What is a Sacrament?
The sacraments are where we see the spiritual intertwine with our physical world. Where God expresses His love for us in a physical way and transforms us to the extent we allow...
Do you love someone - parents, spouse, children, friends?
How do you express your love to these people? Maybe by telling them you love them, hugging them, spending time with them, helping with their homework, sharing a meal... Here, your love for these people does not just remain in your heart; it is outwardly expressed in very concrete ways. The word 'Sacrament' can be understood as the outward expression of love in a very concrete way.
God's love for all of humanity, for you, is not something He keeps to Himself... For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life (John 3:16). It is through Jesus, that we see God's love in the most concrete and tangible way possible.
During Jesus' public ministry, He used very clear, concrete ways to make known God's love for His people by curing diseases, feeding them, teaching them about Our Father, and calling them to repentance, then forgiving their sins.
Jesus then shared and entrusted to His Apostles the ministry of making known God's great love and mercy for all of humanity (John 20:22-23, Matthew 16:16-19). Through this apostolic succession, the Church continues to celebrate these sacraments, these tangible, concrete expressions of God's love, every day.
Anointing of the Sick
If you or a loved one have a serious illness, contact the parish office to arrange a time when the priest can offer the Sacrament of the Sick. Please do not wait until the last minute. It is best to give the Sacrament when the person receiving it can be consoled and strengthened by joining in the prayers while they are surrounded by their family and friends gathered and praying with them.
Baptism
As a cluster, we're here to support you on this journey. This Sacrament of Baptism is essential! It is also essential that we understand what it means for us to become part of God's family in this sacrament and what it means for us to accept God as our Father, to be heirs of Heaven.
Confession
Through our baptism, we've accepted God's invitation to become His sons and daughters, heirs of Heaven. As children of God, we're called to become holy (Leviticus 11:45) and perfect (Matthew 5:48). This can seem like a tall order! ...
Confirmation
The sacrament in which the Holy Spirit is given to those already baptized to make them stronger and more perfect Christians and soldiers for Jesus Christ. As St. Thomas says: “Confirmation is to baptism what growth is to generation.
Marriage
“For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:31-33)
Holy Communion
“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: ...’ (CCC 1323)
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.” (CCC 1536)...