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 and in the word."
Celebrated on the second and fourth Sunday of each month (unless otherwise specified) at 12:00 PM.
First-time parents are required to attend a Baptismal Preparation Session held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the rectory.
To make arrangements for a baptism and register for the Preparation Session, please call the parish office 609.561.6116.
Sacrament of Baptism | Catholic Catechism
Godparents (Baptism) and
Sponsors (Confirmation)
Sponsor (Confirmation) and Godparent (Baptism)
Before you ask someone to be a Godparent or sponsor, or before accepting this honor, please consider the following:
Godparents and Sponsors are persons of faith who so exemplify what it means to be a member of the Church that they inspire (or hope to inspire) the one they are sponsoring and will support that person in his/her journey of faith. To be considered eligible, certain conditions must be met, which is why the Church insists that a certificate of eligibility, obtained from the prospective Godparent/ sponsor’s home parish, be provided prior to the celebration of the sacrament.
The applicant must be formally registered in a parish. If we don’t know you, how can we testify that you are eligible? Furthermore, the applicant should make his/her own request. While there may be legitimate extenuating circumstances, ordinarily parish staffs are suspicious about the seriousness of an applicant’s intentions if someone else is making the request for them.
Applicants must be fully initiated, practicing members of the Church, at least 16 years of age. That is, they have received the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation and regularly attend Mass. The pastor can dispense from the age minimum, provided that the applicant meets these sacramental requirements.
Where we run into the most difficulties is if the applicant is married. We cannot issue a certificate of eligibility to a married person if the marriage is not valid in the Catholic Church. For a marriage to be valid a sanctioned Catholic priest must have performed it or, if celebrated outside the Church, with a formal dispensation granted by the local Bishop. Civil marriages or those performed by non-Catholic religious officials without a formal dispensation are not valid in the Church.
For the applicant in an invalid marriage to receive a certificate of eligibility, the marriage must first be convalidated by a renewal of vows before a sanctioned priest and two witnesses. If either spouse had a prior marriage that ended in divorce, regardless of where that first marriage took place, the Church must formally annul the prior marriage before a convalidation can be celebrated.
HOLY EUCHARIST
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." [Catholic Catechism, 1323]
Parish Celebration of the Eucharist
Solemn Eucharist
Catholic Catechism | Today's Readings
CONFIRMATION
 Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the "Sacraments of Christian initiation," whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace.
For "by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.
[Catholic Catechism 1285]
Sacrament of Confirmation | Catholic Catechism
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Seven Sacraments
The history of human salvation is the history of the way God came to people. The first step on this way was the bridging of the gulf separating God and man in the person of the one Mediator Jesus Christ and by his work of redemption.
The great mystery of the union in Christ of a human nature with the second Person of the Godhead is that the human actions and sufferings of Christ are divine actions and sufferings. The sacraments are a living continuation of this mystery. There are earthly, external signs here which, of themselves, could never acquire any supernatural significance, but the signs of the sacraments have been made by Christ into vehicles of his grace. They effect in men the grace for which Christ made them the sign.
So there are two fundamental ideas which constantly recur in the Church's teaching, on the sacraments. First there is the Church's concern for these instituted by Christ, their number, and their proper preservation and administration; then the grace which Christ has for all time linked with these signs and which is communicated by them.
The second is the effect of the sacraments... more
Sacraments of Initiation:
Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation
Sacraments of Healing:
Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation
Sacraments of Vocation:
Marriage and Holy Orders
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ANOINTING OF THE SICK
“The Last Rites” --- ANOINTING OF THE SICK
Technically speaking, there is no such thing. At one time, what we practice now as the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick was offered only when a person was near death. This is why it was called, “Extreme Unction” (anointing in extreme circumstances) and commonly referred to as “last rites.”
Today, any seriously ill or infirmed person can be anointed at any time; death need not be imminent. Persons scheduled for surgery likewise should be anointed before entering the hospital. The chaplain will anoint all persons admitted to the hospital, particularly in an emergency.
But when death becomes imminent, summon a priest immediately if you know the dying person has not been anointed (the chaplain if the person is in a hospital; a parish priest if s/he is at home or a care facility within the parish boundaries).
If s/he has been anointed, however, there is no need for “last rites.” The dear one has already been graced with the sacrament and is spiritually disposed to enter the presence.
Anointing of the Sick | Catholic Catechism
SICK CALLS/HOSPITAL VISITATION/EMERGENCIES:
If you know of any parishioner who is homebound and would like to regularly receive Holy Communion, we are happy to make arrangements for periodic visits by a priest and lay Eucharistic Ministers. Catholic residents of long-term care facilities within our parish boundaries are likewise visited regularly.
If a loved
one is admitted to any hospital, please contact the hospital’s Pastoral Care office. Each hospital has an assigned, full-time Catholic chaplain who will be certain to administer the sacrament of the sick and arrange for regular reception of Holy Communion. Our parish priests try to visit hospitalized parishioners as well, as their schedules permit.
In the event of an emergency, a parish priest can be summoned to the stricken parishioner’s home. Once en route to a hospital, however, please request hospital operator to immediately contact the chaplain.
RECONCILIATION
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. [Catholic Catechism 1422]
Reconciliation | Church Teaches | Catholic Catechism
MARRIAGE
Marriage in the Church is a sacred moment a Sacrament the beginning of a lifetime that includes the sharing of love, self-sacrifice, the creation of a new life, continual growth in relationship with each other and with God. Asking to be married in the Catholic faith presupposes that you are serious in your commitment to love God and your neighbor as Jesus taught us, to live in the community of Catholic faith and practice that faith by regular worship and by living a life that obeys the teaching of Jesus in the Sacred Scriptures.
Marriage Vows, made before God and the Community of Faith, are binding "til death do us part." Divorce does not change a vow made before God and remarriage after divorce is not permitted by the teachings of Jesus as we understand them.
Arrangements must be made with one of the parish priests at least one year in advance to allow time for proper preparation. This includes three meetings with the priest (or deacon) plus attendance at the diocesan-sponsored preparation sessions (Pre-Cana or Engaged Encounter). Our parish secretary can check dates for availability but cannot reserve them.
If either party has been previously married and divorced, an official church annulment of the prior marriage must be obtained before a date can be reserved and preparation sessions begun.
There are no restrictions concerning the religious affiliation of members of the wedding party, including the witnesses (best man, maid/matron of honor). However, all music must be approved for Church use. Most secular music is not permitted.
The wedding stipend is a gift from the couple to the parish to defray the cost of marriage materials and supplies, church utilities for the rehearsal and wedding, and support the general operation of parish activities. The stipend for the use of the Church, required paperwork, etc. is $200 for registered parishioners who regularly support the parish. For non-contributing, the fee is $400. A deposit of one half of the fee is payable at the time the date is set. It is not a gift for the priest or deacon. The stipend for musicians must be negotiated directly with them. A gift for altar servers and the priest or deacon is customary at your discretion.
Marriage | Church Teaches | Catholic Catechism
Parish of Blessed John XXIII Wedding Guidelines
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. [Catholic Catechism 1536]
Church Teaches | Catholic Catechism |
