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Catechesis is provided for adults
and children prior to the celebration of a sacrament.
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RCIA: The rite of initiation is a guided spiritual journey of adults, which varies according to the many forms of God’s grace, the free cooperation of individuals, the action of the Church, and the circumstances of time and place. This spiritual journey of faith is spread out over the course of four distinct periods of formation . . .
1. Period of Inquiry - It is a time devoted to the first preaching of the Gospel to the candidates, to basic evangelization and initial conversion.
2. Catechumenate - This is a period of catechesis during which time different minor rites are celebrated to mark the progress of the catechumens and sustain them in their growing faith.
3. Period of Enlightenment - Coinciding with Lent, it begins with the celebration of election and is a time of more intense and more immediate preparation for the sacraments of initiation celebrated at Easter.
4. Period of Postbaptismal Catechesis - A period of time to reflect on and deepen their understanding of their own experience of the sacramental mysteries, and to enter more fully into the life and unity of the community.
Catechumens (unbaptized) and candidates for full communion are prepared at St.Peter’s together. The above mentioned stages refer to the catechumenate only.
The person (previously married) and now in a new marriage (after divorce) are not to be received into the Church until their prior marriage has been adjudicated by the Tribunal.
Godparents are to furnish catechumens with a strong witness to faith, to assist them in dealing with doubts and anxieties, and to guide them personally in their Christian lives after Baptism. Because godparents exercise a public office, Canon Law requires that they
>are Catholics who have been confirmed and have received the sacrament of the Eucharist;
>are at least sixteen years of age [an exception may be made by the parish priest for just cause];
>lead a life of faith in harmony with the function they are under- taking and have the intention of undertaking this function;
>are not the parents of the catechumen; are not bound by a legitimately declared or inflicted canonical penalty.
The ordinary minister of Baptism is a bishop, priest, or deacon. Whenever a priest baptizes an adult or a child of catechetical age, he may also confer the sacrament of Confirmation and Eucharist.
For the reception into full communion of one born and baptized outside full communion with the Catholic Church, only a profession of faith is required. Baptism is not repeated, although a conditional Baptism may be offered if the validity of the previous one is in doubt. By law, the priest who receives a Christian into full communion has the faculty to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation. Since the Church recognizes the validity of Confirmation in the Orthodox Church, they are not to be re-confirmed. Candidates should celebrate the Sacrament of Penance as part of their reception into full communion.
The baptism of infants is a treasured practice dating from the earliest tradition of the Church. "Our Lord said, ‘Unless a man is reborn in water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’ The Church has always understood these words to mean that children should not be deprived of baptism, because they are baptized in the faith of the Church. This faith is proclaimed for them by their parents and godparents, who represent both the local Church and the whole society of saints and believers." Perhaps even more so than in the case of adult baptism, the baptism of infants most clearly affirms that it is not we who chose God, but rather God who chooses us.
The baptism of infants is to take place within the first few weeks after birth. The baptism of infants is a teachable moment. Baptismal preparation centers on God’s love, on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, on the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church and on the cleansing of original and personal sin. It should reflect on all life as a gift from God, on our being created to the image and likeness of God and on the blessing we have in sharing life with God and with one another. Parents should be helped:
>to nourish their own faith life so they can support the gift of Faith they share with their children;
>to see Baptism as a sacrament of initiation, a first step in a journey of faith made with other members of the Church;
>to understand something of the history of the sacrament in order to grasp the Church’s present appreciation of it;
>to be familiar with the baptismal ritual and symbols, namely: water as life-giving and cleansing; oil as strengthening and healing; light as driving out darkness; the community as the setting in which Christ is present.
It is of great importance that parents are moved by their own faith as they present their child for the celebration of the sacrament. Godparents, along with the parents, present the child to the Church. They should be persons who:
>are Catholics, have been confirmed and who are currently receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist;
>are at least sixteen years of age (an exception may be made by the parish priest for a just cause);
>lead a life of faith in harmony with the function they are under- taking and have the intention of undertaking this function;
>are not parents of the child; are not bound by a legitimately declared or inflicted canonical penalty.
