Baptisms
We love to welcome new parishioners, especially through Baptism.
Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word."
If you are a registered parishioner and you are looking to baptize your child please call the parish office in advance to schedule an appointment with the Pastor and to arrange for your child’s baptism. Reconciliation
Don’t be burdened by sin. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, also known as Confession, is a method of seeking forgiveness for our sins and reconciling with God and the Church.
Only God forgives sins. Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself, "The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" and exercises this divine power: "Your sins are forgiven." Further, by virtue of his divine authority he gives this power to men to exercise in his name. "Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion.
Note: Confessions are available every Saturday 3:30 – 4:30 pm , or by calling the parish office for an appointment. The Sacrament of First Reconciliation is usually completed while in 2nd grade and celebrated prior to the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. Please contact the parish office if you need additional information.
Holy Communion
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you.”
"At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us." Receiving Holy Communion, the Body of Jesus Christ, is receiving His “real” presence. Communion is a holy time of worship, reverence and devotion as well as a reminder for what Jesus did for us. First Communion is usually completed while in 2nd grade and celebrated during the month of May. Candidates must be enrolled in First Communion catechism class. Please call the parish office if you require additional information.
Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation is one of the Sacraments of Initiation and is a very important Sacrament as it is where one receives the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Courage, Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Right Judgment, Reverence and Fear of the Lord).
This fullness of the Spirit was not to remain uniquely the Messiah's, but was to be communicated to the whole messianic people. On several occasions Christ promised this outpouring of the Spirit, a promise which he fulfilled first on Easter Sunday and then more strikingly at Pentecost. Filled with the Holy Spirit the apostles began to proclaim "the mighty works of God," and Peter declared this outpouring of the Spirit to be the sign of the messianic age. Those who believed in the apostolic preaching and were baptized received the gift of the Holy Spirit in their turn. Confirmation is usually completed in 7th and 8th grade. Candidates must enroll in Confirmation catechism class. Please call the parish office if you need additional information.
Holy Matrimony
The Catholic Church sees marriage as a vocation, a special calling from God. He created us, He knows us and He has a special plan for us.
Holy Scripture affirms that man and woman were created for one another: "It is not good that the man should be alone." The woman, "flesh of his flesh," his equal, his nearest in all things, is given to him by God as a "helpmate"; she thus represents God from whom comes our help. "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh." The Lord himself shows that this signifies an unbreakable union of their two lives by recalling what the plan of the Creator had been "in the beginning": "So they are no longer two, but one flesh."
Engaged couples wishing to marry at St. Patrick’s are asked to contact the parish office before reserving a wedding date. Weddings typically take place at the Catholic parish where the bride or groom have been registered for some time and are regularly attending Mass. Marriage preparation classes take six months to complete, and it is never too early to begin the preparation program. Anointing of the Sick
This Sacrament gives the grace of the Holy Spirit to those who are sick: by this grace the whole person is helped and saved, sustained by trust in God, and strengthened against the temptations of the Evil One and against anxiety over death.
Christ's compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that "God has visited his people" and that the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Jesus has the power not only to heal, but also to forgive sins; he has come to heal the whole man, soul and body; he is the physician the sick have need of. His compassion toward all who suffer goes so far that he identifies himself with them: "I was sick and you visited me." His preferential love for the sick has not ceased through the centuries to draw the very special attention of Christians toward all those who suffer in body and soul. It is the source of tireless efforts to comfort them. Often Jesus asks the sick to believe. He makes use of signs to heal: spittle and the laying on of hands, mud and washing. The sick try to touch him, "for power came forth from him and healed them all." And so in the sacraments Christ continues to "touch" us in order to heal us.Great care and concern should be taken to see that those of the faithful whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age receive this sacrament.
Please notify the parish office if you would like us to know that you or a family member is ill. Because of a directive of the federal government to enhance the privacy of all patients, the parish is only notified by a hospital at the request of the patient. Holy Orders
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his 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, presbyterate, and diaconate.
If you are receiving a special calling to become a spiritual leader such as a Priest or a Deacon, please contact the Parish Office to arrange an appointment to speak with the Pastor for additional information and guidance.
