Liturgy

Baptismal Preparation

If you are planning to have your child baptized, you need to attend a baptism class.  If you desire to have the baptism soon after the child’s birth, you are invited to do the preparation before the child is born. Call the parish office to join an upcoming baptism class.

If this is not your first child, and you have already attended a baptism class in the past, please call the parish office so that a date for baptism can be arranged with a deacon or priest.

Times for baptism are arranged with the deacon or priest.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Confessions are available each Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in the Reconciliation Room just off of the Cry Room, or by appointment.

Sacrament of Marriage

Preparations for a Catholic wedding must start at least six months ahead of time.  The first step is to meet with the parish priest.  He will guide you through all the steps.

Diocesan policy requires a six-month planning period and participation in a marriage preparation program.

Contact the parish office to make an appointment with the priest.

Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

If an individual is sick, receiving medical treatment, going to have surgery or dealing with the diminishments of the aging process, this sacrament of the Lord’s healing should be received.  Call the parish office to arrange for a time to celebrate this sacrament of healing with a priest.

Preparing for a Christian Burial

When God calls a loved one home to himself, contacting the local funeral home is your first point of contact.  The funeral director will meet with you.  In addition to making all the arrangements for the care of the body of the deceased, burial arrangements, times of visitation and choosing the pallbearers, they will begin the process of preparing for the funeral.  They will assist you in choosing a date and time for the funeral, a time for visitation prior to the funeral at St. Mary’s and space for a funeral luncheon.  All this is done in conjunction with St. Mary’s availability.  The funeral director can also give you the contact information for local caterers, but you would need to contact them.

Your next step is coming to St. Mary Church to meet with a parish staff member who will assist you in planning for the funeral Mass by choosing the Scripture readings, music and selecting family members or friends who can proclaim the scriptures.  The parish staff member assisting you can schedule an organist for the funeral.

You might like to know that members of the parish will come to set up the narthex in the Parish Life Center for visitation and the area for a funeral luncheon.  They will also come prior to Mass and pray the rosary for the repose of your loved one’s soul and for your needs.  The same parishioners often stay and join the funeral choir or join you for prayer in the congregation during the funeral.  There are also parishioners who graciously provide desserts for the meal while others will set up the tables and assist in serving beverages.