Baptism | Confirmation | Eucharist | Confession
Anointing of the Sick | Holy Orders | Matrimony
The Sacrament of Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the forgiveness of original sin, the gateway to life of the sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn. We become members of the Body of Christ, are incorporated into the Church, adopted as God’s sons and daughters, and made sharers in the Church’s mission.
Parents wishing to have their child baptized need to take a Baptism Preparation Class prior to scheduling the baptism. Please call the SJV parish office at (507) 235-5535 to register for the next class.
Upcoming Classes:
June 15, 2024 at 10:00 in the Hospitality Area, SJV
If you are an adult seeking baptism, please read more about the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and contact the office for more information.
Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist form the Sacraments of Initiation that are all intimately connected. In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is “sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit” and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ. Formation for youth seeking Confirmation is given in tenth grade, from October until the time of Confirmation in the spring.
For more information about youth Confirmation, contact:
SJV – Tamarae Schmidt at 235-5639.
SSPP – Angie Nagel at 526-5626.
For adults who have not been Confirmed, contact Deacon Steve at deacon@fmcatholic.org or call the parish office at 235-5535.
So rich is the mystery of the Eucharist that we have a number of terms to illumine its saving grace: the Breaking of the Bread; the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; the Lord’s Supper; the Eucharistic Assembly; the Memorial of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection; the Holy and Divine Liturgy; the Eucharistic Liturgy; Holy Communion; and Holy Mass (cf. CCC, nos. 1328-1332).
The use of bread and wine in worship is already found in the early history of God’s people. In the Old Testament, bread and wine are seen as gifts from God, to whom praise and thanks are given in return for these blessings and for other manifestations of his care and grace. The story of the priest Melchizedek’s offering a sacrifice of bread and wine for Abraham’s victory is an example of this (cf. Gn 14:18). The harvest of new lambs was also a time for the sacrifice of a lamb to show gratitude to God for the new flock and its contribution to the well-being of the family and tribe.
These ancient rituals were given historical meaning at the Exodus of God’s people. They were united into the Passover Meal as a sign of God’s delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, a pledge of his fidelity to his promises and eventually a sign of the coming of the Messiah and messianic times. Each family shared the lamb that had been sacrificed and the bread over which a blessing had been proclaimed. They also drank from a cup of wine over which a similar blessing had been proclaimed.
When Jesus instituted the Eucharist he gave a final meaning to the blessing of the bread and the wine and the sacrifice of the lamb. The Gospels narrate events that anticipated the Eucharist. The miracle of the loaves and fish, reported in all four Gospels, prefigured the unique abundance of the Eucharist. The miracle of changing water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana manifested the divine glory of Jesus and the heavenly wedding feast in which we share at every Eucharist.
In his dialogue with the people at Capernaum, Christ used his miracle of multiplying the loaves of bread as the occasion to describe himself as the Bread of Life: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven… Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (Jn 6:51, 53).
—From the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
Parents with children seeking the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion should contact:
SJV – Tamarae Schmidt at 235-5639.
SSPP – Angie Nagel at 526-5626.
The Sacrament of Confession (or Penance or Reconciliation) is an experience of the gift of God’s boundless mercy. Not only does it free us from our sins but it also challenges us to have the same kind of compassion and forgiveness for those who sin against us.
The sacrament of Reconciliation is available:
Saturdays from 4:00-4:45 pm,
Sundays from 7:45-8:15 pm,
Sundays after the 10:30 am Mass at SSPP,
or by appointment.
Parents with children seeking the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion should contact:
SJV – Tamarae Schmidt at 235-5639.
SSPP – Angie Nagel at 526-5626.
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, with some danger of death, is sufficient. The Sacrament may be repeated if the sick person recovers after the anointing but becomes ill once again, or if, during the same illness, the person’s condition becomes more serious. A person should be anointed before surgery when a dangerous illness is the reason for the intervention.
If a loved one is nearing death, do not wait to ask for this sacrament. It can be repeated if necessary, but it cannot be given after someone’s soul has passed from this life. The sacrament is available by calling your parish office.
Those men who receive the sacrament of Holy Orders — as a deacon, priest or bishop — are consecrated in Christ’s name “to feed the Church by the word and grace of God.” Please see more information about vocations to the priesthood on the Diocese of Winona-Rochester vocations page.
By their marriage, a man and woman bear witness to Christ’s spousal love for the Church. One of the Nuptial Blessings in the liturgical celebration of marriage refers to this in saying, “Father, you have made the union of man and wife so holy a mystery that it symbolizes the marriage of Christ and his Church.”
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.
Arrangements need to be made with the pastor at least six months in advance. Do not wait to call your parish office to schedule an appointment with the pastor.