The Most Holy Eucharist
The Eucharistic celebration is the action of Christ himself and the Church (CIC 899 §1). Any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to holy communion. (CIC 912).
A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible. (CIC 916).
A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates, without prejudice to the prescript of can. 921, §2. (CIC 917).
A person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from any food and drink, except for only water and medicine (CIC 919 §1).
Sacrament of the Sick
“Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5: 14).
The anointing of the sick, by which the Church commends the faithful who are dangerously ill to the suffering and glorified Lord in order that he relieve and save them, is conferred by anointing them with oil and pronouncing the words prescribed in the liturgical books (CIC 998).
The anointing of the sick can be administered to a member of the faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age. This sacrament can be repeated if the sick person, having recovered, again becomes gravely ill or if the condition becomes more grave during the same illness (CIC 1004 §1&2)
If you or your family member are sick and would like your priest to visit please call the office. Families should notify the pastor when a parishioner is hospitalized or having surgery.
Sacrament of Matrimony
“The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.” (CCC 1601).
For marriage to be celebrated in St. Rapheal, the bride or the groom or parents must have domicile in our parish. Minimum four months for preparation. Please contact the parish office as soon as possible to arrange an appointment with the pastor as you decide to marry.
Sacrament of Baptism
“I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy.”
One month prior notice required for Baptismal preparation class. Please call the office @ 335-5202 to make arrangements. Infant Baptism is scheduled every last Sunday of the month after Sunday Mass
Basic Guidelines and Information for Infant Baptism (Canon 868) Parents are responsible for bringing their child to the Sacrament of Baptism as soon after birth as possible. Except in case of necessity, the church is the usual place of baptism.
In order that a child be baptized, it is necessary that…
- the parents consent, or at least one of them, or someone legally standing in their place,
- and that there is reasonable hope that the child will be brought up in the Catholic Faith.
GODPARENTS: A person may only have one or two godparents (also called sponsors); if two are chosen, they must be male and female (canon 874)
In order for someone to be eligible as a godparent, these are the requirements…
- they be chosen by the parents,
- have the ability and the intention to fulfill the role,
- be at least 16 years of age, and…
- be a confirmed Roman Catholic, who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist and confirmation, is leading a life in harmony with the Catholic Faith (including Marriage) and will be a good role model for the one being baptized,
- and be neither the father nor the mother of the child.
- A baptized person who belongs to another Christian community may be admitted only as a “Christian witness” (not a godparent) provided that there is at least one Roman Catholic godparent who fulfills the above criteria. A non-baptized person cannot be a witness.
Adults, those who is over 7 years of age, must be instructed in the faith and have been tested in the Christian life through the catechumenate (CIC 865 §1).
For School -Age Children who have not been baptized may seek to receive the Sacrament of Initiation through the Christian Initiation for children or Rite of Christian Initiation of Teen (RCIT).
For further understanding of Baptism please read, Catechism of the Catholic Church ## 1213-1284
Sacrament of Reconciliation
The basic requirement for a good confession is to have the intention of returning to God like the “prodigal son” and to acknowledge our sins with true sorrow before the priest.
In the sacrament of penance the faithful who confess their sins to a legitimate minister, are sorry for them, and intend to reform themselves obtain from God through the absolution imparted by the same minister forgiveness for the sins they have committed after baptism and, at the same, time are reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by sinning (CIC 959).
What is mortal sin and venial sin?
A serious, grave or mortal sin is the knowing and willful violation of God’s law in a serious matter such as violation of one of the Ten Commandments. Venial sin are slight sins. They do not break our friendship with God, although they injure it. They involve disobedience of the law of God in slight (venial) matters.
The sacramental seal is inviolable; therefore it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor to betray in any way a penitent in words or in any manner and for any reason (CIC 983 §1).
Member of the Christian faithful is obliged to confess in kind and number all grave sins committed after baptism and not yet remitted directly through the keys of the Church nor acknowledged in individual confession, of which the person has knowledge after diligent examination of conscience . It is recommended to the Christian faithful that they also confess venial sins (CIC 988 )
After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is obliged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year (CIC 989 )