Catholics in irregular marriages are not to serve as godparents. There need be only one godfather or godmother, although it is common practice to have one of each. A baptized person belonging to a non-Catholic ecclesial community may be admitted only as a Christian witness to Baptism; the function of the Christian witness in such a case is to attest to the actual celebration. There MUST always be at least one Catholic person who has the office of godparent.
The ordinary minister of infant baptism is a bishop, priest, or deacon. Because baptism signifies entrance into the Church, a parish church is the proper place for its celebration. Except for true emergencies, such as danger of risk to health or danger of death, baptisms at home or in any place other than a Catholic church are not permitted in the Archdiocese of Washington.
As a sacrament of initiation, Confirmation is intimately related to Baptism and the Eucharist. Christians are reborn in Baptism, strengthened by Confirmation and sustained by the Eucharist. Specifically, in Confirmation, they are signed with the gift of the Spirit who conforms believers more closely to Christ and strengthens them so that they may bear witness to Christ for the building up of his body in faith and love.
The sacrament is conferred by anointing with chrism on the forehead which is done by the imposition of the hand and through the words prescribed in the approved liturgical books. The whole rite has a two-fold meaning: the laying on of hands is the biblical gesture by which the gift of the Holy Spirit is invoked; the anointing with chrism and the accompanying words express clearly the effects of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In Confirmation, baptized Christians receive an indelible character, the seal of the Lord, together with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which confirms them more clsoely to Christ and gives them the grace to spread the Lord’s presence among others.
Confirmation is to be seen as a part of the triad of Christian initiation, not as a sacrament to mark the coming of age of the candidate. Students in the 8th grade are confirmed at St. Peter's as well as adults and older teenagers who missed it earlier.
The sponsor at Confirmation must fulfill the same requirements as those for Baptism.
The Bishop is the ordinary Minister of Confirmation. A priest can validly confer this sacrament only if he has the faculty to do so, either from the general law or by way of a special grant from competent authority.
In addition to thorough catechesis, opportunity is made for the Sacrament of Penance prior to Confirmation. The confirmed chooses a name of a Christian saint by which to be called. The candidate should be mindful that this custom places him/her under the special patronage of the saint on whose intercession the confirmed Christian will call. It provides, at the same time, a role model for living the Christian life. The baptismal name may be used if the candidate wishes.
The Holy Eucharist is the Lord’s greatest and most precious gift to His Church. "I myself am the bread of life. No one who comes to me shall ever be hungry, no one who believes in me shall ever thirst. It is nothing less than the gift of His very self, really and truly present under the appearance of bread and wine. The Eucharist is a Sacrifice, truly and perpetuation of Christ’s death and resurrection, the summit and the source of all worship and Christian life. The Church lives and grows through the Eucharist. Through it the unity of God’s people is signified and brought about; the building of the Body of Christ is perfected.
The Holy Eucharist is also a banquet, hosted by Christ Himself who invites us, his Church, to be healed and nourished by his very presence. The Eucharist, then, unites the Church, because it draws all of us into closer all of us into closer union with Him, and through Him, to one another. For this reason, the Eucharist is the sacrament in which Christian initiation reaches its culmination, for in and through this sacrament, Christians are fully joined to Christ.
The people should be carefully instructed to hold the Eucharist in highest honor and to reverence the Sacrament with the greatest adoration. Genuflections, suitable silence and other signs of reverence for the Blessed Sacrament must always be observed.
The universal law of the Church clearly states that children who have reached the use of reason receive the Sacrament of Penance before admission to First Eucharist. The determination of readiness to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time is a primary responsibility of the pastor as well as of the child’s parents and/or guardian(s). They are to see to it that children who have reached the use of reason are correctly prepared when the child is attending Sunday Eucharist regularly, expresses a desire for the Eucharist and, when asked what the bread and wine become during Mass, can respond, "Jesus." Such readiness, not a specific age, appears to be the critical factor. It is presumed by age seven. We offer First Communion here at St. Peter's to students in the second grade.
