Sacraments - Signs of God's Love

One of the ways the Church lives as the Body of Christ is through the special rituals we call Sacraments. There are seven sacraments. Each sacrament is a visible sign of the hidden mystery of God’s love.

In the Sacraments, Jesus acts in and through the ritual. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the transforming grace of Christ's action is gifted to those participating. A Sacrament is more than a symbol of a spiritual reality; it makes the spiritual reality present as the Sacrament is celebrated.

As the early Church grew and reflected on its experience, it recognised that God's grace is active in our lives:
1. New life is given to us; 2. The Holy Spirit strengthens and supports us; 3. We share in Jesus' sacrifice, death and resurrection; 4. God forgives our sins; 5. When we are ill we are healed; 6. Some people are called to special roles of service within the Church; 7. Many people are called to share life and create new families

Over time these 'moments of grace' were ritualised into what we now experience as the official Sacraments of the Church.

All the Sacraments are community celebrations. Celebrations of our membership in the Body of Christ.

Initiation: There are three Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.
Together they initiate new members and provide the strength and nourishment required for Christian life to flourish.
Healing: There are two Sacraments of Healing - Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick.
They are gifts of spiritual and physical healing.
Service: There are two Sacraments of Service - Holy Orders and Matrimony.
The Church celebrates these ministries of love and service.

Baptism

‘Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.’ – Matthew 28:19-20 Baptism is a significant step in the life of a family. It is the beginning of a journey of faith towards knowing and understanding the meaning of God’s love for us. Baptism means to ‘immerse, plunge or dip’. Jesus himself was baptised or ‘plunged’ in the river Jordan by John. The sign of the Holy Spirit was seen, and the Father’s voice was heard, “This is my Son, the Beloved; in whom my soul delights.” (Matt.3:17) The essential rite of Baptism consists of the priest immersing the baby or person in water or pouring water on his head, while pronouncing ‘I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.’ Baptism is conferred once and conveys a permanent sign that the new Christian is a child of God. It is the first of the three Sacraments of Initiation that mark the movement of new Catholics to full membership of the Church. Baptism is celebrated to begin the person’s movement to the reception of Jesus Christ in Eucharist as food for their journey. Likewise the Sacrament of Confirmation strengthens and seals the person as they continue to journey to receive the Lord’s Body and Blood from the Eucharistic table. Celebrating baptism is more than a private family celebration. It is the sacrament whereby a person becomes a member of our Christian family and enters the Pascal mystery of Christ. To bring this out it is recommended that the sacrament be celebrated on Sunday, even at Mass so that the entire community may be present and the necessary relationship between Baptism and Eucharist can be clearly seen. At St Benedict’s we are delighted to baptise people who wish to become part of Christ’s Church on earth and thereby part of our faith family. Baptismal preparation occurs within the parish. At St. Benedict’s there are a number of two processes for the reception of the Sacrament of Baptism depending on the age of the person wanting to be baptised: ✠ for details of Baptism of Children ✠ for details of Baptism of Teenagers ✠ for details of Baptism of Adults

Confirmation

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God. They sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. – Acts of the Apostles 8:14-17 Confirmation (or Chrismation) is the Sacrament that graces one with the Holy Spirit. It is received once in the faith life of Catholics. The recipient receives the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit [Isaiah 11:2-3] and on occasion may receive one or more of the charismatic gifts of the Spirit [1 Corinthians 12:7-11]. The ecclesial effect and sacramental grace of the sacrament give the recipient the strength and character to witness for Jesus. At St. Benedict’s, there are programs of preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation depending on the age of the person being confirmed: ✠ for details about Completing the Sacraments of Initiation for Children ✠ for details about the Junior Sacramental Programme for children from 8 to 12 ✠ for details about the Confirmation of Teenagers ✠ for details about the Confirmation of Adults as part of RCIA

Holy Eucharist | Holy Communion

‘This is my Body, This is my Blood’. Catholics find their deepest meaning and understanding of whom they are when they participate in the celebration of Eucharist (the Mass). Around the Table of God we Word spoken to us and share in the Last Supper that Jesus had with his followers on the night before he died. The Eucharist is at the heart of all the activity of the Church. It empowers us to go out in mission and the mission of the Church is what is celebrated at Eucharist. The parish community gathers each day and especially in Sunday – the Lord’s Day – to experience again the truth of who we are. We gather at Eucharist to be reminded of our connection with God and with one another, to be nourished by the Word Proclaimed and the Bread and Wine blessed and shared for all. ✠ for details of Mass times ✠ for details of Completing the Sacraments of Initiation for Children ✠ for details of the Junior Sacramental Programme for children from age 8 to 12 ✠ for details of First Eucharist for Teenagers ✠ for details of First Eucharist for Adults as part of RCIA

