Sacramental Preparation Ministry

Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Rites of Christian Initiation

Who are we? The Parish Community is responsible for preparing and initiating new members into the Catholic Church. This is primarily accomplished by our prayer and authentic living of the Gospel: by loving God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and our neighbour as ourselves. By the example in word and deed of each parishioner, a new member learns what it means to live as a Catholic Christian. 

What we do Parishioners take on various roles to directly assist those who wish to receive sacraments. These include:

Baptism for children under the age of 7 through our Baptism Preparation sessions and assisting on the day of the baptism. These sessions prepare parents for the commitment they are making in having their child baptized. On the day of the baptism, we set up for the baptism, welcome the family to mass, and assist the priest after mass.
First Reconciliation and First Communion for children in grade 2 and up. The group sessions prepare the children to receive these sacraments for the first time. Assistance is required to lead the sessions, set up the space, and welcome families when they arrive.
Confirmation for students in grade 6 and up. The group sessions prepare the students to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Assistance is required to lead the sessions, set up the space, and welcome families as they arrive.
Rites of Christian Initiation. These sessions prepare adults (RCIA), teenagers (RCIT), and children (RCIC) to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Reconciliation, Communion, Confirmation) during the Easter Vigil. Assistance is required to lead the sessions and journey with our candidates and catechumens – sometimes as sponsors.
Marriage Preparation for couples preparing for marriage in the Church. Assistance is required to lead the weekend sessions. Sponsor couples are also needed as we pair each engaged couple with a married couple to complete the preparation and expand on their learnings from the weekend session.

Meetings Meeting days and times vary for the different Sacramental Preparation groups throughout the year. Please consult the parish website for the latest schedule.