Baptism
“Let us not forget the great gift we have received. Our baptism has changed us, given us a new and glorious hope, and empowered us to bring God’s redeeming love to all, particularly the poor, in whom we see the face of Christ.”
— Pope Francis
Please call the parish office (614) 761-0905 to schedule a Baptism and to register for the Pre-Baptism Instruction (PBI).
Baptisms are usually held the second and fourth Sundays at 12:45 p.m. Also, throughout the year Baptisms will be held during one of the parish Mass times.
It is required that at least one parent attend PBI for your first child’s baptism and for those who had a child baptized more than 3 years ago.
If you live out of town and have family in our parish, you may have your child baptized at St. Joan of Arc. The same requirements apply along with a letter of permission from your own pastor to allow your child to be baptized here. This letter should include confirmation that you have completed pre-baptism instruction.
Holy Eucharist
“Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” –Jn 6: 53
The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist is one of the three sacraments of initiation. It is called this because, like Baptism and Confirmation, it brings us into the fullness of our life in Christ, nourishing us with spiritual food.
Since the Holy Eucharist is a spiritual food, it does for the soul what physical food does for the body. We become one with Christ, and in this union, our love of God and neighbor grows. In this love, we are filled with Christ’s mission, to love one another, to become apostolic Christians.
Holy Communion is indeed the Bread of Life, a banquet overflowing with grace and richness! Let us give thanks for Christ, our Lord, and his sacrificial gifts to us!
If you are homebound, or for some physical reason are unable to come celebrate Mass with us, please contact our Homebound Ministry. A member of the ministry will happily bring you Holy Eucharist.
Reconciliation
Every time we sin, we hurt ourselves, other people and God. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (also called Penance or Confession) was given to us by Christ to help us reconcile with Christ and his Church when we have committed harm. Through the Sacrament, we acknowledge our sins, express our sorrow in a meaningful way, receive the forgiveness of Christ and his Church, make reparation for what we have done, and resolve to do better in the future. During his public life, Jesus both forgave sins and reintegrated sinners into the community. This is the goal of the Sacrament of Confession: to forgive sins and to provide reconciliation with the Church. The Sacrament of Penance & Reconciliation involves four parts: contrition, confession, penance and absolution.
- Contrition: a sincere sorrow for having offended God and the most important act of the penitent. There can be no forgiveness of sin if we do not have sorrow and a firm resolve not to repeat our sin.
- Confession: confronting our sins in a profound way to God by speaking about them —aloud— to a priest.
- Penance: an important part of our healing is the “penance” imposed in reparation for our sins.
- Absolution: the priest imparts the words which reconcile a sinner to God through the merits of the Cross. (USCCB)
Here at St. Elizabeth, we offer reconciliation on Saturdays, 9-9:45 a.m.
Confirmation
In the sacrament of Confirmation, we receive a special grace by which our faith is deepened and strengthened, so that it will be strong enough not only for our own needs but for the needs of others with whom we shall try to share it. It unites us more closely to Christ, increases the Holy Spirit in us, and helps to spread and defend our faith.
Youth
Students preparing for Confirmation will:
- Attend all core classes for their grade level
- Participate in special activities with Confirmation group
- Participate in the Confirmation retreat with their sponsor
- Participate in the Confirmation Mass at the Cathedral in the Spring (Date TBA by the Diocese – we will let you know when the date has been selected!)
Parents of Youth
Parents of Children Preparing for Confirmation will:
- Attend two parent meetings
- Participate in the required Parent Preparation Program
- Take part in the formation of their child.
Adults who have not yet been confirmed will attend separate classes as needed; call the Faith Formation Office for more information.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
Are you interested in becoming Catholic? Are you searching for:
A deeper relationship with God?
A sense of belonging in a faith community?
A greater fulfillment of your mission in life?
Are you yearning for something more in your life?
Are you unbaptized but recognize a need for spirituality in your life?
Are you baptized Catholic or baptized into another religion but never received any formal religious education?
Get answers to all of your questions about the Catholic faith. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the way that those interested in the Catholic Church learn about the faith and join our family of believers. The RCIA process provides the opportunity to examine Catholic teachings, the lives of the saints and our mission as Catholic Christians and followers of Jesus Christ. The RCIA process is for those who have never been baptized, have been baptized in another Christian faith, or have been baptized Catholic but have not completed full initiation into the Catholic Church through Confirmation and/or Eucharist.
If you would like the opportunity to become acquainted with the Catholic community, meet with others who are exploring the possibility of becoming Catholic and grow in your own relationship with God, our Church welcomes you. To learn more about the process of formation and have your questions answered, please contact Elizabeth at (616) 123-1234 ext. 1234 or email churchchurch@church.com. The doors are always open.
Anointing of the Sick
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick expresses God’s merciful presence to the sick and aged. We are not alone in our illness or the prospect of death.
This sacrament is offered during Masses twice a year and is available to:
- Those who are dangerously ill through sickness or old age;
- A sick person before surgery whenever the surgery is necessitated by a dangerous illness;
- Sick children, sufficiently mature to be comforted by the sacrament;
- Sick people who have lost consciousness or who have lost the use of reason, but would have requested it if they have been in possession of their faculties
Marriage
What a wonderful gift it is for a parish community to celebrate the love of a man and woman in the Sacrament of Matrimony! In witnessing this love the community is reminded of the love of Christ for his bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:22).
In ministering to the engaged couple and in celebrating their marriage, the Church not only expresses its love and support for the couple, but acknowledges the value of their married life as a help to each other to attain holiness, and as a blessing for society and the life of the Church. In forming a family, they become a domestic church. By word and example they are the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, #11).
Because of the seriousness of the vocation of Christian marriage, the Church has an obligation to do all that it can to preserve the dignity of marriage and offer its members the guidance and support that will help to prepare a couple for their married life.
Arrangements for the Sacrament of Matrimony at Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish are made through our Parish Office Manager, Elizabeth Berklich.