Sacraments

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Bible Resources

Where We Are

5655 Rigsby Avenue, San Antonio, Texas 78222

Phone: (210) 648-1705

Fax: (210) 648-5365

Parish: stoninotx@usa.com

Fr. Martin: mart@priest.com

Sacraments

Our physical lives begin we are born and progress through youth to adulthood. Along the way we nourish ourselves by eating, clean ourselves by bathing, go to the doctor when we get sick, start careers, get married, and have children.

Our spiritual lives are much the same. We are born again in the sacrament of Baptism. We grow to make our faith our own in the sacrament of Confirmation. We are nourished through the sacrament of the Eucharist. We need cleansing through the sacrament of Reconciliation. We obtain healing and forgiveness through the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. We choose a vocation and a life partner in the sacrament of Marriage, or we enter into consecrated life as a religious or through the sacrament of Holy Orders.

Eucharist

The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is the greatest prayer of the Church. In the Eucharist, Christ joins us to himself in the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.

All Catholics in good standing may received the Eucharist
Latin Rite Catholics should fast one hour before receiving
No one conscious of mortal sin should receive the Eucharist without first receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)
The Catholic Church welcomes Eastern Orthodox Christians in good standing with their Churches to join us in receiving the Body and Blood of the Lord
We invite our Protestant brothers and sisters to join in worshiping our One Lord, though at this time we are not able to invite them to participate in the Table of the Lord

Baptism

Baptism is the primary sacrament of initiation into the Catholic Church.

A valid baptism involves being immersed in water, or having watered poured over the head, and this being done "in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
The Catholic Church recognizes the validity of Christian baptism as performed by other Churches, including the Eastern Orthodox Churches and most Protestant Churches.
It is common for Catholics and many Protestants to be baptized as infants. This practice emphasizes that baptism is an act of God's grace and not a human work.

To have your child baptized:

Please call the office to make an appointment: (210} 648-1705
Parents must attend Baptism seminars
Baptism seminars are at 2:00 pm every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month
Deacon Dan Kearns teaches the baptism seminars

If you are an adult wishing to be baptized, you must attend RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

RCIA is a several months-long course of Christian preparation
Baptisms are performed at the Easter Vigil of the following year

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 December 2009 19:58

Reconciliation (Confession)

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a ministry Jesus gave to the Apostles when he said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20:22-23)

Reconciliation is counted as one of the two sacraments of healing (the other is Anointing of the Sick) because it restores the person to fellowship with God. Often called "Confession", this sacrament helps people move on with their lives instead of remaining trapped in regret. People racked with guilt often find this Sacrament brings rest and joy to their hearts.

Schedule of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)

Monday - Thursday:	4:30 - 5:00 pm
Friday & Saturday:	6:00 - 6:30 pm
Other Times:

Last Updated on Friday, 19 February 2010 19:40

Marriage

Marriage is a permanent vocation, just like being a priest, a deacon, or a religious brother or sister. In Christian marriage, a man and a woman join themselves together before Christ to become one, and to devote themselves fully to each other in faithfulness for the rest of their lives.

For this reason, no one should enter marriage lightly or hastily.

Please contact Fr Martin at least six months in advance of your desired wedding date. Fr Martin will introduce the process, begin required paperwork, and discusses with both of you the programs needed for the next phase, called Primary Marriage Preparation.
Fr Martin will work with you to determine which marriage preparation program is right for you. The available programs include:
- Marriage Preparation Weekend Retreats
- Engaged Encounter
- Evangelization
- Rite of Marriage-Sacrament and Vocation
- Christian Marriage Life Skills classes
- UNITAS
- Marriage Sponsor Program
- FOCCUS
Since these programs fill up quickly, it is a good idea to register and participate as early as possible.
Please note: a wedding date is considered "provisional" until completion of Primary Marriage Preparation. Primary marriage preparation should be completed at least 60 to 90 days in advance of the desired wedding date.

Confirmation

The Sacrament of Confirmation completes the Christian's initiation into the Catholic Church. For those who were baptized as infants, Confirmation is the sacrament through which they make their faith their own. For those baptized as adults, Confirmation normally follows immediately.

Teenagers may be confirmed upon completion of a two-year preparation course
Adults may be confirmed upon completion of RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, normally at the Easter Vigil.
Please call the office for more information: (210) 648-1705.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 December 2009 19:57

Anointing of the Sick

Emergency Anointing of the Sick

To request the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick either for yourself or a loved one, call (210) 367-4231.

Information and Guidelines

The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is closely related to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. James, in the Epistle that bears his name, made this relationship clear:

Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (James 5:14-15)

Many years ago, people mistakenly called this sacrament "Last Rites", thinking that it was only given to someone when they were very near death. In reality, the sacrament is intended for anyone who

Is very ill
Is going into surgery
Has been seriously injured

The sacrament is not intended for minor illnesses such as common colds or sore throats.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 December 2009 20:34

Holy Orders

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is the vocational sacrament by which a person becomes a bishop, priest, or deacon.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) explains the meaning of the word "order" as follows:

The word order in Roman antiquity designated an established civil body, especially a governing body. Ordinatio means incorporation into an ordo. In the Church there are established bodies which Tradition, not without a basis in Sacred Scripture, has since ancient times called taxeis (Greek) or ordines. And so the liturgy speaks of the ordo episcoporum, the ordo presbyterorum, the ordo diaconorum. Other groups also receive this name of ordo: catechumens, virgins, spouses, widows,. . . .(CCC 1537)

A good explanation of the three orders (bishop, priest, deacon) may be found on the Catholic Answers website. Here is a brief excerpt:

Bishops (episcopoi) have the care of multiple congregations and appoint, ordain, and discipline priests and deacons. They sometimes appear to be called "evangelists" in the New Testament. Examples of first-century bishops include Timothy and Titus (1 Tim. 5:19–22; 2 Tim. 4:5; Titus 1:5).
Priests (presbuteroi) are also known as "presbyters" or "elders." In fact, the English term "priest" is simply a contraction of the Greek word presbuteros. They have the responsibility of teaching, governing, and providing the sacraments in a given congregation (1 Tim. 5:17; Jas. 5:14–15).
Deacons (diakonoi) are the assistants of the bishops and are responsible for teaching and administering certain Church tasks, such as the distribution of food (Acts 6:1–6).

If you are interested in ordination either as a priest or a deacon, please see Fr Martin.