Sacraments

"Go therefore and Make Disciples." (Mt 28:19)

The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus.  Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist.  The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters.  . . .  Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin.  However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin – Original and actual – and begin to live a new life with God.

In Baptism, the Holy Spirit moves us to answer Christ's call to holiness. In Baptism, we are asked to walk by the light of Christ and to trust in his wisdom. We are invited to submit our hearts to Christ with ever deeper love.

~from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

_{Above from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/baptism}

For Catholics, the Sacrament of Baptism is the first step in a lifelong journey of commitment and discipleship whether we are baptized as infants or adults. 

Infant ​Baptism (under the age of 7) is typically held at St. Brendan Church on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 1 PM and at St. Ann Church on the 4th Saturday of the month at 1 PM and subject to change with prior notice.  Please contact the parish office using the CONTACT US link or calling Amy at (617) 436-0310 at least 30 days prior to register.  Conditions apply for those nominated to be godparents according to the norms of Canon Law (c. 874 §1).

Adults interested in being baptized or received into the Roman Catholic Church, please refer to the section on RCIA under the Faith Formation icon on the main page or call the parish office at (617) 436-0310.

"Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven." (James 5:14-15)

In the Church's Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, through the ministry of the priest, it is Jesus who touches the sick to heal them from sin – and sometimes even from physical ailment. His cures were signs of the arrival of the Kingdom of God. The core message of his healing tells us of his plan to conquer sin and death by his dying and rising.

The Rite of Anointing tells us there is no need to wait until a person is at the point of death to receive the Sacrament. A careful judgment about the serious nature of the illness is sufficient.

When the Sacrament 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 a 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.

~from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

_{Above from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/anointing-of-the-sick}

If you or a loved one is in immediate need of the sacrament or interested in receiving it, please call the parish office at (617) 436-0310 and follow the prompts as appropriate. Please do not wait until the "last moment" for a request but be as proactive as possible since a priest may not be immediately available.