Sacraments

Sacred Heart is happy to welcome the youngest members of our parish in the Sacrament of Baptism. 

The sacrament of baptism ushers us into the divine life, cleanses us from sin, and initiates us as members of the Christian community. It is the foundation for the sacramental life.  



 

“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, 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 and incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1213).

Getting your child baptized:

• Parents should contact the Parish Office at 610-948-5915.

• Begin the Selection of Godparents.
  • Godparents must meet the following canonical qualifications:
    • Be at least 16 years of age.
    • Be fully initiated in the Catholic Church (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist).
    • Be living a sacramental life, which includes regular participation at Mass.

Please note:

• It is necessary to have at least one Godparent. There are times when parents can choose one Catholic Godparent and one Christian witness.

• Godparents need to obtain a Letter of Eligibility from the parish in which they are currently registered and participating, stating that they meet the above criteria.

• Parents are expected to attend one preparation session, Pre-Jordan, with Fr. Gorka.

• The Sacrament of Baptism itself is celebrated on the first and third Sunday of the month after 10:00 am Mass.

Adults interested in being baptized or making a profession of faith as a Catholic are invited to participate in the RCIA process.  The Sacraments of Initiation; Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are celebrated each year at the Easter Vigil.

Baptismal Symbols

• Holy Water – The waters of baptism recall Jesus’ own baptism by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. Water is a symbol of cleansing and renewal as we begin a new life in Christ. We are washed clean of sin.
• Holy Oil/Chrism – At baptism, we are anointed into the life of Christ as “priest, prophet, and king.” A cross is traced on the candidate’s forehead as a reminder that we are inheritors of the Kingdom of God.
• Light – The baptismal candle is lit from the Paschal or Easter candle that stands in the church as a sign of Christ’s light in the world. At baptism, we receive the light of Christ and are called forth to share this light with the world.
• White garment – The white garment that is placed upon us at baptism is a symbol of Christ’s victory over death and his glorious resurrection. Likewise, the white garment or pall that is placed over the coffin at the time of death recalls our baptismal promises and reminds us that we are destined for eternal life.

Our 2nd grade PREP students will receive instruction in receiving First Reconciliation through our PREP program.
 

There are four steps in the Sacrament of Reconciliation:

1. We feel contrition for our sins and a conversion of heart to change our ways.
2. We confess our sins and human sinfulness to a priest.
3. We receive and accept forgiveness (absolution) and are absolved of our sins.
4. We celebrate God’s everlasting love for us and commit to living out a Christian life.

Sin hurts our relationship with God, ourselves, and others. As the Catechism states:












 

The sinner wounds God’s honor and love, his own human dignity…and the spiritual well-being of the Church, of which each Christian ought to be a living stone. To the eyes of faith no evil is graver than sin and nothing has worse consequences for the sinners themselves, for the Church, and for the whole world. (CCC 1487, 1488)

A mature understanding of sin includes reflecting upon our thoughts, actions, and omissions as well as examining the patterns of sin that may arise in our lives. With contrite hearts, we are also called to reflect upon the effects of our sins upon the wider community and how we might participate in sinful systems.

Contrition and conversion lead us to seek forgiveness for our sins so as to repair damaged relationships with God, self, and others. We believe that only ordained priests have the faculty of absolving sins from the authority of the Church in the name of Jesus Christ (CCC 1495). Our sins are forgiven by God, through the priest.

The Spiritual effects of the Sacrament of Reconciliation include:

• reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace
• reconciliation with the Church
• remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins
• remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin
• peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation
• an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle (CCC 1496)

Individual confession with a priest is the principal means of absolution and reconciliation of grave sins within the Church. The Sacrament of Reconciliation frees us from sinful patterns of behavior and calls us to complete conversion to Christ. Reconciliation heals our sins and repairs our relationships.

The Eucharist is the summit of the whole Christian life because the faithful brings to it all their prayers and good works, their joys and sufferings. These modest offerings are united to the perfect sacrifice of Christ. Thus they are completely sanctified and lifted up to God in an act of perfect worship which brings the faithful into the divine intimacy (cf. Jn 6:56-57).

Our 2nd grade PREP students will receive instruction in receiving the Eucharist through our PREP program.