Guidelines for Receiving Communion:
1. For Catholics - Catholics fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when they receive Holy Communion in fulfillment of Christ’s command to eat His Body and drink His Blood. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, communicants must not be conscious of grave sin, have fasted for an hour and seek to live in charity and love with their neighbors. Persons conscious of grave sin must first be reconciled with God and the Church through the Sacrament of Penance. A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.
2. For Other Christians - Those Christians who are not fully united with us are welcome to the celebration of the Eucharist. However, it is a consequence of the sad divisions in Christianity that we cannot extend to them a general invitation to receive Communion. Catholics believe that the Eucharist is an action of the celebrating community signifying a oneness in faith, life, and worship of the community. Reception of the Eucharist by Christians not fully united with us would imply a oneness which does not yet exist, and for which we must all pray.
3. For Those Not Receiving Communion - Those not receiving sacramental communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another.
4. For Non-Christians - Those who do not share our faith in Jesus are also welcome to our celebration of the Eucharist. While we cannot extend to them an invitation to receive Communion, we do invite them to be united with us in prayer.
Reconciliation between God and us was brought about by our Lord Jesus Christ in the mystery of his death and resurrection. The Lord entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church through the Apostles. Because of human weakness, Christians break off their friendship with God by serious sin. The lord, therefore, instituted a special sacrament of penance for the pardon of sins committed after baptism. So also lesser sins, although they do not break off our friendship with God, are also forgiven in this sacrament, as a fruitful way to advance in God’s love. The Church has faithfully celebrated the sacrament throughout the centuries — in varying ways, but retaining its essential elements. The necessary elements to the sacrament are contrition, confession of sins, the act of penance or satisfaction, and absolution.
The sacrament of penance is made available at St. Peter's on Saturday afternoons. Appointments can also be made at other times. Confessions are also heard for the school and CCD children. The penitent has the option of confessing anonymously (behind a screen) or in a face-to-face exchange with the priest.
Our young children receive First Penance prior to First Eucharist, usually in the second grade.
The Sacrament of Anointing is the proper sacrament for those Catholics who have attained the use of reason and whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age. Through this sacrament, the Church comforts and supports the person who is suffering and continues the healing ministry of Christ. This sacrament is described in the New Testament:
Is there anyone sick among you? Let him send for the presbyters of the Church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, they will be forgiven him (James 5:14-15).
In preparation for anointing a sick person, the priest always provides an opportunity for sacramental confession and absolution. Following are the proper subjects for this sacrament:
>in ordinary circumstances, the anointing is licitly administered only to Catholics who are in a state of grace;
>other Christians may be anointed in danger of death or in some other grave necessity, when, in the judgment of the Archbishop, they cannot approach a minister of their own denomination and provided they ask for the sacrament on their own, manifest a Catholic faith in it and are properly disposed. Canon 844 also allows the priest to administer the Sacrament of Anointing to members of the Oriental Churches who do not enjoy full com- munion with the Catholic Church if they request this sacrament and are properly disposed;
>the Sacrament of Anointing is to be conferred only on those who are still alive. However, canon 1005 directs that the sacrament be administered when there is any doubt about whether the person has in fact died. In such a case, the priest should always give absolution and administer the Sacrament of Anointing.
>those who are seriously ill, especially those who begin to be in danger of death due to sickness or old age;
>those about to undergo surgery when a serious illness is the reason for the surgery;
>seriously ill people if they fall into a more serious crisis during the same illness or, if after recovery, they develop a serious illness again;
>elderly people may be anointed if they have become notably weakened even though no serious illness is present;
>if there is doubt whether the person is seriously ill, the priest may anoint.
