All liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the Sacraments. The Sacraments are signs instituted by Jesus Christ and given to the Church by Christ through which He confers his sanctifying grace to us. This means that the Sacraments unfailingly give grace, because Christ works through them. Sanctifying grace is a free gift of God thus allowing us to become children of God whereby He invites us and allows us to share in the divine nature and to inherit eternal life. Sacramental grace imprints an indelible character on the soul of the recipient and configures the recipient to Christ.
Sacraments are "powers that comes forth" from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church.
The seven Sacraments of the Church are:
The practice of the western or Latin Church is to baptize children as infants, to prepare them to receive first penance/reconciliation and first Holy Communion at about age seven, and to allow them to be confirmed between the ages of twelve and seventeen. Additionally at St. Mary, the usual practice is to begin confirmation process around the tenth grade. For more information in regards to the preparation for sacramental reception for children, please contact the Director of Faith Formation, Patricia St. Amour at 254.773.4541.
In most cases, adults who seek sacramental reception will enter preparation for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). In regards to RCIA, please contact Patricia St. Amour.