The liturgical life of the Church revolves around the sacraments, with the Eucharist at the center (National Directory for Catechesis, #35). At Mass, we are fed by the Word and nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ. We believe that the Risen Jesus is truly and substantially present in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is not a sign or symbol of Jesus; rather we receive Jesus himself in and through the Eucharistic species. The priest, through the power of his ordination and the action of the Holy Spirit, transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. This is call transubstantiation.

Our final year PREP students (7th or 8th grade) will be eligible for Confirmation through our PREP program.

At Confirmation, we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and confirm our baptismal promises. Greater awareness of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conferred through the anointing of chrism oil and the laying on of hands by the Bishop.
 

Letters of Eligibility:

• Sponsors not from the parish where Confirmation is administered need a letter of eligibility from their parish.

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 accompanied by deeds. (CCC 1316)

The Church rejoices with you as you approach the Sacrament of Marriage and wishes to support you in living your married life to the fullest.

At times, today’s culture can work against your commitment to a healthy, lifelong Christian marriage.  But the Church tells us that the time of marriage preparation is “a special opportunity for the engaged to rediscover and deepen the faith received in baptism and nourished by their Christian upbringing. ” (Familiaris Consortio #51)

Getting Started:

The Catholic Church offers you the building blocks with which to build a solid foundation for your marriage.  The cornerstones of that solid foundation begin now, in your engagement period. Among the key elements of effective and successful marriage preparation are self-knowledge (through an assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, both as individuals and as a couple) and good formation (through a strong educational program on the sacrament of matrimony).

Click Here to schedule a Catholic Marriage Prep Workshop (Pre-Cana). This important step in the marriage process must be completed before your wedding day.

Contact our Parish Office to begin this journey together: 610-948-5915.







Photo/video credit: Rick Blanco Photography  https://www.blancophotography.com/

Anointing of the sick is administered to bring spiritual and even physical strength during an illness, especially near the time of death. It is most likely one of the last sacraments one will receive. A sacrament is an outward sign established by Jesus Christ to confer inward grace. In more basic terms, it is a rite that is performed to convey God’s grace to the recipient, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

For more information, please contact our Parish Office: 610-948-5915.
For urgent requests: 484-369-8656.



 

"Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time…It includes three degrees of order: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate" (CCC 1536). Deacons, priests, and bishops are essential to the Catholic Church because we believe that they continue the work begun by the apostles.















 

Since the beginning, the ordained ministry has been conferred and exercised in three degrees: that of bishops, that of presbyters, and that of deacons. The ministries conferred by ordination are irreplaceable for the organic structure of the Church: without the bishop, presbyters, and deacons, one cannot speak of the Church. (CCC 1593)

Ordination is the rite at which the Sacrament of Holy Orders is bestowed. The bishop confers the Sacrament of Holy Orders by the laying on of hands which confers on a man the grace and spiritual power to celebrate the Church’s sacraments.

The sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred by the laying on of hands followed by a solemn prayer of consecration asking God to grant the ordained the graces of the Holy Spirit required for his ministry. Ordination imprints an indelible sacramental character. (CCC 1597)

Who Receives Holy Orders?

The Church confers the sacrament of Holy Orders only on baptized men (viri), whose suitability for the exercise of the ministry has been duly recognized. Church authority alone has the responsibility and right to call someone to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders. (CCC 1598)

In the Latin Church the sacrament of Holy Orders for the presbyterate is normally conferred only on candidates who are ready to embrace celibacy freely and who publicly manifest their intention of staying celibate for the love of God's kingdom and the service of men. (CCC 1599)

The Second Vatican Council reminds us that the mission of ordained clergy, while unique, is interrelated to the mission of the lay faithful:

Though they differ from one another in essence and not only in degree, the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood are nonetheless interrelated: each of them in its own special way is a participation in the one priesthood of Christ. The ministerial priest, by the sacred power he enjoys, teaches and rules the priestly people; acting in the person of Christ, he makes present the eucharistic sacrifice, and offers it to God in the name of all the people. But the faithful, in virtue of their royal priesthood, join in the offering of the Eucharist. They likewise exercise that priesthood in receiving the sacraments, in prayer and thanksgiving, in the witness of a holy life, and by self-denial and active charity. (Lumen Gentium 10)