Sacraments

The Seven Sacraments

The liturgical life of the Catholic Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Eucharist, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders.
 The purpose of the sacraments is to make people holy, to build up the body of Christ, and finally, to give worship to God; but being signs, they also have a teaching function. They not only presuppose faith, but by words and objects, they also nourish, strengthen, and express it; that is why they are called "sacraments of faith." The sacraments impart grace, but, in addition, the very act of celebrating them disposes the faithful most effectively to receive this grace in a fruitful manner, to worship God rightly, and to practice charity.    
                

Baptism

Baptism, the first and fundamental sacrament and the gate to the other sacraments, is the purifying and sanctifying sacrament of rebirth. It is the means by which its recipients are incorporated into the church in a sacramental bond of unity.

Infant Baptism (babies and children up to and including grade 2) is usually held at Our Lady's Church in Maidstone every 3rd Sunday of the month at 11:30 am.  

There is a mandatory Baptism Preparation Meeting every 1st Tuesday of the month at the Parish Office at 7:00 pm. If you are planning to have your child baptised, please complete the Application Form for Baptism and email it to the parish office.  

Children grade 3 and older, in addition to the above mandatory requirement, also need to enrol in our Youth Ministry Edge program for a minimum of one term prior to Baptism. Please contact the Parish for more information. Edge currently runs Friday fortnightly 7PM to 9PM during school term.

Adult Baptisms, require preparation as part of the Rite for Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), a process of at least 5 months. Please contact the Parish for more information.  

Confirmation

By signing with the gift of the Spirit, confirmation enriches the baptized with the Holy Spirit, binding them more perfectly to the Church, and strengthening them in their witness to Christ by word and deed and in their work to bring to its fullness the Body of Christ. Confirmation is conferred through anointing with chrism and the laying on of hands.

 For children who do not attend a Catholic Primary School, there is a Parish Sacramental Program that prepares them for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. This consists in attending 5 Thursdays of catechesis conducted by the Assistant Priest at the Presbytery Pavilion.

Children are expected to be accompanied by an adult.  The venue will be at the Presbytery Pavilion in Maidstone.  Please contact the Parish Office to enlist your child.  Your child must be in year 6 or at least 11 years old. 
 

Reconciliation

Through penance, the faithful receive pardon through God's mercy for the sins they have committed. At the same time, they are reconciled with the Church community. The confession, or disclosure, of sins frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others.

For children who do not attend a Catholic Primary School, there is a Parish Sacramental Program that prepares them for their first Confession. This consists in attending 5 Thursdays of catechesis conducted by the Assistant Priest at the Presbytery Pavilion.

 We also have some guides to assist you prepare for this important sacrament.
 

The Eucharist is the most august sacrament, in which Christ himself is contained, offered, and received, and by which the Church constantly lives and grows. The Eucharistic Sacrifice, the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated over the centuries, is the summit and source of all Christian life and worship; it signifies and affects the unity of the people of God and achieves the building up of the Body of Christ.

As children reach the age of reason, generally around age seven, the Church extends to them an invitation to celebrate the sacrament of Eucharist. The initiation into the Christian community that took place at baptism is further extended by inviting children to enter fully into the heart of the Christian faith through participation in the Eucharist.

For children who do not attend a Catholic Primary School, there is a Parish Sacramental Program that prepares them for the reception of their 1st Holy Communion. This consists in attending 5 Thursdays of catechesis conducted by the Assistant Priest at the Presbytery Pavilion. 

Anointing of the Sick

Through the sacrament of anointing, Christ strengthens the faithful who are afflicted by illness, providing them with the strongest means of support. Jesus showed great concern for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick and commanded his followers to do the same. The celebration of this sacrament is an opportunity for the deepening of the faith of the community who are able to witness the faith and devotion of those being anointed.

Before the 2nd Vatican Council, this sacrament has been referred to as Extreme Unction or Last Rites. These terms are not used anymore.  After the 2nd Vatican Council, a fuller and a better understanding of the Sacrament was offered to the faithful, hence the name Anointing of the Sick.  Anyone who is sick can receive this Sacrament and it would be a lot better if they receive it while they can fully appreciate the rite offered by the liturgy. We suggest that people who are hospitalized not wait until the last minute before inviting a priest to anoint them. As the name implies, the Sacrament is for the sick and not for the dead or the dying. Please see our guide for more information.

Matrimony

The Church has a rich tradition in its teaching on sacramental marriage and covenantal union. The Old Testament authors write of God making a covenant with the chosen people and promising them that they will never be forsaken. The New Testament authors write of Jesus as the new covenant and compare the relationship of Jesus with the Church to the relationship of a husband and wife. The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership for the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring.

Holy Orders

Holy Orders is the sacrament by which bishops, priests and deacons are ordained and receive the power and grace to perform their sacred duties. The sacred rite by which orders are conferred is called ordination. The apostles were ordained by Jesus at the Last Supper so that others could share in his priesthood.