 |
 |
|
|
|
Baptism
The Baptism of children is ordinarily celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, following the 11:00 am Mass. A required seminar for parents and godparents of children to be baptized is held on each Tuesday preceding the first Sunday of the month, at 6:30pm.
The Baptism of adults is ordinarily celebrated at the Easter Vigil each year, in conjunction with the parish process for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Special arrangements for Baptisms at other times may be requested due to particular circumstances.
For Baptism, at least one sponsor is required. The sponsor must be a baptized, confirmed and practicing Catholic, at least 16 years of age. In addition, there may be one other godparent, of the opposite gender as the sponsor. If Catholic, this other godparent must meet the same requirements of a sponsor. If not a Catholic, this other godparent must be a baptized Christian, fully practicing the faith of his/her denomination.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
|
Confirmation
Confirmation for youth is ordinarily celebrated during the Spring of a student's junior year of high school. Preparation for this sacrament begins in ninth grade and includes instruction (Catholic school or parish school of religion), spiritual formation (retreats and days of recollection), and development of a sense of sharing in community life (service hours in Church, school and community).
Confirmation for Adults is ordinarily celebrated at the Easter Vigil each year, in conjunction with the parish process for the Rite for the Christian Initiation of adults. A sponsor is required for Confirmation and that sponsor must meet the same requirements as a sponsor for Baptism.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
|
First Reconciliation / First Eucharist
The sacrament of Reconciliation is ordinarily received for the first time during the Fall of a student's second grade year. First Eucharist is ordinarily received during the Spring of that same school year. Preparation for both sacraments require that the student have completed first grade of religious education (Catholic school or parish school of religion) before entering into the specific preparation for these sacraments.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
|
Marriage
The sacrament of Marriage is celebrated throughout the year, with the exception of Sundays, holy days of obligation, and Holy Week (Palm Sunday through Easter). No marriages will be scheduled on Saturdays or the eve of holy days of Obligation after 1:30 P.M.
Diocesan regulations in the Diocese of Baton Rouge require at least a four-month period between the time the couple first approaches the priest and the date of marriage. During this time, the Pastor and Pastoral associate for Liturgical Ministries will work with the couple to prepare well for the celebration of this sacrament.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
|
Holy Orders / Religious Life
Men or women in the parish who think they may be experiencing a call to priesthood, permanent diaconate, or religious life should enter into a serious process of discernment concerning the possibility of such a call. If you are one of those, and there are certainly a number here at St. Mark's, please contact the Pastor to discuss how to go about the process of discernment. If indeed God is offering such a call to you, you have the potential for rendering great service to the human community through a life that is both satisfying and fulfilling in service to the Church.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
|
Annointing of the Sick
If anyone in your family has a serious illness, the Church would like to celebrate this sacrament of God's healing love with that person. Please call the parish office to schedule this celebration. The priest will be happy to come to your home, the hospital, or wherever is most convenient for the ill person and the family. We encourage as many family members as possible to be present for this joyous celebration through which God heals, lifts up, and gives hope, peace and new life to His faithful people. |
|
|
|
|
|
