Sacraments

The Sacraments are divided into three groups:

Christian Initiation
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist (Holy Communion)
Healing
- Penance (Confession or Reconciliation)
- Anointing of the Sick
Vocations
- Matrimony (Marriage)
- Holy Orders (Ordination)

Sacraments of Christian Initiation

Baptism

Holy Baptism is the foundation of Christian life. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as children of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church, and are made sharers in her mission. Baptism is the gateway to life in the Spirit and gives access to the other Sacraments.

Once baptized, a person becomes a member not just of their parish, but of the whole Catholic church worldwide.

Confirmation

The Sacrament of Confirmation is the spiritual equivalent of the physical growth process from childhood, through adolescence, into adulthood. Confirmation completes our baptismal grace, binding us to the Church and enriching us with a special strength of the Holy Spirit.

Once confirmed, a Catholic is considered a true witness of Christ, and is called to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.

Eucharist (Holy Communion)

At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, Jesus Christ 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 the Church a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet.

The Eucharist is considered “the source and summit of the Christian life,” around which the other Sacraments and ministries are oriented.

During the Mass, Catholics in a state of grace receive the body and blood of Christ (the Eucharist) in the form of consecrated bread and wine.

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Please contact the parish office for more information, including registration for preparation sessions.

Sacraments of Healing

Penance (Confession or Reconciliation)

The Sacrament of Penance is God’s recognition that we are human. When we are baptized, our original sin is washed away and we receive the Grace of Christian Initiation. In the event we fall into sin, God provides a way for us to receive His grace through the heartfelt and mindful confession of our sins, and a genuine desire for forgiveness through penance.

Catholics are obliged to go to confession because participation in the Eucharist is our greatest joy and privilege, as well as a duty. To participate worthily, we must be free of mortal sin. Confession is a gift, a means of grace, a way to God, and a way back to God.

Priests welcome you no matter how long it’s been since you have been to Confession, and no matter what you want or need to confess.

Confessions can be heard:

by personal request at all other Masses
by appointment at any time by contacting the parish office

Consult the Guide for Confession to help prepare for the Sacrament of Penance and to learn about what happens in the confessional.

Anointing of the Sick

The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick conveys several graces and imparts gifts of strengthening in the Holy Spirit against anxiety, discouragement, and temptation, and conveys peace and fortitude. The Sacrament is available to any Catholic in need of healing.

Please contact the parish office for assistance.

Sacraments of Vocations

Matrimony (Marriage)

Marriage is a beautiful vocation, the beginning of family life, and a great adventure together. The Sacrament of Matrimony is a lasting commitment of a man and a woman to a lifelong partnership, established for the good of each other - growing in love together and in our relationship with Christ.

Weddings may not be celebrated in Holy Week or on any day of the Easter Triduum. Weddings during Advent and Lent are not encouraged. If a wedding is celebrated during Advent or Lent, the wedding ceremony should reflect the special nature of this liturgical season and avoid too much pomp and display.

Please contact the parish office at least 6 months in advance of the date of the wedding to begin the marriage preparation process.

Holy Orders (Ordination)

Holy Orders is the Sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church. A Sacrament of apostolic ministry, it includes three degrees: deacon, priest and bishop.

Deacons serve the Church through ministries of Word, worship, pastoral care and charity. They are called to carry Christ and the Gospel to their workplaces, places of relaxation, and to the heart of their family life. A deacon may baptize, preach, and officiate at marriages and funerals, but he cannot preside at Eucharist or give absolution. Before someone is ordained a priest, he is first ordained to the order of deacon. There are also permanent deacons, who serve the Church as directed by the bishop but will not be ordained to the priesthood. Unlike celibate priests in the Roman Catholic tradition, permanent deacons may be married men.

The main roles of the priest are preaching, celebrating the Sacraments, and exercising servant leadership after the model of Our Lord. Priests offer the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, forgive sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and celebrate the Sacraments of Baptism, Marriage and Anointing of the Sick. Priesthood also embraces the exercise of spiritual leadership, the teaching of faith and morals, formation of lay leaders, and whatever other duties are deemed necessary by his Bishop or Religious Superior.

The bishop has a three-fold mission to teach, govern, sanctify the faithful of his diocese, sharing these duties with the priests and deacons who serve under him. Appointed by the Pope, bishops care for all people in the diocese, especially the poor and the suffering. In his priestly role, the bishop has responsibility for the proper celebration of the liturgy and the sacraments in his diocese.

Visit the Archdiocese of Kingston to learn more about priesthood and religious life.