Baptism

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

- Mt 28:19

Baptism is the foundational sacrament and the prerequisite for all other sacraments. It is a sacrament which cleanses us from original sin, makes us Christians, children of God and members of the Church. In our parish baptisms take place on the first Saturday of every month and are arranged by speaking directly to the parish priest.

Parents are encouraged to participate in our new Baptismal course. This course will help parents and guardians understand the true meaning of this sacrament and to appreciate the encounter with Jesus Christ in this joyous occasion.

Things to Remember

Parents

Parent(s) are required to file a copy of the child’s birth certificate and baptismal form in advance of the baptism taking place. The birth certificate will be returned to the parent(s).

Godparents/Sponsors
  • Be appointed by the candidate for baptism, or by the parents or whoever stands in their place;
  • Be not less that sixteen years of age;
  • Be a practicing Catholic, who has received the Sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist;
  • Not be the father or mother of the person to be baptized.
NOTE:
A person belonging to a non-Catholic Christian church may be admitted only in company with a Catholic sponsor and then as a witness to the baptism.

Confirmation

“Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit for the Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

- Acts 8: 14 – 16

Confirmation is the sacrament that completes baptism. It is through this sacrament that we receive the Holy Spirit and become full-fledged, responsible members of the Catholic Church. The Bishop administers the Sacrament of Confirmation by praying that the Holy Spirit may come down upon those who are to be confirmed: and by laying his hands on them and anointing them with chrism.

In Confirmation the soul of a baptized Christian is imprinted with a permanent seal that can be received only once and marks this individual forever as a Christian. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the strength from above in which this individual puts the grace of his Baptism into practice through his life and acts as “witness” for Christ.

In our parish Confirmation typically takes place once every year when our Primary 7 class are confirmed in our church. Primary 7 pupils from other primary schools may be confirmed in our church at this time by arranging this in advance with the parish priest and / or the principal of St. John’s Primary School. Adults who wish to be confirmed in our parish can do so by arranging this with the parish priest.

Eucharist

“On the night he was betrayed he took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the chalice, after supper, saying, ‘This chalice is the new covenant in my blood. Do this in remembrance of me.’”

- 1 Cor 11: 23 – 25

The sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, together with his Soul and Divinity, under the appearances of bread and wine. The process through which the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ is called transubstantiation.

The Eucharist is the third sacrament of initiation. It is the mysterious centre of all these sacraments because of the historic sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is made present during the words of consecration. Thus the celebration of the Eucharist at Mass is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” (Second Vatican Council, Lumen gentium [LG] 11).

It is important that we realise that Jesus is truly present at every Holy Mass. This celebration is the heart of the Christian communion and the pinnacle of our earthly existence. When we participate in the Holy Mass we are following the command of Jesus when he said “Do this in remembrance of me.”

“Your life must be woven around the Eucharist. Direct your eyes to Him, who is the Light; bring your hearts very close to His Divine Heart; ask Him for the grace to know Him, for the charity to love Him, for the courage to serve Him. Seek him longingly.”

- Bl. Teresa of Calcutta

Penance

“Those who are well have no need of a doctor, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

- Mk 2:17

This is one of the sacraments of healing. Going to confession is one of the greatest graces we can receive again and again during our earthly lives. Receiving absolution renews the soul and equips us with new strength.

Jesus instituted the sacrament of Penance when he appeared to the apostles and said “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (Jn 20: 22 – 23)

In modern times penance (also referred to as Confessions) is quite often misunderstood. Penance is not about being chastised or worrying about how bad a person I am. The sacrament of Penance is grace from God that frees us from the shackles of our previous sins and encourages us to make a new start.

Penance requires three conditions on the part of the penitent:
  1. Contrition (the heartfelt sorrow for our sins after thorough examination of conscience);
  2. Confession (naming our sins to a priest or bishop);
  3. Satisfaction (doing the penance given to us by the priest or bishop).

Last Rites

“In my name they will cast out demons … they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover.”

- Mk 16: 17 – 18)

This sacrament can be received by any Catholic whose health is in a critical state. This is administered by anointing the forehead and hands with oil and saying particular prayers. The effects of this sacrament are to comfort and strengthen the soul, to remit sin and even to restore health when God sees it to be expedient.

Marriage

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word … Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.”

- Eph 5: 25 – 26, 28

Matrimony is the Sacrament which sanctifies the covenant of a Christian marriage, and gives a special grace to those who receive it worthily.

The sacrament of marriage comes about through the promise made by a man and a woman before God and the Church, which is accepted and confirmed by God and consummated by the bodily union of the couple. Because God forms the bond of sacramental marriage, it is binding until the death of one of the partners.

Marriages are under constant strain from problems and the divisive role played by the reality of sin. That is why forgiveness, reconciliation and prayer are essential in every marriage. It is important that we all pray for our own marriage and other marriages that need our prayers to sustain them and protect them from sin.It is also important to realise that not everyone is called to marriage. Many people who live alone carry on the mission of the Church. Jesus shows them a special way; he invites them to remain unmarried “for the sake of the kingdom of heaven”. (Mt 19:12)

Holy Orders

This is the sacrament by which bishops, priests and other ministers of the Church are ordained and receive power and grace to perform their sacred duties.

The man who is ordained receives a gift of the Holy Spirit that gives him a sacred authority. Once ordained a Catholic priest administers the sacraments to others not on the basis of his own power, but rather “in persona Christi”. Through his ordination, the transforming, healing, saving power of Christ is grafted onto him.

A priest is above all a servant. Therefore the distinguishing feature of every authentic priest is humble astonishment at his own vocation.