Sacraments of Initiation
Becoming a full member of the Catholic Church is a gradual process. It can start when we are still infants. As they do with all their other gifts of love and life and culture, so parents share also their fundamental values and beliefs. A child is then baptized as an infant, receives his/her First Communion during grade school, and completes initiation in high school through the sacrament of Confirmation. The other way is that one goes through the Order of Christian Initiation or Catechumenate as a young person of school age, or as an adult.
Baptism | Eucharist | Confirmation
Quinceanera | Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults or Children of School age
The Sacrament of Baptism
Holy Baptism is the basis the the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to 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." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1213 - for more information see 1214 - 1284)
Baptism of Infants
All of us are called children of God, but we are not born Christian. Becoming Christian involves the person in a life of commitment and dedication to the following of Christ. This life of commitment begins with the sacrament of Baptism, the sacrament we have come to know as the first sacrament of initiation. It is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Since the Second Vatican Council the Church has two rituals for its reception: one for children and the other arising from the Order of the Rite for Christian Initiation (RCIA). The preparation for infant Baptism here at St. Louis de Montfort involves the parents in the following program:
Parents are to call the Parish Office (937-4555) to register for participation in the Baptismal Program. They are to attend a general meeting with other parents preparing for the Baptism of a child, with the godparents (if possible) and with members of the parish Baptismal team which includes one or more members of the parish staff. You may print a registration form. Adobe Reader required. Get Adobe Reader HERE. English Baptism Form. Spanish Baptism Form.
The purpose of this program is to provide the opportunity for the parents to renew their own faith and become more aware of that faith in their lives. They will share that faith with their child since parents are the first teachers of their children.
Also, the parish community is to be encouraged in welcoming new-born infants into the Church. On occasion this will take the form of having a Baptism during the Sunday liturgy. This must be arranged in advance and you need to discuss this with the Pastor at least 2 months in advance of the desired date.
Baptism is incorporation into the Body of Christ; hence, we discourage private baptisms. Baptisms should be on Sundays.
The procedure for having a child baptized at St. Louis de Montfort is as follows:
a) Parents and godparents must register to attend the Pre-Baptismal instruction course. These are normally offered on Sunday afternoons, but following the registration, the parents will be contacted in the event there are any irregularities.
b) Parents should not set a date for the actual Baptism until they have been advised of the permission to attend the Pre-Baptismal class.
c) When you attend the Baptismal class you will receive a certificate of attendance. This is good for three (3) years.
d) Godparents must be at least 16 years of age, confirmed, and be regular in their attendance at Sunday Mass. A non-Catholic Christian may be a godparent; but he/she needs to be approved by a priest or deacon, prior to the day of the ceremony.
The Sacrament
of the Eucharist
The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord's own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist.
"At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice to 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 heath 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.'"
(The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1322 & 23 - for more information see 1324 - 1421)
First Eucharist
First Communion for children follows a period of intensive training, part of the Religious Education program of the parish, and ordinarily is open to second graders. Home school parents must meet with Sr. Catherine to discuss their child's readiness to receive First Communion.
When You Miss One Holy Communion
It is well for you to consider what you lose every morning that you pass up Holy Communion:
- You miss a personal visit with Jesus, Author of all spiritual energy and all holiness;
- You lose a special increase of sanctifying grace, which makes your soul more pleasing to God;
- You lose a quota of sacramental grace which entitles you to special help in times of temptation and in the discharge of your special duties;
- You miss the special preserving influence which each Holy Communion confers against the first of passion;
- You miss the opportunity of having remitted a part, or all, of the temporal punishments due to your sins;
- You lose the spiritual joy, the sweetness and particular comfort that comes from a fervent Holy Communion;
- You lose a part of the glory that your body might enjoy as its resurrection on the Last Day;
- You lose the greater degree of glory you would possess in Heaven for all eternity;
- You may lose: a) complete victory over some fault or passion; b) some particular grace long prayed for; c) the conversion or salvation of some soul; d) deliverance of a relative or friend from Purgatory; e) many graces for others, both the living and the dead.
Will a few extra minutes of sleep repay you for all these losses?
What riches hundreds of thousands of Catholics deprive themselves daily by neglecting Mass. It in itself is the best preparation for Holy Communion. At the hour of death our greatest consolation will be the Masses we have heard and the Holy Communions received.
Quinceanera
The ritual celebration of the fifteenth birthday in the Hispanic community emerges from ancient traditions in Central America, especially where the sacrament of Confirmation was received at a much younger age. In this totally optional celebration, the human values of life, growth, passage, commitment are set in a Catholic perspective. As in Confirmation, through the renewal of baptismal promises and a special dedication to the Lord, the "quinceañera" makes a declaration of commitment and responsibility to the Christian community. A process of preparation for the young person and parents needs to start at least three months before the celebration. The young person must be enrolled in a parish confirmation program or have been confirmed
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults or Children of School Age
The Order of Christian Initiation is a restoration of the ancient practice of initiation into the Church. It is a process of discerning and ritualizing stages of conversion which lead to and through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
It is the parish community, through its witness, worship, service and catechesis that offers the invitation and support necessary for men and women to be initiated into the Church. The Order is about conversion: a turning of the whole person to God. There are various stages during the formation in the gospel.
The Order is specifically for (a) those unbaptized persons over the age of 6 years old; (b) adults who have been baptized in another Christian church and now wish to join the Catholic community; or (c) those Catholics who were baptized as infants but received neither religious training nor any other sacrament.
There are four stages in the journey; every person takes his/her own time. The journey begins with the inquiry into what this Catholic community is all about. Then it moves into a first promise to learn about the way of Christ and the gospel. The third stage is the time of personal scrutiny and discerning what God asks of the individual. The fourth stage is the celebration of the Initiation sacraments themselves, the reflection on the sacraments just experienced, and the resolve to share the good news.
Meetings for Christian Initiation are year round. Obviously, this process of Christian initiation is adapted according to the age level: grade school, high school or adults. For information contact Jim & Paula Martin at 937-4338.
