Christ gave His command to baptize universally to the Apostles (Matthew 28:18-20).
The effects of baptism are:
The ordinary minister of baptism is the priest or deacon.
Baptism of adults occurs most usually at Easter by way of the annual R.C.I.A. program (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults).
Baptism of infants requires permission of the local pastor and several meetings prior for spiritual preparation of the parents and sponsors.
Please contact the parish office for information and scheduling.
The sacrament of penance, or reconciliation, instituted by our Lord is given to us so that sins committed after baptism might be forgiven in order that there be reconciliation between God and man.
The sacrament is made up of the following essential parts:
The sacrament is offered weekly, as per the parish schedule or by appointment (Please contact the parish office).
This sacrament acknowledges the fragility of man.
The sacrament is for the living, not the deceased, and for those times of stress and duress of health and well-being, wherein the providence of God sometimes restores physical health and well-being and always communicates grace and spiritual forgiveness and well-being.
It is important for the Catholic faithful to seek this anointing from the priest as often as they become ill and whenever the threat to one’s life is present because of sickness or old age (James 5:14-16).
The priest administers the sacrament of anointing upon request and at times during a communal celebration of the sacrament within a celebration of the Sunday Mass.
This communal celebration if usually offered in the parish two times in the year – once during Advent and one during Lent.
This sacrament communicates the grace of the Holy Spirit to one who is baptized by means of anointing with sacred chrism.
The effects of the sacrament are an increase of sanctifying grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
A seal or character is imported on the soul so that the recipient is empowered to fearlessly profess the Catholic faith and fight against the temptations of sin and the wiles of the devil.
In advance of receiving the sacrament there should be a period of catechesis for the recipient and the sponsor.
The minister of the sacrament is normally the bishop, though the parish priest is granted the faculty to confirm those non-baptized persons who have attained the age of reason whom they have instructed in the faith for reception into the Christian community.
This circumstance unfolds most often within the context of the R.C.I.A. program, with the sacrament administered after baptism at the annual Easter Vigil celebration.
For the youth of this parish, confirmation is celebrated every other year, with spiritual preparation occurring by way of our parish C.C.D. program.
Matrimony is both a contract and a covenant between baptized persons and God, elevated by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament.
Marriage is entered into by two persons of the opposite sex, consisting of the essential properties of unity (i.e., only one spouse) and indissolubility (i.e., wedded for life).
God is the author of marriage, which is symbolized in and modeled on the love of Christ for the Church, His bride (Revelation 19:7).
Marriage is regulated by divine law, ecclesiastical law, and in some measures by civil law.
Marriage has a special place in forming mankind into a social entity, providing the essential unit of the family, understood as the central component and bedrock of society.
The consent of the parties is asked for and received by the minister who is either a deacon or a priest.
To ensure a fruitful celebration of the sacrament, couples are required by diocesan law to approach the minister and partake in at least six months of preparation which included classes and a few workshops (see LINK to Marriage Policy, Archdiocese of Mobile).
Please speak to parish deacon or priest to learn the necessary details for preparation and ceremony, especially if you or your intended is not free to marry (e.g., wedded prior and divorced without a declaration of nullity), and of consequence in need of the assistance of the Tribunal ministry which will required a significant amount of time and preparation (see the selection “Mobile Metropolitan Tribunal” on the diocesan web page www.mobilearchdiocese.org).
Please speak as well with the parish secretary regarding parish fees and stipulations for the use of the Church and/or parish hall for a Catholic wedding.
Reception of the sacrament of our Lord’s precious body and blood is reserved to those Catholic who are living in full communion with the Church.
The sacrament should not be received if the individual is in a dire state of sin until prior confession (i.e., the Sacrament of Penance).
Preparation to receive the Eucharist, for youth, is offered by means of the parish’s “Sunday school” or C.C.D. program.
Youth generally receive communion during their second grade year of studies (i.e., having achieved the age of reason at seven years).
Preparation to receive the Eucharist for adults is offered each year during the annual catechetical program of R.C.I.A.
Please contact the parish office for the necessary details to enroll in either the R.C.I.A. or C.C.D. programs.
Each program starts in the Fall and continues past the celebration of Easter.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered regularly (Please see the parish Mass schedule).
The Sacrament of Holy Orders is the continuation of Christ's priesthood, which He bestowed upon His Apostles; thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the Sacrament of Holy Orders as "the sacrament of apostolic ministry." "Ordination" comes from the Latin word ordinatio, which means to incorporate someone into an order. In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, a man is incorporated into the priesthood of Christ, at one of three levels: i. the episcopate; ii. the priesthood; and iii. the diaconate.
As to the “Episcopate”: There is only one Sacrament of Holy Orders, but there are three levels. The first is that which Christ Himself bestowed upon His Apostles, the episcopate. A bishop is a man who is ordained to the episcopate by another bishop (in practice, by several bishops). He stands in a direct, unbroken line from the Apostles, a condition known as "apostolic succession." Ordination as a bishop confers the grace to sanctify others, as well as the authority to teach the faithful and to bind their consciences.
As to the “Priesthood”: The priesthood was established by God among the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. God chose the tribe of Levi as priests for the nation. Their primary duties were the offering of sacrifice and prayer for the people. Christ, in offering Himself up for the sins of all mankind, fulfilled the duties of the Old Testament priesthood once and for all. But just as the Eucharist makes that sacrifice present to us today, so the New Testament priesthood is a sharing in the eternal priesthood of Christ. While all believers are, in some sense priests, some are set aside to serve the Church as Christ Himself did. No bishop can minister to all of the faithful in his diocese, so priests act, in the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as "co-workers of the bishops." They exercise their powers lawfully only in communion with their bishop, and so they promise obedience to their bishop at the time of their ordination. The chief duties of the priesthood are the preaching of the Gospel and the offering of the Eucharist.
As to the “Diaconate”: Deacons assist priests and bishops, but beyond the preaching of the Gospel, they are granted no special charism or spiritual gift. In the Eastern Churches, both Catholic and Orthodox, the permanent diaconate has been a constant feature. In the West, the office of deacon was reserved to men who intended to be ordained to the priesthood. The permanent diaconate was restored in the West by the Second Vatican Council. Married men are allowed to become permanent deacons.
The sacrament of holy orders can be validly conferred only on baptized men, following the example set by Christ and His Apostles, who chose only men as their successors and collaborators. A man cannot demand ordination; the Church has the authority to determine eligibility for the sacrament.
If you are interested in discerning a possible vocation to the priesthood, please contact one of our clergy.
If you are interested in discerning a possible vocation to the permanent deaconate, our deacon.