Sacraments

Jesus' chosen way of gifting His Life of Grace

The Sacraments

The liturgical life of the Catholic Church revolves around the eucharistic sacrifice and sacrament. There are seven sacraments in the church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders. They all center on two important aspects:

• The life and ministry of Jesus
• The Tradition of the Church

The purpose of the sacraments is to make people holy, to build up the body of Christ, and finally, to give worship to God: but being signs, they also have a teaching function. They not only presuppose faith, but by words and object, they also nourish, strengthen, and express it; that is why they are called “sacraments of faith.” The sacraments impart grace, but, in addition, the very act celebrating of them disposes the faithful most effectively to receive this grace in a fruitful manner, to worship God rightly, and to practice charity.​
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Sacraments for Infants and Children

Baptism

​The Sacrament of Baptism is the first step in a lifelong journey of commitment and discipleship. Whether we are baptized as infants or adults, Baptism is the Church's way of celebrating and enacting the embrace of God.

Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (also know as Penance) has three elements: conversion, confession and celebration. In it we find God's unconditional forgiveness; as a result we are called to forgive others.
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Holy Communion

​Catholics believe the Eucharist or Communion, is both a sacrifice and a meal. We believe in the real presence of Jesus who died for our sins. As we receive Christ's Body and Blood, we also are nourished spiritually and brought close to God.

Confirmation

Confirmation is a Sacrament of mature commitment and a deepening of baptismal gifts. It is one of the three Sacraments of initiations. It is most often associated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Sacraments for Adults

Adult Confirmation

Adults who were baptized in the Catholic Church and have received First Communion, but never celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation, are welcome to join our Adult Confirmation sessions within our RCIA program. Participants are invited to attend catechesis sessions where we explore our Catholic faith and focus on our own personal journeys of faith

RCIA

The RCIA is a series of rites, catechesis, and faith development designed to help adults become full members of the Catholic Church. Within the RCIA, there are two basic types of people involved: Those who have never been baptized, and those who have been baptized in another faith and who wish to “convert” to the Catholic Church.The RCIA is made up of four stages:

Marriage

The Sacrament of Marriage is a public sign that one gives oneself totally to this other person. It is also a public statement about God: the loving union of husband and wife speaks of family values and also God's values.​

Anointing of the Sick

The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, formerly known as Last Rites or Extreme Unction, is a ritual of healing appropriate not only for physical but also for mental and spiritual sickness.

Holy Orders

In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, or Ordination, the priest being ordained vows to lead other Catholics by fringing them the sacraments, by proclaiming the Gospel, and by providing other means to holiness