Photo courtesy of Clip Art

“Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God’s mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion.”

—  The Catechism of the Catholic Church 

Priests are available for confession on Saturdays between 4 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. in the Upper Church. Private confessions are available at any time. Please contact the rectory at 201-384-0557.

Photo courtesy of Clip Art

Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the 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 in the word.”

— The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The birth of a child for a family is a cause for great celebration. It is a time of joy and nervous anticipation as we welcome this new life into our families and plan for the future together with our new born. The addition of a new family member forever changes the family as we come to understand the gifts and talents this newest member brings to our family.

The Church in her wisdom recognizes the value of the individual from the moment of conception to the moment of death. It rejoices in the life of all individuals understanding how each person’s gifts and talents build the Body of Christ and create the community we recognize as Church.

When we come together as the community of God to worship, we celebrate the unique gifts and talents that we contribute to our families and the larger Church community. When we gather at the Table of the Lord every Sunday, we come as individuals that together become the Body of Christ. We are members of the Body of Christ with Jesus as our head. The Eucharist is where we best realize the fact of being one body in Christ Jesus. Baptism is our invitation to participate at the table, our first step to complete participation in the life of the Church. The sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist therefore are linked and define us as Catholic Christians; they initiate us into the mystery of the Church.

This relationship calls us to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism with the utmost importance never relegating it to an after thought or an event to be achieved. When Baptism and Eucharist are celebrated together we are reminded of their intrinsic relationship and we come to an understanding of the deeper meaning of both sacraments.

For this reason the Parish of Saint Mary’s conducts all Baptism ceremonies within our celebration of Sunday Masses. Parents should register for their child’s baptism by calling 201-384-0557.