Sacraments
Baptism
Baptism is God's most beautiful and magnificent gift. . . .We call it gift, grace, anointing, enlightenment, garment of immortality, bath of rebirth, seal, and most precious gift. It is called gift because it is conferred on those who bring nothing of their own; grace since it is given even to the guilty; Baptism because sin is buried in the water; anointing for it is priestly and royal as are those who are anointed; enlightenment because it radiates light; clothing since it veils our shame; bath because it washes; and seal as it is our guard and the sign of God's Lordship.
Baptisms will be scheduled for currently registered and active members of the parish, those whose parents or grandparents are currently registered and active members of the parish, those who live in town or the immediate surrounding towns, provided that all requirements are followed.
- Baptisms are scheduled most Saturdays at 1:30pm and a maximum of 5 children may be accommodated on any one particular date. Arrangements must be made by contacting the parish office in advance.
- If this is your first child, you must take an online baptism class a small fee is charged to take this.
- For baptism of children age 7 or older, please contact the parish office.
Godparents are required to fill out and submit a certificate of eligibility which has been signed and sealed by their proper parish. You may obtain the certificate of eligibility by clicking below.
The certificate of eligibility form is due back to us by no later than 3 weeks before the baptism date.
Canon law permits a maximum of 2 godparents: one male and one female. One God Parent is allowed, if you prefer.
God Parent Requirements:
- Over 16 years of age
- Have received the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation
- If married, he or she must be in a valid marriage recognized by the Catholic Church.
- Must be a practicing Catholic (attending Mass on Sundays and living a lifestyle in conformity with Catholic teaching).
The parish stipend for baptism is $150.00 (payable to St. Peters Example). This stipend does not include a separate stipend for the priest or deacon doing the baptisms, which amount is at your discretion and should be paid directly to them.
Eucharist
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:51
The Most Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian Life and so the center of our life here at Saint Peter Example Parish. We worship with reverence the Lord truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist each and every day and invite you to join us.
Sunday
7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 5:00 PM
Monday - Friday
6:30 AM, 9:00 AM
Saturday
9:00 AM
4:00 PM ( Vigil Mass )
If you would like to receive your First Holy Communion, please be in touch with our Religious Education Office at 123-456-7890 or contact on of our staff here
As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.
We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ’s prayer for us “that they may all be one” (Jn 17:21).
Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 §4). Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of Communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 §3).
All who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another.
We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of the human family.
Confession
“I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19
Jesus entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church. The Sacrament of Reconciliation "Confession" is God’s gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven. In reconciliation we have the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. It is a holy moment in which we place ourselves in his presence and honestly acknowledge our sins, especially mortal sins. With absolution, we are reconciled to God and the Church. The Sacrament helps us stay close to the truth that we cannot live without God. “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
Monday - Friday
9:45 AM to 10:30 AM
Wednesday
6:00 AM to 6:30 AM
Saturday
9:45 AM to 11:00 AM
How to go to confession and Act of Contrition
Adult Examination of Conscience
Child Examination of Conscience
Matrimony
The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. Covenant always expresses a relationship between persons. The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God. The celebration of marriage is also a liturgical act, appropriately held in a public liturgy at church. Catholics are urged to celebrate their marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy.
The process of getting married in the church is explained further below.
Your Engaged, Congratulations!
Please call the parish office to set your date 123-456-7890. Saint Peter Example Parish will be glad to celebrate your marriage with you and your family if the bride and/or groom are a baptized Catholic; free to marry according to the guidelines of the Catholic Church; if you are a parishioner; live in one of the neighboring towns; have parents or grandparents who are parishioners; or if you graduated from our parish school. Although Saint Peter Example Parish would be glad to celebrate with anyone coming to us for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, we are not able to accommodate weddings when neither bride or groom are Catholic or if you do not have a connection to our parish as described above.
After setting your date, you will receive information on attending Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation.
PreCana is a required course for couples getting married in the Archdiocese of Example. At the completion of the course, couples will receive a certificate of completion which they are to give to their home parish to be added to their marriage/prenuptial file.
Wedding Fees
- St. Peter Example Church – $300
- Organist – $200
- Altar Servers – $25 cash please
- Celebrant Priest: $125
- Musicians are also available for $200 each.
Anointing of the sick
The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, formerly known as Last Rites or Extreme Unction, is a ritual of healing appropriate not only for physical but also for mental and spiritual sickness.
This sacrament is not just for those facing death, it is appropriate for anyone who has a serious ongoing illness that is seeking healing in Christ.
Any member of the faithful can receive this sacrament as soon as he or she begins to be in danger of death because of sickness or old age. The faithful who receive this sacrament can receive it several times if their illness becomes worse or another serious sickness afflicts them. The celebration of this sacrament should, if possible, be preceded by individual confession on the part of the sick person.
Our priests are honored to administer this sacrament, please never hesitate to reach out!
The Rite of Anointing of the Sick is given, the hoped-for effect is that, if it be God’s will, the person be physically healed of illness. But even if there is no physical healing, the primary effect of the Sacrament is spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and courage to deal with the difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age.
Mass of Christian Burial
On behalf of all of us at St. Peter Example, we extend our prayers upon the death of your loved one.
“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25
What should I do now?
When you have experienced the death of a loved one, you will want to decide on the funeral home to assist you. There are several funeral homes near our parish, we recommend phoning one of these.
Please also call us as we are happy to send a priest to pray with the family and help you schedule the Funeral Mass.
