Sacraments of the Church

"Christ instituted the sacraments of the new law. There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation (or Chrismation), the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life:  they give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian's life of faith. There is thus a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the spiritual life."

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1210

Baptism

Picture
Baptism is the introduction of a person into the Church community.  Through the waters of Baptism the person enters into the life of God - Father, Son and Spirit. He or she is dedicated to God and all that is good.

Godparents
It is good if the godparents can be adult Catholics who will take an interest in your baby as he or she grows up.  In the early church the godparents were sponsors who taught the new Christian, usually an adult, about the faith.  Later on when infant baptism became usual the godparents often took the role of guardians of the child if anything happened to the parents.  Something of these two roles remains today.  Choose godparents who are likely to be around and have an interest in your child over the years.

                                   Questions about Baptism

What is the role of the sponsor at Baptism?
The role of the godparent or sponsor at the baptism of the child is to join with the parents in presenting the child and to be a help and support to the child in growing in faith and living the Christian life.  They stand with the parents and proclaim their faith on behalf of the child.  Only one godparent is required but there may be two. In some cultures it is a common and legitimate custom to allow a greater number. It follows from this that the Godparent ought also to live out those same Christian values and way of life that the ceremony implies.  For this reason the Church requires that the godparent be a confirmed catholic who has received the Eucharist and lives out the life of faith required by the role.

Must both godparents be catholic?
One godparent must be a catholic who has been confirmed and has received the Eucharist, and who lives a life worthy of the role that he or she is about to undertake. It is possible to have just one godparent.

Signs and symbols of Baptism.

Water is necessary for life and for cleansing.  The baby is baptised with the water in the name of the Father and of 
the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The baby’s Christian name is given officially.
The parents and godparents bring the baby to the font for Baptism.  The baby is held over the font. The water of Baptism is poured over the baby’s head by the priest.
The Inniscarra Parish community celebrates and welcomes this new life and commits to share together with the family in the journey of faith.  

The Sign of the Cross is the mark of Christians. Priests, parents and godparents trace the cross on the baby’s forehead.

The baby is anointed with Holy Oils on the breast and on the crown of the head to strengthen them for life and as a sign of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.


The baby is wrapped in a white shawl as a sign of innocence and of the dignity of sharing with Christ’s life.

The baptismal candle is lit from the Easter candle. It reminds us that the light of Christ has entered the child’s life. Parents and godparents and the Parish community commit to keep the flame of faith alive.

Baptisms are celebrated by appointment with one of the priests. To arrange a baptism please contact a priest of the parish.

Eucharist

Picture
"The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life." The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself."        CCC 1324

Marriage

Picture
The Church honors and treasures the married love between husband and wife. For Christians, marriage mirrors the relationship between Christ and the Church. Thus married love was described by St. Paul as a “great mystery” (Ephesians 5:32) and came to be recognised as one of the seven sacraments.

During the marriage ritual, the two people marry each other. They are the ministers of the sacrament. It is they who will exchange vows before God and the assembled community. The priest’s role is to receive their consent, to act as a witness, to lead prayer and to bestow God’s blessing.

Planning the ceremony

As ministers of the sacrament, the couple should be involved in planning the ceremony. The priest has a responsibility to advise them couple in their choices regarding the liturgy – readings, prayers, music and choice of vows. Couples are encouraged to look for such guidance early in the process. Family and friends are also encouraged to participate in the ceremony.

Marriage, like other vocations, calls us to reflect God’s love to the world in a particular way. Married people in their exclusive and life long commitment to each other witness to and draw strength from how Christ has loved us.
The following sites are very useful in preparation for your big day.

Confirmation

Picture
Confirmation celebrates the coming of the  Holy Spirit. In the Acts of the Apostles chapter 2, verses 1 to 13, we read of the Apostles receiving the Holy Spirit. They had been hiding after Jesus’ death, afraid and uncertain. The coming of the Holy Spirit with his gifts inspired them and enabled them to take the step of preaching the good news.

We are made members of God’s family at Baptism. At Confirmation, our Baptism is completed or “sealed” by the Holy Spirit and we are called to be Christian witnesses, just like the apostles. The whole of our Christian living and the life of the Church, too, are sustained by the same Spirit.

Who Can Receive Confirmation?
Any baptised Catholic wishing to advance on the path of developing their faith. For young people, this is usually part of the 5th/6th class primary school programme. 
For adults who were not confirmed as children, it means taking part in the Rite of the Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A.)

Choosing a Sponsor
A sponsor stands behind the candidate for Confirmation at the Confirmation ceremony and places their hand on the shoulder of the candidate as a sign that they will support them in living out their baptismal promises. However, the role of the sponsor is not just for one day. The sponsor undertakes to assist the confirmed person in growing in the fullness of their faith and in their membership of the Catholic Church.
A person qualifies as a sponsor by being a reasonably mature adult, who is at least 16 years old, and has already received the Sacraments of Initiation, (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) themselves. The Confirmation sponsor may be one of the people who was a sponsor at Baptism.

Oil of Chrism
The oil used is called the Oil of Chrism. It is olive oil mixed with balsam that is blessed by the bishop and priests of the diocese in the Cathedral at the ‘Chrism Mass’ on Holy Thursday. The Sacrament is conferred with the anointing with this ‘Oil of Chrism’ on the forehead as the Bishop says ‘Be sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit’.

Confirmation Name
The tradition of taking a new name at Confirmation emphasises the new identity of a Christian being called to witness to their faith. People are encouraged to take the name of a saint or a person from the Bible who inspires them in some way.

 The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
We welcome adults into the Catholic Church. The RCIA is a process, which involves the community in journeying with a non-Catholic who has asked to become a Catholic. It involves a number of stages punctuated by liturgical rites to aid and assist the potential person toward the final rite at the Easter Vigil at which time they will become full members of the Roman Catholic Church. The entire process takes several months, but participants are invited to proceed at a pace, which suits them individually.

An invitation is extended to all who want to join this group, which includes people from all parts of the world and journey with them indiscovering Christ together.

Reconciliation

Picture
"The forgiveness we receive is not the result of our own efforts, but is the gift of the Holy Spirit reconciling us to God and to each other. While the celebration of the Sacrament is personal, it is rooted in the community of the Church, in which the Holy Spirit is present, uniting us all in Jesus Christ. When confessing our sins then, we confess to the priest who represents not only God but also the community of the Church that accompanies us on the path of conversion. Though this Sacrament is a great treasure, we may be tempted to dismiss it, perhaps due to laziness or embarrassment, or because of a diminishing sense of sin and its effects. Too often, we see ourselves as the centre and measure of all things, and our lives can go adrift. The Sacrament of Reconciliation calls us back to God, and embraces us with his infinite mercy and joy. May we allow his love to renew us as his children and to reconcile us with him, with ourselves, and with one another."    Pope Francis

Holy Orders

Picture
 Behind and before every vocation to the priesthood or to the consecrated life there is always the strong and intense prayer of someone: a grandmother, a grandfather, a mother, a father, a community…. This is why Jesus said: “Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest,” that is, God the Father, “to send out laborers.",
Pope Francis

Sacrament of the Sick

Picture
"This sacred anointing of the sick was instituted by Christ our Lord as a true and proper sacrament of the New Testament. It is alluded to indeed by Mark, but is recommended to the faithful and promulgated by James the apostle and brother of the Lord." CCC1511
"The faithful should encourage the sick to call for a priest to receive this sacrament. The sick should prepare themselves to receive it with good dispositions, assisted by their pastor and the whole ecclesial community, which is invited to surround the sick in a special way through their prayers and fraternal attention." CCC1516