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SACRAMENTS OF GROWTH
Marriage and Family Life – when 2 people find that they love each other so much that they want to live together throughout life here on earth as husband and wife, the Church rejoices with them and desires to help them celebrate this priceless gift with the Lord in this beautiful Sacrament. The Lord gives His grace (help) in a special way to help you truly love each other, whatever you face on life’s journey…..help that all married couples need as they prepare for the privilege of the gift of children, if that is the Lord’s plan for them. Many people feel that they can’t afford to get married in a Church, but we don’t ‘charge’ anything (people usually give a donation…. if they can’t afford to, though, that’s fine). We’ll be delighted to hear from you if would like to discuss the possibility of getting married in our beautiful Church. |
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THE SACRAMENTS
…are ‘outward signs of inward grace’….or as one wise person put it, special encounters with the love of God!
There are 7 sacraments that the Lord gives us to bring us closer to Him, through receiving His life…… |
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Baptism – through water and the Holy Spirit we are made children of God…He lives in us through faith and helps us to grow in hope and love, leading us to happiness and peace! The power of the sacrament is available to us every day, guiding our thoughts and actions in the way of light! Adults (and children/young people of catechetical age; 7-14) are baptised at the Easter Vigil, 9p.m. on the eve of Easter Sunday; babies and children receive the sacrament on Saturdays at 1pm at St Marie’s and Sundays at 12.30pm at St Patrick’s. If you’re not baptised, contact us and we’ll help you to find the wonder of His love!
From Pope Francis Jesus did not need to be baptized, but the first theologians say that, with his body, with his divinity, in baptism he blessed all the waters, so that the waters would have the power to confer baptism. And then, before ascending to Heaven, Jesus told us to go into all the world to baptize. And from that day forward up until today, this has been an uninterrupted chain: they baptized their children, and their children their own, and those children... And also today this chain continues. These children are a link in a chain. You parents have a baby boy or girl to baptize, but in some years they will have a child to baptize, or a grandchild... Such is the chain of faith! What does this mean? I would like to tell you only this: you are those who transmit the faith, the transmitters; you have a duty to hand on the faith to these children. It is the most beautiful inheritance you will leave to them: the faith! Only this. Today, take this thought home with you. We must be transmitters of the faith. Think about this, always think about how to hand on the faith to your children. Today the choir sings, but the most beautiful choir is the children making noise... Some of them will cry, because they are uncomfortable or because they are hungry: if they are hungry, mothers, feed them with ease, because they are the most important ones here. And now, with this awareness of being transmitters of the faith, let us continue with the rite of Baptism. |
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Sacraments of Initiation, Membership + Nourishment |
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Confirmation – through a special prayer and anointing with holy oil, we are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit…..7 powerful gifts of the Spirit are given to us to enable us to walk with the Lord and be His witnesses:- wisdom and understanding, right judgement and courage, knowledge and reverence, wonder and awe. Through these gifts, present within us, the Holy Spirit becomes our helper and guide. Adults are confirmed at the Easter Vigil (as are some children/young people of catechetical age); our children will now be confirmed when they are 13 years old.
If you’re baptised Catholic but not yet confirmed, we’ll be delighted to celebrate the Sacrament with you. If you were baptised in another Christian Church but would like to become a Catholic and be confirmed, contact us and we’ll guide you in the way of light! |
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Eucharist – in this Sacrament, God Himself , Jesus the Lord, comes to us in the form of bread and wine! Through the power of the Holy Spirit and our prayer of faith, the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus…..He lives in us and the power of His Death and Resurrection is at work in us, doing infinitely more than we can ask or imagine! Adults (and children/young people of catechetical age; 7-14)receive the Eucharist (also know as ‘Holy Communion’) for the 1st time at the Easter Vigil; children receive for the 1st time in Year 4 (at the age of 8/9), in May/June. |
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Sacraments of Healing + Wholeness Reconciliation (known in the past as ‘Confession’)– through the power of the Holy Spirit and the prayer of absolution, our sins are forgiven and the grace (help) of God is given to us so that we can turn away from sin each day and believe the Good News. Adults celebrate the Sacrament for the 1st time after their full initiation during Eastertide and children in Advent, before they receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. If you’re a Catholic but haven’t celebrated this Sacrament for a while, the priest will be delighted to guide you into the wonder of the Lord’s forgiveness and peace. |
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Holy Orders – all those who are baptised are called ‘the People of God’ and within this body of people some are called to serve as deacon, priest or bishop. This Sacrament helps to create order and harmony amongst ‘the People of God’, guiding us in the way of the peace of Christ. If you feel called to become a deacon or priest or want to know more of what it involves, contact us or visit the Archdiocese of Liverpool website. |
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All of these sacraments are gifts from Heaven, signs of His love, experiences of His goodness…..so come and receive, come and be filled…..accept this treasure, more precious than the biggest lottery-win imaginable…..be filled with His joy, aglow with faith, hope and love…..and a happiness that only He can bring and which endures forever! |
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St Patrick’s Catholic Church In the Deanery of Sefton Coast North and the Archdiocese of Liverpool |
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Anointing of the sick – this beautiful Sacrament is for those who have a serious illness or who need serious surgery or who are elderly and frail. It is filled with hope and strength….a celebration and encounter with the healing touch of Jesus who throughout the Gospels lays His hands on the sick to bring healing and peace. Contact us if you would like to receive this gift from the Lord. |
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Irish Bishops underscore compassion and healing in end-of-life care - Vatican News |
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