Click on the Individual Sacrament for more information
Baptism
(includes information on
scheduling and classes for infant Baptism)
Confirmation
Eucharist
Reconciliation
If your child is in the second through fourth grade, Scroll down to find out more about the Children of Light Sacrament Preparation Program
Children of Light
(for children ages 7-10)
A Parish-based program, within
Generations of Faith,
that
incorporates the
Children's Catechumenate and
Primary Grade Preparation for Reconciliation, Confirmation and
First Communion
The Children of Light
Program has several components:
Parent/Guardian Participation, Liturgical Catechesis, Catechetical Sessions,
a Retreat Day and Participation in Parish Ministry.
Parent/Guardian Participation is requested for each child in
the program.
Parents and Children have an opportunity to share faith with one another;
Parents have an opportunity to model Christian ministry and commitment;
Children have an opportunity to express their own unique spirituality.
Each child's folder contains Parent Pages that include information on the
sacraments as well as other suggestions for family life.
Liturgical Catechesis is a way of informing one's faith through participation in worship. We encourage the children to take special note of what happens at different times during the mass and to reflect on what that means to them. We also encourage them to participate in the Children's Liturgy of the Word at our 11:00am Sunday Mass. The Weekly Liturgy page is designed as an aid to families in this effort.
Catechetical Sessions are hands-on, faith-sharing experiences that include some input by a catechist, some sharing time for parents and children or in the group as a whole, group prayer, and some expression of their experience either through craft or story.
The Retreat Day is a morning just before Palm Sunday that the children come together to bake bread, share a story, make a banner and windsocks for their celebrations of the Sacraments of Initiation. (The Catechumens celebrate their Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion at the Easter Vigil; The Candidates celebrate Confirmation and First Communion on another Sunday during the Easter Season.)
Participation in Parish Ministry is asked of all Children of Light families. Those parents who are already involved in some way are invited to share that ministry with their child. Parents who do not already participate in ministry in addition to being part of the assembly at worship are encouraged to do so. We offer some suggestions for ways that families can do this.
Click on the links below for more information:
Program Calendar
Confirmation Pilot
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"Go make disciples of all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19 The Sacrament of Baptism welcomes us into the Christian community. This sacrament makes us a new creation cleansing us from all of our sins. Baptism opens the door to eternal life. It is in this sacrament that one makes a commitment to follow Christ. This sacrament is held in the highest honor by all Christians. Once Baptism has been validly celebrated, even if by Christians with whom we are not in full communion, it may never lawfully be repeated. What happens at Baptism here at Ascension? At Baptism the one to be baptized is first signed with the cross by the priest, parents and godparents, and anyone in the assembly who chooses to do so. The cross, as sign of our faith is a special gift to a new Christian. After the water of the font is blessed, the person to be baptized (or their parents if they are too young) testify to their faith through the baptismal vows. Then they are put down into the font and fully immersed as Father sings the words of baptism: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." This full immersion is said by the Church to be "more suitable as a symbol of participation in the death and resurrection of Christ." (The Rites, Vol 1, #23) When the newly baptized comes up from the water and is wrapped in a towel, they are anointed as priest, prophet and king with the oil called Sacred Chrism. At this point, the newly baptized is taken to put on the white robe, that signifies new life in Christ. When they return to the assembly they are given a candle lit from the Easter candle, signifying the Light of Christ.What are the effects of Baptism? The grace that we receive at Baptism includes a new birth in the Holy Spirit as well as the cleansing of one’s sins. This grace brings us into the membership of the Church and calls us to take our part in the mission of the Church. When we are Baptized are we saved? The Church teaches us that it is through the sacrament of Baptism that our salvation is secured. There are many complicated questions regarding those not baptized and their salvation, particularly in the case of unborn children. The Church considers these and other questions when speaking of salvation. Since we believe that it is truly God’s desire for everyone to be welcomed to the kingdom, we must have faith in that desire and confidence that it is God's judgement and not ours that is important. Why are the majority of us baptized as infants? Infant baptism is the current practice for the Catholic church mainly because it is believed that the sooner one is baptized, the sooner they will receive the grace of the sacrament and be welcomed into the Christian community. We also baptize older children and adults through the Catechumenate (if they have never been baptized before), also known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. This process welcomes those that are not Catholic, but desire to be Catholic, into full membership of the Church. What is the importance of our baptismal name? A name is not just what a person is called, but it also is who that person is, it provides a special meaning for that person. In the Hebrew scripture’s God is called "Yahweh" or "I Am Who Am" and in the New Testament, Jesus is called the "Messiah" or "Anointed One". He also is referred to as "Emmanuel" or "God With Us", to name just a few. Names can take on profound meanings. For many, the first name given by the parents can be used as the baptismal name if it has a Christian sense. (This means, that it may be a name found in scripture or the name of a canonized saint of the Church.) Others use their middle name or pick a new name with a "Christian sense" for baptism.
