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General Information
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 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. Penance Priests are available for confession on Saturdays at 1:00pm. Private confessions are available at any time - Please contact the Parish Office and speak with one of the priests. The Eucharist "At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.'" Our Mass Schedule affords the opportunity to participate in The Eucharist at your convenience. The mass schedule for the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes is as follows:
Monday-Friday: 7:30am
Saturdays: 8:00am & 5:00pm Sundays: 7:30am & 9:30am & 11:30am **Mass times for holy days and special services will be announced below as the date approaches.**
Sacrament of Confirmation "Confirmation completes the grace of Baptism by a special outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which seal or 'confirm' the baptized in unison with Christ and equip them for active participation in the worship and apostolic life of the Church" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1285).
Holy Baptism is the first sacrament of initiation, and Confirmation is the second. By Confirmation (or Chrismation as it is called in the Christian East), the baptized are more perfectly bound to the Lord Jesus and His Church, and they are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses (or martyrs) of Christ and the truth of His Gospel.
On several occasions in His preaching, the Lord Jesus promised an outpouring of God the Holy Spirit on His disciples, and this promise was fulfilled first on the Day of Resurrection and then more strikingly at Pentecost. St. Peter declared this outpouring of the Holy Spirit to be the sign of the messianic age. From that time on and in fulfillment of Christ's command, the Apostles imparted to the newly baptized by the laying on of hands the gift of the Holy Spirit to complete the grace of Baptism.
The imposition of hands, therefore, is the origin of the sacrament of Confirmation which perpetuates the grace of Pentecost in the Church. Very early in the Church's life this apostolic laying on of hands was accompanied by an anointing with perfumed oil called sacred chrism, the better to signify the gift of the Holy Spirit Who anointed the Lord Jesus at His own Baptism. This anointing highlights the name Christian, which derives from the sacred title of Messiah (or Christ from the Greek translation), meaning "the Anointed One."
For adult converts who have never been baptized, the unity of these two sacraments is now restored when they are given together at the Easter Vigil. All Catholic Christians should receive the Sacrament of Confirmation to complete their communion with Christ and be marked by the perfection of the baptismal priesthood of the faithful in order to proclaim more boldly and publicly that Jesus Christ is Lord. Any baptized adult Catholic who has not yet been confirmed should participate in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at Easter.
"By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ." As a parish, we would like to stay connected to our homebound. Please let us know of anyone who would like to receive Holy Communion or of any lonely person who would appreciate a visit. Marriage Common Policy of the Archdiocese of Newark -- and all dioceses of the State of NJ --asks that arrangements for Marriage be made at least one year in advance. Engaged couples should contact the Parish Offices to make an appointment with one of the Priests.
Italicized text taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
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