Children with serious illness can be anointed if they have sufficient use of reason.
Anointing can be administered in a home or hospital or in a communal celebration for several people. The oil for anointing is that which was blessed by the bishop during Holy Week at the Chrism Mass. It is a symbol of blessing, of strength, of healing, and of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
Related Ministries:
1. Communion is taken to the Sick and Homebound. 2. Confession made regularly available to the Sick and Homebound. 3. Vigil or Wake Service for the Dead. 4. The Funeral Liturgy.
In the marriage covenant, a man and woman establish between themselves an intimate communion of life and love which was founded and endowed with its own laws by the Creator. By its nature it is ordered to the well-being of the spouses and the procreation and upbringing of children. Christ the Lord raised marriage between the baptized to the dignity of a sacrament.
More than any other human relationship, that of husband and wife most clearly reflects the unity and fruitful love which exists between Christ and his Church. It is precisely for this reason that Our Lord has raised this relationship to the dignity of a sacrament by which the couple receive that unique grace among the people of God by which they can give mutual assistance to each other in striving for holiness of life and in nurturing and educating their children.
By their irrevocable consent, a man and a woman enter into the covenant of marriage and thus they establish between themselves a partnership of life. This intimate union and the good of the children require total fidelity from each of them and demand an unbreakable oneness between them.
By its very nature, the Sacrament of Marriage is ordered toward the good of the spouses as well as toward the procreation and education of children. Neither of these dual ends are to be subjugated to the other; rather, both of them serve as the focal points by which the couple "should be steadfast and ready to cooperate with the love of the Creator and savior, who through them will constantly enrich and enlarge his own family."
The Pastor is ultimately responsible for all marriages celebrated within his parish whether or not he personally prepares the couple or witnesses their vows. Norms to be observed:
>if the witnessing priest or deacon is from outside the archdiocese, the preparation is done by the parish priest of either the bride or groom (the catholic party if one is non-Catholic);
>if the couple are non-parishioners, the priest of their own home parish is to be contacted to determine who will prepare them;
>No non-Catholic minister is allowed to be the official witness to the exchange of consent in a Catholic Church and neither may a Catholic priest receive the exchange of consent in a Protestant church.
All priests incardinated into the Archdiocese of Washington are able validly to witness a marriage in this or any parish of the Archdiocese. However, for the licit use of this faculty, the pastor’s permission must be received. Incardinated deacons may be delegated to witness marriages, too.
A couple wishing to marry is to contact a parish priest or deacon no later than six months prior to the anticipated date of the wedding. The purpose of this period is to actively involve the couple in a process through which they can judge not only their readiness to marry, but also their ability to communicate on vital issues. Preparation time allows the couple to come to a deeper knowledge of each other and of the sacrament they will receive, including the reasons for its indissolubility. During this time the following is to be established:
>The canonical freedom of the couple to marry in the Church;
>The spiritual maturity of the couple as revealed by the practice of the faith by the Catholic party or parties, or at least their serious intention to return to the practice of their faith, including regular participation in the Sunday Mass. Spiritual maturity is also judged by the couple’s awareness of the specifically sacramental dimension of their marriage;
>The personal and relational maturity of the parties to undertake the responsibilities of marriage as Christian spouses and Christian parents.
The pre-nuptial investigation form used in the Archdiocese of Washington is designed to assess the couple’s canonical freedom to marry. The prospective bride and groom must be interviewed individually so as to allow complete freedom in each of their responses.
Impediments to Marriage:
>a previous bond not declared null or dissolved by the Church [Under no circumstances can we set any date prior to the receipt of a favorable response from an Ecclesiastical Court.]
>disparity of cult — when a baptized Catholic intends to marry an unbaptized person. [Requires a dispensation for which the Catholic must reaffirm his or her faith, an intention to practice The faith, and promise to do all in his or her power to baptize and raise as Catholic all children which issue from this marriage. The non-Catholic is made aware of these promises.]
