worthy sacrifice to God because, by virtue of the union of his human nature with the Second Person of the Godhead, His human actions have infinite value. In this fullest sense, the priesthood belongs to Christ alone. For more information, please contact the Pastor at: [email protected]
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick
The Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of healing and hope. Through prayer and anointing with blessed oil, Christ strengthens those who are seriously ill, preparing for surgery, experiencing the frailty of old age, or approaching the end of life. This sacrament offers a deeper union with the suffering and risen Christ, helping us to trust in God's love and the promise of eternal life.
As Confirmation completes the sacrament of baptism by conferring the Holy Spirit, so extreme unction (Last Rites) is the complement and completion of penance. Penance restores the justification lost by sin, extreme unction takes away the infirmity left by sin. It “removes that state which might be an obstacle to the clothing with glory of the resurrection.” As every sacrament makes us in some respect like Christ, “so we become, by extreme unction, like the risen Christ because it will be given to the dying as a sign of the glory to come, in which everything mortal will be stripped from the elect” (Albertus Magnus). According to the teaching of great theologians, the holy anointing makes the soul--who stands at the threshold of eternity and loyally co-operates with the grace of the sacrament--ready to enter directly upon the Beatific Vision. For more information, please contact the Pastor at: [email protected]
