| If you and/or
another member of your household are/is already Roman Catholic,
but new to our parish or area,
we would love to have the opportunity to welcome you as a
parishioner. This happens best when a person comes in to
the church office, speaks with our secretary, is led through
a fairly simple registration process, and has the occasion
to meet and sit down with one of our pastoral staff members.
This way, any immediate personal questions you may have can
be addressed. Contact the church office to schedule an appointment
today.
If you are a Christian of another tradition
(e.g., Methodist) or have never been baptized, St. Mary - as
all Catholic parishes would - offers a process by which individuals
considering the possibility of becoming Catholic come together
to share their questions and begin exploring the teachings
of our Faith. It is most desirable that the conversation begin
by sitting down with a member of our pastoral staff. You are
welcome to contact us through the church
office.
As an ordained clergyman in the Church, a
deacon assists the parish in various ministries. He prepares
people for reception of sacraments. He can baptize, witness marriages,
and provide funeral rites. Most often, the deacon assists the
priest at the altar. A deacon, not preparing himself to be a
priest, can be married.
A
pastoral minister is a lay person who has received specific
training to assist the parish
in a variety of ways. The minister’s assistance depends
upon the person’s interests, strengths, and the parish’s
needs. The celebration of the
Eucharist is a sign of our oneness in faith, life, and worship.
Catholics hold strong beliefs about the presence of Christ
in the Eucharist. A Christian of another denomination with
whom we are not yet fully united in faith, life, and worship
is ordinarily not admitted to Communion. A person who
has received a civil divorce is encouraged to find strength
in
the practice of their faith and reception of the Eucharist.
If a divorced Catholic attempts another marriage, they may
not receive the Eucharist unless their first marriage was
declared null.
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All
marriages are presumed valid. A ‘Declaration of Nullity’ is
given when a Catholic attempted marriage before another minister
without permission, or, when it is determined that one or both
persons (no matter their faith) did not fully consent to their
wedding vows at the time they were exchanged. It is not a Catholic
divorce. It does not affect the legitimacy of children.
Any baptized
Catholic who is prepared for the sacrament can be confirmed.
Confirmation is required to be a godparent for another individual.
It is encouraged, but not required, for marriage.
A
godparent is a male and/or female who is at least 16 years
old; and
a Catholic that has received
Eucharist and Confirmation; and one who practices their faith
regularly; a baptized Christian of another denomination may
be a “witness” along with the Catholic godparent.
Although the Church recommends
the customary burial, a Catholic can be cremated as long as
it is not done in opposition to the Catholic faith.
There are no restrictions on baptized non-Catholics that
wish to be buried in a Catholic cemetery. Under specific
circumstances,
some non-Catholics may even be given the Church’s
funeral rites.
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below are a few questions that people seem to ask on a fairly
regular basis when registering into
the parish. We have
tried
to answer them in a generalized manner, however, you or your
family may have other questions. We encourage you to 
