When Christ was baptized by Saint John, the Sacrament of Baptism was instituted. He then instructed his apostles to go and baptize all nations in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Baptism is a renewal, removing all sin including original sin, thus making us heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. We truly become children of God, members of Christ and members of His Church.
To schedule your child's baptism and find out more about the Preparation for the Baptism, contact Mrs. Glenda Ulloa at [email protected] or call 704-872-2579.
Saturday afternoon: 3:45- 4:45 PM
Anytime by Appointment
On Easter Sunday evening, Christ instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation when He breathed the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (See John 20:22-23) The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version. Second Catholic Edition.
We must ask for forgiveness, always with the realization there is no sin too great to be forgiven. When we confess our sins, it is not what we do, but that which we receive from God through His infinite love and mercy. Reconciliation not only provides us with insight as to the recognition of sin, but develops a healthy conscience, truly healing us and the community.
As your child prepares for Reconciliation and Eucharist, it is an wonderful time to reflect on the meaning of the Sacraments in your life and the ways in which your family life reflects their importance. As you seek to make the sacraments central in your family's life, the children will learn to place Jesus first.
Preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion is a two year process that ordinarily takes place in 1st and 2nd Grade. When the parents and catechist determine the readiness of the child, the celebration of Reconciliation always precedes the celebration of First Communion. Preparation for these two sacraments are distinct.
All registration forms for Reconciliation students must have a copy of the child’s baptismal certificate, even if it was previously provided.
Questions about the Sacrament Preparation and First Reconciliation and Communion can be directed to Mrs. Glenda Ulloa or Mr. Edgar Noveron at [email protected] or 704-872-2579.
About Reconciliation
Individual confession with a priest is the principal means of absolution and reconciliation of grave sins within the Church. The Sacrament of Reconciliation frees us from sinful patterns of behavior and calls us to complete conversion to Christ. Reconciliation heals our sins and repairs our relationships.
If you would like to be married in St Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, please call the church office to schedule the ceremony. We can be reached at 704-872-2579 or email Parish Secretary at [email protected]. We ask that you call at least six months in advance to secure your wedding date.
In the beginning when God created man, He established marriage between a man and a woman. With the attendance of Jesus Christ at the wedding feast of Cana, marriage was elevated to a Sacrament.
Marriage not only provides an environment for the welcoming of and desire for children, it also creates an atmosphere of stability for a loving family. This promotes the health and growth of children both spiritually and physically, thus ensuring the sacredness of family.
If you or a loved one is in need of Anointing, you may contact the parish office, 704-872-2579, at any time and leave a request for Father Bernard Oleru. Father Bernardd Oleru will be happy to come and visit you.
If you or a loved one is in sudden danger of death, please call Father Bernard Oleru at 704-498-7992
If you or a family member is elderly and approaching death, please call to speak to Father Bernard Oleru regarding sacramental preparation for death. Father Bernard Oleru will be happy to make a visit in order to prepare the person for a good confession, as well as answer any questions that the family might have regarding end-of-life decisions and the Mass of Christian Burial.
The healing that occurs in this sacrament of anointing is not necessarily physical healing. While we believe that physical healing can occur through the great power of God, the grace that is infused through this special sacrament is the reminder of the eternal presence of God in our human suffering.
When the priest blessing the oil of anointing, he asks God to "send the power of your Holy Spirit, the Consoler, into this precious oil. Make this oil a remedy for all who are anointed with it; heal them in body, in soul and in spirit, and deliver them from every affliction" (Pastoral Care of the Sick, #123).
"The celebration of the Anointing of the Sick consists essentially in the anointing of the forehead and hands of the sick person (in the Roman Rite) or of other parts of the body (in the Eastern rite), the anointing being accompanied by the liturgical prayer of the celebrant asking for the special grace of this sacrament" (CCC 1531).
As your child prepares for Reconciliation and Eucharist, it is an wonderful time to reflect on the meaning of the Sacraments in your life and the ways in which your family life reflects their importance. As you seek to make the sacraments central in your family's life, the children will learn to place Jesus first.
Preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion is a two year process that ordinarily takes place in 1st and 2nd Grade. When the parents and catechist determine the readiness of the child, the celebration of Reconciliation always precedes the celebration of First Communion. Preparation for these two sacraments are distinct.
All registration forms for First Communion students must have a copy of the child’s baptismal certificate, even if it was previously provided.
Questions about the Sacrament Preparation and First Reconciliation and Communion can be directed to Mrs. Glenda Ulloa or Mr. Edgar Noveron at [email protected] or 704-872-2579.
The liturgical life of the Church revolves around the sacraments, with the Eucharist at the center (National Directory for Catechesis, #35). At Mass, we are fed by the Word and nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ. We believe that the Risen Jesus is truly and substantially present in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is not a sign or symbol of Jesus; rather we receive Jesus himself in and through the Eucharistic species. The priest, through the power of his ordination and the action of the Holy Spirit, transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. This is call transubstantiation.
By the consecration the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity. (CCC 1413).
The central act of worship in the Catholic Church is the Mass. It is in the liturgy that the saving death and resurrection of Jesus once for all is made present again in all its fullness and promise – and we are privileged to share in His Body and Blood, fulfilling his command as we proclaim his death and resurrection until He comes again. It is in the liturgy that our communal prayers unite us into the Body of Christ. It is in the liturgy that we most fully live out our Christian faith.
The liturgical celebration is divided into two parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. First we hear the Word of God proclaimed in the scriptures and respond by singing God’s own Word in the Psalm. Next that Word is broken open in the homily. We respond by professing our faith publicly. Our communal prayers are offered for all the living and the dead in the Creed. Along with the Presider, we offer in our own way, the gifts of bread and wine and are given a share in the Body and Blood of the Lord, broken and poured out for us. We receive the Eucharist, Christ’s real and true presence, and we renew our commitment to Jesus. Finally, we are sent forth to proclaim the Good News!
St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church is pleased to use a two-year preparation process for Confirmation which engages young men and women through youth ministry and engagement in parish life. A two-year process has the advantage of allowing catechists, sponsors, and parents to draw our youth closer to Christ as they prepare for full initiation into the Church through Confirmation. The process begins after a child's completion of their sixth-grade year of Faith Formation, and consists in a period of remote preparation (catechetical instruction) and proximate preparation (spiritual and liturgical preparation for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation).
If you have further questions, please contact Mrs. Glenda Ulloa or Mr. Edgar Noveron at [email protected] or 704-872-2579.
Confirmation I
Confirmation I fulfills the aforementioned period of remote preparation. Candidates are provided opportunities to review Church doctrine and teaching, turn to God in prayer and bear witness to the faith, and worship.
Confirmation II fulfills the proximate or immediate period of preparation. Candidates are provided the same opportunities as above, yet their focus will be centered on spiritual and liturgical preparation of the sacrament.
In the Acts of the Apostles we read of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. While baptism is the sacrament of new life, confirmation gives birth to that life. Baptism initiates us into the Church and names us as children of God, whereas confirmation calls us forth as God’s children and unites us more fully to the active messianic mission of Christ in the world.
After receiving the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Apostles went out and confirmed others, showing confirmation to be an individual and separate sacrament: Peter and John at Samaria (Acts 8:5-6, and Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19:5-6). Also the Holy Spirit came down on Jews and Gentiles alike in Caesarea, prior to their baptisms. Recognizing this as a confirmation by the Holy Spirit, Peter commanded that they be baptized (cf. Acts 10:47).