Santa Maria Addolorata/RCIA

What to expect on Confirmation day?  Happy Feast of the Annunciation! Today we celebrate the memory of the Archangel Gabriel appearing to Mary and announced that she was chosen to be the Mother of our Lord. Her Yes or to put it more exactly, “ Let it be done according to your word” is an example of our response to God when we celebrate the Sacraments, especially Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. Continuing the discussion on Catholic Practices & the How To’s, in this session we will discuss the topic of what to expect on Confirmation Day. If you are in First Communion program and received your Confirmation as a baby, these steps will give you some idea of how the rite was celebrated when you were a child. Yes, and as I’ve explained before, in the past baptism and confirmation were celebrated together. This for most this is no longer the practice today. Apart from the RCIA program, you will receive all three sacraments at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. I ...

Hang on tight, we only have 6 sessions left of the RCIA / Adult Religious Ed program. :) I can only hope and  pray that this journey for you has been informative enough for you to make an honest "yes" when you receive your sacraments. We have just completed the Seven Sacraments. Just remember the key to each of the sacraments is God, himself. In each sacrament, God offers his 'grace' to us. The grace he offers to us is enough to sustain us as we journey on in life. Here's a the sacraments in brief: Sacraments of Initiation: 1. Baptism - We become adopted children of God and members of the Church. 2. Confirmation - Our baptismal promises are "sealed" with Holy Spirit. 3. Eucharist - The Sacrament of all sacraments. The true presence of Christ in the Eucharist, in the form of bread & wine. Sacraments of Healing: 1. Reconciliation / Penance / Confession - In this sacrament, the sins we commit after Baptism is forgiven & absolved. 2. Anoi...

In this blog post, I will go over what we have discussed in both classes on the topic of the Sacraments of Initiation  (RCIA & Adult Religious Ed which meets on Wednesdays & Adult Rel Ed/First Communion which meets on Sundays.)  I've used two different PowerPoint presentations for both days because our focus was different; so I'll sum them up here. First of all and as a reminder, a sacrament is an outward sign of God's grace. It is not just what we do for God but more importantly what God does for us . The Seven Sacraments in which we celebrate in the liturgy were instituted by Jesus. In other words, God calls us nearer to Him, we respond to His call in faith and He further blesses us with His 'grace' through the sacraments. So who can receive the sacraments?  Anyone who asks for it. It is good to remember that God does not impose Himself on anyone. So one key word to remember is  Freewill,   a gift that was freely given to us by God Hims...