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ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC PARISH
OUR SYMBOLS & SACRAMENTS

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Baptismal Font

For Christians, baptism is the primary sacrament of initiation. It is through baptism that we are incorporated into the Church, into the Body of Christ. Through baptism we enter into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and are transformed into a new creation. In the early Church, baptisms were pretty much full immersion. Catechumens walked down into a pool of water and were baptized. Over the centuries, and as infant baptism became more common, baptismal fonts shrank. Today, the Church is beginning to return to the early model of Christian baptism.

Paschal Candle

The Paschal Candle stands next to the Baptismal Font. It is another symbol of Christ. Paschal comes from the Jewish word "pascha" which means Passover. For Christians, the word Paschal refers to Christ's passion, death and resurection. We call this the "Paschal Mystery". The Paschal Candle is used at baptisms where it provides a light for the baptismal candle. It is also used at funerals, where it serves as a reminder of the baptism of the deceased. We get a new Paschal Candle every year at the Easter Vigil, where it is lit for the first time from the Easter Fire.

The Oils

We use three different oils in the celebration of our sacraments. The Oil of Catechumens is used during baptisms (both adults and infants). The Oil of Sacred Chrism is used at Confirmation and during Ordinations. The Oil of the Sick is used to anoint those who are sick, elderly or infirm, to strengthen them. Many parishes have a Ambry, a small case where the oils are displayed in the worship space.

Eucharist

During the celebration of the Eucharist, Catholics believe that the bread and wine, are changed into the Real Body and Blood of Christ. We call this the Real Presence. The technical term for the change is "transsubstantiation". The Church teaches us that the important moment in the Celebration of the Eucharist is not just the moment of consecration when this change occurs. The entire Eucharistic Prayer is transformative, both of the sacred elements and of us. We pray that we too will be transformed to better reflect our unity as the Body of Christ.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

It used to be called Confession or the Sacrament of Penance. Neither of those two terms however, really do this sacrament justice. The Church now calls it the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is a chance for the individual to be reconciled to God and to the Christian community. As such, it is more a friendly conversation, than a guilty muttering of sins in the dark of a confessional booth. Nowadays, people have the option of maintaining their anonymity (with a curtain separating them from the priest), or they can sit face to face (second chair off to the left of the photo).

Sacrament of Holy Matrimony

Sacrament of Holy Orders