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"The
sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and
entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to
us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated
signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament.
They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required
dispositions.
Christ
instituted the sacraments of the new law. There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation (or
Chrismation), the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick,
Holy Orders and Matrimony.
The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the
important moments of Christian life: they give birth and
increase, healing and mission to the Christian’s life of faith. There is thus a certain
resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the
spiritual life."
(Catechism of the
Catholic Church. 1131, 1210)
What is a
sacrament?
A sacrament is a visible sign,
or ritual experience, in which we encounter Christ’s saving love in
the context of Church community. In this event, our capacity
to be open to Christ’s actions depend upon the maturity and depth of
our faith disposition.
Therefore, the sacramental event is like a dialogue or
encounter between Christ and ourselves, as members of the Church
community.
In the 4th-century theologian
St. Augustine's definition, the sacraments are "outward and visible
signs of an inward and spiritual grace."
Baptism
This sacrament begins our
Christian life. Baptism
marks us as one who has been saved by Jesus Christ and sanctified
with the Spirit of God.
“Go therefore and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you” (Matthew
28:19-20) (Catechism of the
Catholic Church. 1276)
You
will need to be a registered member of our Parish. You will need at
least one practicing Catholic in good standing for Godparents. If
this is your first child, baptism preparation classes are required.
To schedule a Baptism or find out about classes, contact the parish
office at (865) 522-2205.
Confirmation:
This sacrament is the full
initiation into the Church community. Confirmation completes the
grace of Baptism by a special outpouring of the gifts of the Holy
Spirit, which seal or “confirm” the baptized in union with Christ
and equip them for active participation in the worship and apostolic
life of the Church.
This usually occurs in the
8th grade or the age of 13. For more information contact
the church office.
Eucharist:
Also called Holy communion, this
sacrament unites us directly with Jesus. Through union with him, and
with one another, we are truly joined as a community. We know this, because the
gospel tells us is Luke 22:19 – And he took bread, and gave thanks,
and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, “This is my body which is
given for you: this do in remembrance of me”.
In the Eucharist, Jesus is
truly present in the bread and wine. Taking this form enables us
to form a real union with him.
Marriage:
Marriage is the rite by which
the matrimonial union becomes a sign of God’s love and union with
his people.
(Ephesians 5:25) Husbands, love
your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself
for it;
Through this sacrament,
Christians are able to see a sign of the depth and permanence of
God’s love. In
addition, couples learn the holiness the Lord intended to be part of
the marital union.
Marriage prep
and counseling sessions are required. Please contact the Church at
least four months in advance. To schedule an appointment, contact
the parish office at (865) 522-2205. You are also asked to
complete an Engaged Encounter Weekend.
Reconciliation:
Also called Penance or
Confessions, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is the formal
celebration of a sinner’s repentance and God’s immediate
forgiveness.
Reconciliation celebrates and reminds us of God’s mercy and
helps us to experience divine forgiveness. In the Sacrament of
Reconciliation we experience that forgiveness and are reconciled
once again with God, with church and with ourselves.
Jesus proclaimed the Good News
of forgiveness for sins
Scripture tells us in Luke 7:
48, 50 that Jesus said, “Thy sins are forgiven. Thy faith hath saved
thee; go in peace.”
Anointing of the
Sick:
This
sacrament, which is the liturgical prayer for seriously ill Church
members, was formerly called Extreme Unction. Anointing of the Sick
celebrates and reminds us of God’s compassion and helps us to
experience spiritual and sometimes physical strengthening when we
are ill. The signs of
hold oil and laying on of hands used in administering this sacrament
express our faith in God’s power over sickness and the meaning of
suffering in the life of the community.
(James
5:14-15) Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders
of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in
the name of the Lord:
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord
shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they shall be
forgiven him.
If you know
anyone that needs this sacrament please contact the church
office.
Holy
Orders
Members of
the community are chosen and anointed in this sacrament to serve the
Church as deacons, priests and bishops. Beginning with Our Lord, the
Church required leadership, which was called forth in prayer and
signs. For we are
told in Scripture John 20:22 – And when he had said this, he
breathed on them, and saith unto them, “Receive ye the Holy
Ghost:” Mark 3:14 And he ordained twelve, that
they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to
preach.
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