| Baptism |
Celebrating sacraments of
initiation during the Eucharist highlights the community that has been forgiven
and made one by the risen Lord, and has the privilege to receive those who wish
to share its life. We are happy to offer baptisms to infants during Mass.
Please call the office as soon as possible for further information on baptisms
and to make arrangements.
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| Reconciliation |
Our reconciliation room
(located just off the left front of the sanctuary) offers parishioners the
opportunity to celebrate the sacrament of penance either anonymously or
face-to-face.
Confessions are heard on
Saturdays from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m., and at other times by special arrangement
with one of the priests.
|
| Eucharist |
Eucharist is celebrated every day
in the Church and several times for Sunday. See schedule.
We are happy
to bring the Eucharist to parishioners who are homebound due to sickness or
infirmity. Arrangements can be made by calling the office.
|
| Confirmation |
Confirmation is usually celebrated
by the Bishop in the Spring for teenagers and baptized adults. A program for
adults who have been baptized in the Catholic Church and who seek Confirmation
is conducted early each spring.
|
|
Rite For Christian Initiation Of Adults |
|
The Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process that the Church put in place after
Vatican II (1975), stemming from a desire to provide a more thorough
preparation for receiving the sacraments of initiation. The bishops modeled
this rite after the baptismal Catechumenate which was in place during the first
four centuries of the early Church. RCIA was originally provided to assist
unbaptized persons to prepare for baptism, confirmation and eucharist. Those
preparing for baptism are known as Catechumens. In recent years RCIA has been
adapted to include candidates seeking full communion in the Catholic church
including: 1) baptized Catholics whose initiation is incomplete, and 2)
Christians who were baptized in other communities of faith. These candidates
participate in this process to prepare for confirmation and eucharist, but
usually for a shorter duration due to the need for somewhat less
catechesis.
Our parish process is
open to adults as well as children who have reached the age of reason.
Respecting the fact that every person has different life experience and needs,
we recommend seeking out a staff member to have your questions answered, or
participate in inquiry sessions when they are offered. Usually adult
Catechumens (previously unbaptized) are required to participate in a full year
of preparation. Older children must usually participate six months in RCIA and
also participate in the parish faith formation program, Generations of Faith.
The RCIA process leads the candidates through four stages.
- The precatechumenate is a time for hospitality, inquiry and becoming
acquainted with the faith community. There is no commitment asked for or
expected at this time.
- The primary purpose of the second phase, the catechumenate, is
catechesis and faith sharing. These two stages can continue for an undetermined
length of time, from a few months to a couple of years.
- The period of enlightenment, which takes place during Lent, is a time
for prayer, reflection and the immediate peparation for the sacraments of
initiation which are usually celebrated at the Easter Vigil. At that time, the
person is fully initiated into the Catholic Church by receiving Baptism,
Confirmation and First Eucharist.
- The period from Easter Sunday to Pentecost, called mystagogy,
completes initiation. This festive season helps new members and the whole
Church to more deeply penetrate into the meaning of the Easter
sacraments.
|
| First Eucharist |
First Eucharist is
usually celebrated during the Easter season.
|
| Funerals |
Arrangements for funerals
are made through the funeral home of your choice. Please contact our Pastoral
Assistant, or one of the priests for support or for help in planning the
liturgy. Note that the Parish Center is available for a reception following a
funeral liturgy and a group of volunteers provides hospitality. Please call the
office if you wish to take advantage of this service.
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| Holy Orders |
Anyone seeking
information about entering the diaconate or the priesthood should contact a
member of the Pastoral Staff.
|
| Marriage |
Couples planning to
marry should make an appointment to see one of the parish priests as soon as
possible, before halls are engaged or other binding arrangements made. A year
or more in advance is not too early to set up this meeting, which is required
before the parish can book a wedding. (The Archdiocese of Boston considers six
months notice to be the minimum normally acceptable, and does not permit
weddings to be scheduled over the telephone.) This meeting also affords an
early opportunity for the priest and couple to get acquainted, review the
process of preparation, discuss any special circumstances or requests, and in
those cases work out a suitable way to respond to them.
Besides
working with a priest, engaged couples are asked to participate in a marriage
preparation program. Programs are available elsewhere in the archdiocese on a
wide range of dates.
|
| Pastoral Care of the Sick |
Our extraordinary ministers of the
Eucharist are happy to bring holy communion to parishioners who are confined to
their homes due to sickness or infirmity.
The priests will be pleased
to celebrate the anointing of the sick (or sacrament of the sick) with
parishioners who are seriously ill or who are notably weakened due to advanced
age.
Priests, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, and other
volunteers also schedule visits to persons who are sick at home or have been
admitted to the hospital or nursing home.
Please contact the office to
let us know if a family member or friend is ill or infirm and needs any kind of
pastoral care.
|
| Rosary |
The Rosary is prayed Fridays
after the
9:15 mass.
|
| First Fridays |
| Adoration is after the
9:15 a.m. Mass, continuing until Benediction at 7:00 p.m. Different
arrangements will be made when funerals are scheduled in the church on first
Fridays. |
Sacraments/Liturgy
