St Oscar Romero Parish
Sacraments

Sacraments

The Sacraments

There are seven Sacraments in the Catholic Church and they are: Baptism, Reconciliation, the Holy Communion, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders and the Anointing of the Sick.

Baptism

“Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord’s will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism.” Catechism of the Catholic Church 1277

Baptism is the first of the Sacraments, it is the foundation of the whole Christian life and is the gateway to the other sacraments.  Through baptism, we are cleansed of Original Sin; reborn as a child of God and we become members of Christ, incorporated into the community of the Church and share in her mission to ‘Go out and spread the Good News’.

Here at St Oscar Romero Parish we have a programme of preparation and formation for the baptism of children and adults.

If you would like be baptised, or you would like your child to be baptised, please contact the parish office.

Reconciliation

“The movement of return to God, called conversion and repentance, entails sorrow for and abhorrence of sins committed, and the firm purpose of sinning no more in the future. Conversion touches the past and the future and is nourished by hope in God’s mercy.” Catechism of the Catholic Church 1490

The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation (commonly known as Confession), can be daunting but it is one of the greatest graces that we can receive again and again. It renews the soul, unburdens it of sin, leaving us free from sins of the past, so that you are equipped with new strength and accepted in love by God.

Holy Communion

“The Eucharist is the heart and summit of the Church’s life, for in it Christ associates his Church and all her members with his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving offered once and for all on the Cross to his Father; by this sacrifice he pours out the graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church.” Catechism of the Catholic Church 1407

The Eucharist is the means by which, Christ’s Body and Blood are made truly present under the form of Bread and Wine, and by which we become what we receive.

During the celebration of Mass, Christ’s Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity are made present.  This is known as transubstantiation.  In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the Eucharist, and Jesus becomes for us our spiritual food, to help us in our daily lives as a Christian, to help us in our lifelong effort become a saint through the small and ordinary ways that we live our lives.

As well as our celebration of the liturgy of the Mass, we recognise too that as long as the form of bread remains, Christ remains present in it also.  Therefore, we do have prolonged periods of time, where the host is placed on the altar for everyone to see.  This is known as adoration.  We come in silent prayer to adore our Lord, present on the altar under the Eucharistic species.  Through this time in silent adoration, we grow in our faith in Christ’s presence among us and we are able to place ourselves before him physically and ask him to help us in our daily task to become holy.  Mass times can be found here.

Those children who attend our Primary Schools (St Edmund and St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School and Our Lady, Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School) will normally make their preparation for First Holy Communion in Year Three, but for those who are not at Catholic Schools, but live in our parish, preparation for Holy Communion is done here in the parish.  If you wish for your child to receive their First Holy Communion, please contact the parish office.

For adults, who are not Catholics and would like to receive Holy Communion, we have a course of formation which is called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

For more information about First Communion or the RCIA programme please contact the parish office.

Confirmation

“Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accomplished in deeds.”  Catechism of the Catholic Church 1316

If you would like further information about Confirmation, please contact the parish office.

Matrimony

“The marriage covenant, by which a man and a woman form with each other an intimate communion of life and love, has been founded and endowed with its own special laws by the Creator. By its very nature it is ordered to the good of the couple, as well as to the generation and education of children. Christ the Lord raised marriage between the baptised to the dignity of a Sacrament.” Catechism of the Catholic Church 1660

The Sacrament of Matrimony comes about through a promise made by a couple before God and the Church.  Through it they are no longer two separate people, but are one in an indissoluble bond.  Through marriage special graces are bestowed upon the couple to help them in their role as spouse and parents.  These graces proper to the Sacrament of Matrimony are intended to perfect the couple’s love and to strengthen their indissoluble unity.  By this grace they help one another to attain holiness in their married life and in welcoming and educating their children.

If you are a member of the parish community and are thinking of celebrating your marriage at St Oscar Romero Parish, please contact the parish office at an early stage in the planning of your wedding.

Holy Orders

“The ministerial priesthood… confers a sacred power for the service of the faithful. The ordained ministers exercise their service for the People of God by teaching, divine worship and pastoral governance.” Catechism of the Catholic Church 1529

A man who is ordained receives a gift of the Holy Spirit that confers on him a sacred ministry.  Through Holy Orders a priest receives a power and mission to care for his brothers and sisters in faith and administers the sacraments ‘in persona Christi capitis’, (In the person of Christ the Head).

A man who is ordained a deacon, becomes a minister of the Word, of altar and of charity, representing Christ as the one who came, ‘not to be served but to serve’, ‘In persona Christi servis’, (In the person of Christ the Servant).

If you feel that you may have a calling to the priesthood or to the diaconate speak to Father Dominic.

Anointing of the Sick

“The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick has as its purpose the conferral of a special grace on the Christian experiencing the difficulties inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age.” Catechism of the Catholic Church 1527

The Sacrament of the Sick can be received by any Catholic whose health is in a critical state or those advanced in years.  You can receive this Sacrament several times in your life, it therefore makes sense for anyone, young or old, who is seriously ill to receive anointing without delay and not to think of it as the last rites.

To arrange anointing at home contact the parish office.  If you or a loved one are in hospital, please contact the hospital chaplaincy team via the ward nurse.