>mixed religion — when a baptized Catholic intends to marry a baptized non-Catholic person. [As in the previous case, it requires a dispensation.]
>other impediments — age, impotence, Holy Orders, a public per- petual vow of chasity in a religious institute, abduction, crime, consanguinity, affinity, public propriety, and relation through adoption.
Canonical form is followed in that the marriage is witnessed by a priest or deacon and two witnesses. In cases of mixed religion or disparity of cult, sometimes there are dispensations from canonical form to allow the marriage to take place in a non-Catholic church.
In general, weddings may take place at any convenient time and on any day of the week with the exception of the days of the Sacred Triduum. Since Sundays are especially busy days for parish priests, they may rightfully discourage the scheduling of weddings on Sunday afternoons or evenings.
Ordinations occur at St. Matthew’s Cathedral or at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and not on the parish level.
Office of Priestly Vocations: Rev. Bill Parent, director - 301-853-4580
Although Jesus Christ, the "one High Priest and Mediator between God and man," (Hebrews 9:11-15) has shared his royal priesthood with all the baptized, He nonetheless calls and ordains some men to a distinct ministerial priesthood on behalf of the whole Church. Through ordination by the bishop, "priests by the anointing of the Holy Spirit are signed with a special character and so are configured to Christ the Priest in such a way that they are able to act in the person of Christ the Head" (Presbyterorum ordinis, 2). Thus, their priesthood differs essentially, not merely in degree, from the priesthood of the baptized. While all the baptized are able to imitate Jesus’ priestly offering of prayer, good works performed and suffering endured, the ordained priest in union with his bishop teaches and governs God’s people in love, forgives their sins and, most importantly, offers in the name of the people the Eucharistic sacrifice through which their lives are joined to Christ’s as a pleasing oblation to the Father (Lumen gentium, 10). The ministerial priesthood, while exercising solely to serve and promote the baptismal priesthood, depends directly on Christ’s acting through the bishop, rather than on any delegation by or consent of the people.
The sacramental character of the ordained priest — a gift of the Holy Spirit — is life-long and irrevocable. Its permanence is both a sign of Christ’s absolute commitment to act in the Church for the salvation of the world, and a witness to the Church’s definitive responsibility to carry out Christ’s work (1971 Synod of Bishops, Ministerial Priesthood, 5). Priests are called to prolong the presence of Christ, embodying and making visible the life of Christ in the midst of the flock entrusted to their care; it is the grace of the Sacrament of Holy Orders that enables the priest to carry out efficaciously his sacred duties (John Paul II, Pastores dabo vobis, 15).
Priests are close collaborators of the bishop, whose ministry they extend as they teach, sanctify and govern God’s people (Ibid., 16). "It is the first rask of priests as co-workers of the bishops to preach the Gospel to all" (Presbyterorm ordinis, 4). "Priests exercise the function of Christ as Pastor and Head in proportion to their share of authority. In the name of the bishop, they gather the family of God as a brotherhood endowed with the spirit of unity and lead it in Christ through the Spirit to God the Father" (Ibid., 6). Although all the sacraments have an abiding importance, the dynamic "pastoral charity" of "priestly ministry reaches its summit in the celebration of the Eucharist, which is the source and center of the Church’s unity" and over which only an ordained priest may validly preside" (Pastores dabo vobis, 23).
In the Latin rite, priests exercise their ministry in the celibate state, "for celibacy is both a sign and a motive of pastoral charity, and a pecial source of spiritual fruitfulness in the world" (The Roman Pontifical, p. 161). By means of celibacy, priests profess their willingness to be dedicated with undivided loyalty to the task entrusted to them. Through celibacy they are made a living sign of that world to come, already present through faith and charity, a world in which the children of the resurrection shall neither be married nor take wives. Indeed, the priest becomes in some fashion, both servant and spouse of the Church (Presbyterorum ordinis, 16).