Reconciliation

Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father who sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ – John 20:21-23 The Sacrament of Reconciliation is also known as the Sacrament of Penance or Confession. It is a moment of remember how much God loves us, and wants only the best for us. In this moment we reflect on the need we have for God’s love and grace as we become aware of moments of dis-grace and sin in our lives. In this sacrament, the penitent confesses their sins to the priest in the Reconciliation Room or Confessional. The priest then gives absolution to the repentant soul, making the Sign of the Cross, and saying the words ‘I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ It is God, through the priest, who forgives sins. As the penitent must make restitution or satisfaction for his sins, the priest gives a penance to the forgiven one, usually prayer, fasting, or almsgiving. Reconciliation gives one a wonderful sense of freedom and peace from the burden of sin. Sorrow, affliction, and a desire for conversion follow the remorse of sin in those with a contrite heart. The experience also brings a sense of gratitude to our generous Lord for his love, compassion and mercy. Reconciliation is available under Rite I format at St Mary's Church, Nelson from 6:00pm on Friday's. Outside of this time please make contact with the priest to make a suitable appointment. ✠ for details about Completing the Sacraments of Initation for Children ✠ for details of the Sacramental Programme for children aged 8 to 12 ✠ for details of First Reconciliation for Teenagers ✠ for details of First Reconciliation for Adults (part of RCIA)

Holy Orders | Ordination

Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father who sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ – John 20:21-23 The Sacrament of Reconciliation is also known as the Sacrament of Penance or Confession. It is a moment of remember how much God loves us, and wants only the best for us. In this moment we reflect on the need we have for God’s love and grace as we become aware of moments of dis-grace and sin in our lives. In this sacrament, the penitent confesses their sins to the priest in the Reconciliation Room or Confessional. The priest then gives absolution to the repentant soul, making the Sign of the Cross, and saying the words ‘I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ It is God, through the priest, who forgives sins. As the penitent must make restitution or satisfaction for his sins, the priest gives a penance to the forgiven one, usually prayer, fasting, or almsgiving. Reconciliation gives one a wonderful sense of freedom and peace from the burden of sin. Sorrow, affliction, and a desire for conversion follow the remorse of sin in those with a contrite heart. The experience also brings a sense of gratitude to our generous Lord for his love, compassion and mercy. Reconciliation is available under Rite I format at St Benedict’s Church from 9:30 – 10:00 am on Saturday. Outside of this time please make contact with the priest to make a suitable appointment. Rite II Reconciliation (a community based celebration) is offered during Lent and Advent. Details of times and place are available in the newsletter or by contacting the Presbytery. ✠ for details about Completing the Sacraments of Initation for Children ✠ for details of the Sacramental Programme for children aged 8 to 12 ✠ for details of First Reconciliation for Teenagers ✠ for details of First Reconciliation for Adults (part of RCIA)

Holy Martrimony | Marriage

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” – Genesis 2:24 The Church delights when it has the opportunity to celebrate and bless marriage covenants made by its members. The Sacrament of Marriage celebrates the love and friendship between a man and a woman. It gives the couple the grace to grow into a union of heart and soul, to provide stability for themselves and their children. Children are the fruit and bond of a marriage. The bond of marriage between a man and a woman lasts all the days of their lives, and the form of the rite consists of the mutual exchange of vows by a couple, both of whom have been baptized. The bond is compared to God’s undying love for Israel in the Old Testament, and Christ’s love for his Church in the New Testament. The Archdiocese puts out a splendid pamphlet called ‘Getting Married’ for those preparing for marriage, copies of which are in the pamphlet stand in the foyer of the church. It is best to contact the Parish Priest before making significant arrangements relating to the marriage ceremony. Certain requirements are laid down of those who want to have their marriage blessed by the Church. These requirements can only be suitably addressed in a personal interview with the couple asking to get married. If you would like to look at the possibility of a Catholic marriage, please contact the Parish Priest at least six months before the proposed date of the wedding. He will make an appointment to spend an hour or so with you and will discuss the requirements and explain the preparation programme. The marriage ceremony is normally conducted in the Church building. For details about Marriage Preparation click here

Anointing of the Sick

‘Is any among you sick? Let them call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over the person, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and if they has committed sins, these will be forgiven.’ – James 5:14 This Sacrament is part of the larger pastoral care that the Church offers to those who are sick, housebound and/or unable to be part of the worshipping community at church. This ministry to those who are unwell or housebound is an extension of Jesus’ actions when on earth he himself visited the sick and dying, bringing healing, peace and life. We do this with weekly visits with Holy Communion. Sacrament of the Sick is also available to those who request it. We find that many of the people we visit are an inspiration to us. They are the “power house of prayer”. They are the “oil that keeps the wheel turning” through their pain, suffering and lonely hours. While Ministry to the Sick is undertaken by a number of parishioners the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is undertaken by the Parish Priest. The Sacrament is available individually as required by those who experience infirmity in their lives. This can be experienced in the privacy of the home, or a hospital. A communal celebration of the Sacrament is made available about three/four times a year. Please contact the Parish Priest to see when the next service is scheduled. This sacrament has been practised since the earliest days of the Church. Until recently, the emphasis was on preparation for death, and it was referred to as “Extreme Unction” (the Last Anointing) or “The Last Rites”. However, the second Vatican Council restored an emphasis on prayer for the physical and spiritual healing for all seriously ill persons. The sacrament should not be deferred until the person is dangerously ill and on the point of death. For Pastoral care relating to Death and Dying Each hospital in the Wellington Region has a chaplain that can be called upon for an anointing of the sick. For details of the next scheduled Anointing Mass