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Infant Baptism Class Schedule |
Parish Baptism Schedule |
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To Schedule a
Baptism Appointment (infant): |
To Schedule a Baptism
Appointment for anyone 7 years or older: |
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" You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8, Lk 24:49)The Sacrament of Confirmation is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation. "The faithful are born anew by Baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of Confirmation, and finally are sustained by the food of eternal life in the Eucharist." We know from scripture that Jesus promised to his disciples the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them. The Holy Spirit would guide and assist Christ’s disciples in furthering the mission of the church on earth. In fact, we know that the Holy Spirit came in a very special way on the feast of Pentecost, which is marked as the birthday of the Church. We too share in the mission of the church like the early disciples and we celebrate being filled with the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation. What happens during the sacrament? The sacrament is conferred by the anointing of one’s forehead with chrism and the laying on of hands, the words recited are: "Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit." By being sealed with chrism (holy oil) the candidate receives a permanent character drawing them closer to Christ and giving them the strength to spread Christ’s message. Just like Baptism, we only receive Confirmation once. What about a Sponsor? Yes, your child will need a sponsor for the Sacrament of Confirmation. It is desirable that the sponsor at Confirmation be one of the baptismal godparents of your child. This is encouraged, so as to emphasize the close connection between baptism and confirmation. If for some reason the godparents are unavailable, your child may select another sponsor. The sponsor should be someone significant to your child’s development of faith in the Catholic Church. The sponsor must be a practicing Catholic who has received all three sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist). They must be 16 years or older. If they are not members of Ascension, they need to obtain a sponsor certificate from the parish at which they are registered. This must be presented at the day of the rehearsal. What about a Confirmation Name? When you presented the child to the church for Baptism, you were asked, "What name do you give your child?" Your child’s name is their baptismal name and we encourage that the children use their baptismal name when presented to the church for confirmation. This once again expresses the close relationship between baptism and confirmation. (That is also why those who are preparing for all three sacraments (catechumens) are not permitted to take a new name.) If your child is already baptized, and wants to pick a new name, however, it MUST be a saint’s name.
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If you have a child who will be in grade 5 or 6 in Sept. 2002, and who would be interested in more information about this year's Confirmation preparation program, Click here. |
If you are an adult who has not been Confirmed, and would like some information about the adult process, Click here. |
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"Take and eat, this is my body, take and drink, this is my blood" The Sacrament of Eucharist, when received for the first time, fulfills the journey of initiation into the Catholic Church. It should not be seen as a completion, but rather as initial nourishment for the faith journey ahead. The Sacrament of Eucharist is the source and summit of our life as Catholic Christians. It is the celebration of the Eucharist that binds us together as a community. We are the living bread. We are the Body of Christ. The old saying, "You are what you eat," fits rather appropriately when describing Eucharist. We become one with Christ when we receive Eucharist. What does the word Eucharist mean? The term Eucharist comes from the Greek, eucharistein and eulogein, which express forms of thanksgiving. Eucharist literally means to give thanks. To celebrate Eucharist is a sign of praise and thanksgiving to God. We celebrate Eucharist, in what we, as Catholics know as the Mass. Throughout history many terms have evolved in the Church to describe Eucharist. Some more common terms would be: Holy Communion, Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, The Breaking of the Bread, the Blessed Sacrament, The Lord’s Supper. All would be correct terms when referring to Eucharist. Where does Eucharist come from? The Sacrament of Eucharist has its roots in the scripture stories of the Last Supper. These scripture stories are also known as the institution of the Eucharist. Jesus celebrated this meal with his disciples on the night of the Jewish Passover. Jesus pledged his love for us and in order for us to share in his unconditional love, he gave us the celebration of Eucharist. This celebration memorializes Jesus’ death and resurrection. He commanded his disciples to celebrate this meal until his return. So we as a community of believers commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus every time we celebrate Eucharist. Listen carefully next time at Mass, you will hear the story of the Last Supper retold. Is Christ really present in the Eucharist? Yes, we as Catholics truly believe that Christ is present in the elements of the Bread and Wine. We believe that through the power of the Holy Spirit the bread and wine are transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ. Christ’s presence in the Eucharist is the most unique way we experience Christ. However, during the Mass we also experience Christ’s presence in the scriptures, in the church assembly, and in the priest. Why do we take both bread and wine? While the Church says that Christ is fully and truly present in EITHER the bread or the wine, sharing BOTH in this special meal is the fullest expression of Jesus’ command to "Do this in memory of me." |
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If you have any questions about preparation for First
Eucharist for children,
Click here. |
If you have any questions about preparation for First Communion for
adults,
Click here. |
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of Reconciliation
"If any of you has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won’t you leave the ninety-nine in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it." (Matthew 18:12-13) The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a sacrament that demonstrates God’s unconditional love for us. The church labels this as a sacrament of healing. There are four major components to the Sacrament of Reconciliation: (1) Contrition, you are truly sorry for your sins; (2) Confession, you clearly deliver your sins to Jesus through the priest asking for the forgiveness of your wrong doing; (3) Absolution, when the priest says, "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit", he is reflecting God’s forgiveness of your sins; (4) Penance, a prayer or an act of goodness that shows you want to heal your relationship with God and all of God’s family. Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest? Every sin harms other people. When we hurt our relationship with God we are also hurting our relationship with the community. When we talk to a priest in confession, he is acting as both the person of Jesus and the people of the Church. Why should my child go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation before Confirmation and First Eucharist? The Church teaches us that it is important to prepare children for this sacrament and also encourages that they receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to receiving Confirmation and First Eucharist. This ensures that the child is in a state of grace before the reception of Confirmation and First Eucharist. Do the children that are not baptized (catechumens) receive this sacrament? Those not baptized are washed clean of their sins in the Sacrament of Baptism and therefore will not need to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation until after they are initiated as full members of the Church. Can I go into the Confessional with my child? No, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a private sacrament between the one confessing their sins and Jesus. The priest who hears the confession is obliged to hold what is told to him in the course of the sacrament in strict confidence, this is referred to as the "seal of confession." Should I ask my child what sins they confessed? No. Please allow their confession to be genuinely their own. Let them examine their wrongdoing and deliver that to Christ, asking for his forgiveness. We do encourage you to talk to your children about both your experience and theirs without talking about specific sins. Your example can most positively influence and encourage them in this sacrament.
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