VIA YOUNG ADULTS

Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word.

- Catechism of the Catholic Church 1213

Through the waters of Baptism we become sons and daughters of God. We are freed from the stain of original sin and the gates of heaven are opened to us. What an incredible gift! 

If you yourself have never been baptized and are looking to learn more about being brought into the family of God, please reach out to your parish priest and ask him about becoming Catholic. Many parishes offer Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) programs that will help you learn about the faith and prepare to recieve Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.

If you have recently had a baby are a looking to have that child baptized, congratulations! What a beautiful time for your family. For infant baptism reach out to your parish priest or baptism coordinater and they will help you get started on the process. 

The church rejoices when a person of any age joins the family of God. So, whether you are seeking baptism your self or are seeking baptism for your child, welcome to the family! We are glad you are here.

The Eucharist is the heart and the summit of the Church's life, for in it Christ associates his Church and all her members with his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving offered once for all on the cross to his Father; by this sacrifice he pours out the graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church.

- Catechism of the Catholic Church 1407

When we receive the Eucharist we recieve Jesus, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. 
This incredible gift is one that we often take for granted. It's easy to go through the motions and forget that when we recieve the Eucharist we receive Jesus. But let us never take for granted the great sacrifice Jesus made for us in giving us his Body and Blood that we might live. Next time  you move up the aisle to recieve Communion, remember this great gift and take some time to sincerely thank Jesus. 

If you were baptized but never recieved your First Communion and are looking to learn more about recieving Jesus for the first time, please reach out to your parish priest and ask him about beginning that process. Many parishes offer Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) programs that will help you learn about the faith and prepare you to recieve Eucharist and Confirmation.

If you are passionate about the Eucharist and sharing the message of this great gift check out more on the upcoming Eucharistic Revival taking place in the US over the next 3 years.

Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds.

- Catechism of the Catholic Church 1316

The Holy Spirit wants to move and to great things in your life. In Confirmation we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and given power to accomplish great things through him. Perhaps you were confirmed years ago and haven't taken time to really discover this power of the Holy Spirit in your life. Maybe you were confirmed last year and are on fire with a desire to share the Gospel. Wherever you find yourself on the journey, the Holy Spirit is ready to be with you. 

A simple way to invite the Holy Spirit into your life is to simply say "Come, Holy Spirit." This is particularly helpful when you are facing obstacles or challenges. Ask the Holy Spirit to come and be with you in the midst of great upheaval and watch him work wonders in your life.

If you were baptized and recieved your First Communion but were never confirmed, please reach out to your parish priest and ask him about beginning that process. Many parishes offer Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) and adult confirmation programs that will help you learn about the faith and prepare you to recieve Confirmation.

To return to communion with God after having lost it through sin is a process born of the grace of God who is rich in mercy and solicitous for the salcation of men. One must ask for this precious gift for oneself and for others.

- Catechism of the Catholic Church 1489

God wants to shower his mercy upon you and free you from the chains of sin that bind you. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is not something to be feared, but rather to be embraced as a place to find healing and to be united with God. 
 

If you have had a negative experience of reconciliation is the past, please know we are so sorry for that. The confessional is a place of healing and if you had an experience that caused greater pain, please accept our sincere apology for that. But please don't let that keep you from the sacrament any longer.  Jesus wants to meet you in the sacrament and save you from from the power of sin. If you are unsure of attending confession after many years, is there a priest you trust to whom you can reach out? Let them know about your previous experience and your hesitation so they can walk you through it and help you feel comfortable. If you don't have a trusted priest in your life, reach out to us and we can help connect you.

Check with your local parish and surrounding parishes for their confession times to find one that works for your scheudle. If those don't work for you give the priest a call and ask if you can meet with him at a different time that is better for you.

"Heal the sick!" The Church has recieved this charge from the Lord and strives to carry it out by taking care of the sick as well as by accompanying them with her prayer of intercession.

- Catechism of the Catholic Church 1509

Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament we often know little about, let along understand. This sacrament imparts special graces upon a person including uniting ones suffering to that of Christ, strength, peace and courage to endure the trial, the forgiveness of sins if unable to go to the sacrament of reconciliation and restoration of health.

This powerful sacrament is not reserved solely for those who are elderly and are nearing death. Times when Anointing of the Sick would be appropriate in one's life include major illness or undergoing surgery and risky medical procedures. This sacrament is one that can be received multiple times, so if you receive it in the face of surgery and then become severely ill you can recieve the sacrament of healing. 

If you are in need of this sacrament reach out to your parish priest and ask him to anoint you. If you find yourself in an emergency situation and are in the hospital, ask for a priest to anoint you and they they will find someone to come give you the sacrament.

Among the many blessings that God has showered upon us in Christ is the blessing of marriage, a gift bestowed by the Creator from the creation of the human race…It is a source of blessing to the couple, to their families, and to society and includes the wondrous gift of co-creating human life.

- USCCB, Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan, 2009.

If you are currently engaged and preparing for marriage, congratulations! We pray that this time of preparing for a new stage of life is blessed. Getting married in the church is a great joy and we want to help your marriage be strong.

If you have not already, be sure to reach out to your parish to begin marriage preparation. The purpose of marriage preparation is not to create a series of obstacles on the way to the altar. The purpose of this process is to provide opporunities for conversation between you and your future spouse to lay the ground work for a strong marriage. Be sure to contact your parish at least 6 months before you wish to be married.

If you are still discerning if marriage is the vocation to which God is calling you, our prayers are with you. Times of discerment look different for everyone. Whether you are content and at peace or feeling pain in singleness, God is with you. We are all called to holiness and this is the time to lean into that. Let God transform your heart into one that loves him above all things. 

From the moment of Jesus' conception in the womb of Mary until his Resurrection, he was filled with the Holy Spirit.  In biblical language, he was anointed by the Holy Spirit and thus established by God the Father as our high priest. As Risen Lord, he remains our high priest. . . . While all the baptized share in Christ's priesthood, the ministerial priesthood shares this through the Sacrament of Holy Orders in a special way. 

Ordination to the priesthood is always a call and a gift from God. Christ reminded his Apostles that they needed to ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest.  Those who seek priesthood respond generously to God's call using the words of the prophet, "Here I am, send me" (Is 6:8).  This call from God can be recognized and understood from the daily signs that disclose his will to those in charge of discerning the vocation of the candidate.

~from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

If you are looking for help discerning God's call in your life, whether to priesthood or another vocation, please reach out to our vocations office. They would be happy to sit down with you over a cup of coffee and chat about how God is working in your life and where he might be calling you. You can find our more at gbvocations.org

Also be sure to check out the Quo Vadis Podcast with Fr. Mark Mleziva and Taylor Geiger from the vocations office. In the podcast they talk about everything from basic tips on discernment to how to pray to what does it mean to pursue happiness and everything in between.