In exercising their ministry, priests cannot conform themselves to this world, since they must be "witnesses and dispensers of a life other than that of this earth." Still, they must live among and know well their people" (Ibid., 3) so that their life and ministry may help people grow in the divine life and give glory to God (Ibid., 2).
In the Latin Rite, the presbyterate is conferred on those who have completed their twenty-fifth year and possess sufficient maturity. An interval of at least six months is to be observed between the diaconate and presbyterate. Men destined for the presbyterate are admitted to the diaconate only after they have completed their twenty-third year (Canon 1031).
Office of the Permanent Diaconate - 301-853-4582 Rev. Mr. Frank Enderle, director
Deacons occupy the third level in the hierarchy of Orders, after bishops and priests, and receive the sacrament of Orders "not unto priesthood but unto the ministry" (Lumen gentium, 29). Under the leadership of the bishop and in cooperation with his priests, deacons serve especially in works of charity and administration, while also preaching and instructing the people in God’s Word. They assist, and at times, preside in many liturgical rites, including baptisms, marriages, and funerals (Ibid.). They may not administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick nor the Sacrament of Penance; neither may they preside at Mass. They are strengthened for their tasks by the unique sacramental grace of Him who came among us "as the one who serves" (Luke 22:27).
In the Latin Rite, married men may be ordained permanent deacons, provided they have reached thirty-five years of age and have the consent of their wives. If unmarried, a deacon may be ordained at age twenty-five (Canon 1031) and is required to make a promise of perpetual celibacy (Canon 1037).
The Office for Worship, the Vocations Office and the Office for the Permanent Diaconate collaborate in the preparation and celebration of the rites of Ordination. Input is also sought from the ordinands concerning various aspects of the ordination liturgy.
All candidates for the priesthood and diaconate are required to make a pre-ordination retreat as a final spiritual preparation for ordination and to take the prescribed Profession of Faith.
Ordination is to be celebrated during mass, whether on a Sunday or holy say of obligation, or ordinary weekdays (Canon 1010).
Ordinations to the diaconate and priesthood for service to the Church of Washington are normally celebrated in the Cathedral of St. Matthew, the Apostle. A large congregation of the faithful and clergy is invited and they should participate actively according to their proper function (Canon 1011).
Only a validly ordained bishop in union with the Holy See may ordain to the diaconate and priesthood (Canon 1012). For ordination to the diaconate within the ranks of the diocesan clergy, the proper bishop is the bishop of the diocese in which the candidate has a domicile or the diocese to which he intends to devote himself. For ordination to the priesthood of diocesan priests, the proper bishop is the bishop of the diocese into which the candidate was incardinated by the diaconate (Canon 1016).
The proper bishop may ordain the candidate himself or permit another bishop also in communion with the Apostolic See to ordain. This permission is conveyed through dimissorial letters (Canon 1015).
While the celebration of the rites of ordination to the diaconate and priesthood are distinct and separate celebrations, some elements of both are similar. Both begin with the calling of the candidates and the consent of the People of God. The bishop then instructs those present regarding the duties of the office of deacon/priest in the Church.
The candidate publicly commits himself to the obligations of his particular ministry. Since both deacons and priests minister as co-workers of the Archbishop of Washington, the candidates pledge obedience and respect to him as the chief pastor. All to be ordained to the priesthood, and all unmarried candidates for the diaconate also make a solemn promise of celibacy. After the promise of obedience, the Church calls for the prayers of the saints and of all present for those about to be ordained.
By the laying on of hands and the prayer of consecration, the bishop confers the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
The rite concludes for the newly ordained deacon with receiving the sign of office: the stole, dalmatic, and the Book of Gospels. The rite concludes for the newly ordained priest by clothing him with the signs of his new office, the stole and chasuble, after which time his hands are anointed and he receives the sign of peace from the attending bishops and priests. He is then presented with bread and wine for celebration of the Eucharist.
— Taken from Archdiocesan Policies