About This Sacrament

“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)

Preparation for this Sacrament: Older Children, Teens, and Adults

Preparation For THis Sacrament: Infants and Younger Children

• One or both parents should be registered parishioners of St. Mark for at least six months prior to having a child baptized.  That is, one or both parents should be firmly grounded and practicing their own faith in the local Catholic community!

• Parents will choose godparents for their childand will will also provide some further information about themselves and about their child, including a birth certificate for their child.

• In order to ensure that parents fully understand the important elements, the joyful nature, and the responsibility that accompanies this sacrament, parnets attend a baptismal preparation session in the calendar month prior to the baptism (or before if they so wish and time allows).  The session may be scheduled on the second Sunday or the second Monday of the month, depending on which works best for the parents.  **Parents who have one or more additional children baptized within a 3-year period do not need to attend the class again. 

• At a parish Sunday Mass in the main church on the first Sunday of each month.  We rotate between the 9:00 a.m. Mass and the 11:00 a.m. Mass depending upon the month.

• At our group celebration of the sacrament in St. Mark Chapel at 12:30 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month.

About This Sacrament

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (the Sacrament of Penance or Confession) is an invitation for Catholics to experience the love and mercy of God the Father through the ministry of priests. Catholics can experience healing through forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God and His Church. 

Catholics are always welcomed back to receive this sacrament - whether it has been two weeks or two decades since the last Confession. Often those who have gone to Confession relay experiencing peace and joy and feeling the weight come off their shoulders as they receive forgiveness for their sins. If you have not been to confession for a while, we want to welcome you back and take part in this beautiful sacrament of healing. 

*Those seeking confession are encouraged to arrive at the beginning of the confession time frame to ensure.
**Confessions will end at 3:45 p.m. to allow the priest to prepare for the celebration of the Eucharist.

Extended times for the sacrament are provided during the seasons of Advent and Lent and in association with special liturgies. Please consult the church bulletin or contact the Parish Office for dates and times.

Preparation to receive this Sacrament

Prayerful preparation is probably the most important element for a fruitful experience of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  For those who have been away from the Sacrament of Reconciliation for some time. the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops provides some excellent resources for Rediscovering the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Because the Church says that everyone who approaches the Sacrament of Holy Communion for the first time must make a sacramental confession, children are prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time preceding their preparation for First Communion.  Older children and teens who are preparing for First Communion through one of our other programs (e.g., the Christian Initiation of Children or the Christian Initiation of Teens) will be prepared for Reconciliation in the context of their preparation.  As with the process pf preparing for First Communion, preparation for First Reconciliation involves foundational teaching in the Catholic faith through classes in our Catholic school or through our religious education program in addition to engaging in a specific preparation process for this particular sacrament.

Adults who wish to prepare to receive this sacrament for the first time ~ whether they are baptized Catholics, baptized in another Christian denomination, or unbaptized ~ do so through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults adapted generally to the person's specific circumstances.

If you seek the Lord's forgiveness in the sacrament of Reconciliation for yourself or for your child, please contact Jennifer Juzwiak, Director of Faith Formation on 410-744-6560 x. 234 or by emailing. 

About This Sacrament

The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion) is “the source and summit of the Christian life.”  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324). During the Mass, we gather around the Lord’s table and remember Christ’s Passion, sacrifice on the cross,  His Resurrection, and His Ascension as Jesus instructed us during the Last Supper. 

As Catholics, we believe in transubstantiation - the transformation of bread and wine into the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. We ask that only “properly disposed” Catholics receive Holy Communion. This means that the receiving of Jesus’ Body and Blood is set aside for Catholics who are in right relationship with God and with one another. The intention here is not to dissuade anyone from receiving Communion; rather, it is an invitation to heal what is broken, creating a suitable environment for Jesus. The Church recommends going to Confession regularly prior to receiving Communion during Mass.

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Preparation to receive this Sacrament

Children are generally prepared to receive Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time at or about the age of reason or, in practical terms, in the second grade.  It is in this year that we teach directly about these two sacraments during the normal course of faith formation.  However, older children and teens who have been baptized in the Catholic faith may also be prepared to receive Holy Communion at any time.  The process for unbaptized and non-Catholic children and teens is a bit different from that for baptized Catholics and always involves an embrace of the entirety ofthe Catholic faith ~ as one does when he or she is baptized in the Catholic faith.  We do provide a preparation process for these children and teens and more information can be found on our Christian Initiation of Teens and Children page.  Whichever situation fits your child, preparation involves foundational teaching in the Catholic faith through classes in our Catholic school or through our religious education program in addition to engaging in a specific preparation process for both Receonciliation and Holy Communion.

Adults who wish to be initiated into the Sacrament of Holy Communion ~ whether they are baptized Catholics, baptized in another Christian denomination, or unbaptized ~ do so through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults adapted generally to the person's specific circumstances.

If you seek the Lord Jesus in Holy Communion for yourself or for your child, please contact Jennifer Juzwiak, Director of Faith Formation on 410-744-6560 x. 234 or by emailing. 

ABOUT THIS SACRAMENT

Confirmation is one of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation of the Catholic Church, along with Baptism and the Eucharist. It bestows the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which strengthens the faithful to be a powerful witness to God’s love and might in word and deed.  

“Like Baptism which it completes, Confirmation is given only once, for it too imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark, the ‘character,’ which is the sign that Jesus Christ has marked a Christian with the seal of his Spirit by clothing him with power from on high so that he may be his witness.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1304)

During confirmation, a priest or a bishop lays his hands on the candidate and anoints them with Chrism, a holy oil meant to symbolize the spreading
of “the aroma of Christ” (2 Cor 2:15).
 

Preparation to receive this Sacrament

The Sacrament of Matrimony, or marriage, is a unique sacrament because it is the man and the woman that mutually administers the sacrament upon each other in the presence of a priest or deacon and other witnesses. 

It is a sacred covenant, a public promise made by the husband and the wife to be true to each other until death parts them. In order for a marriage to be valid, the couple must be entering into the covenant out of their own free will, without fear or coercion. They are also asked to honor and be true to each other for the rest of their lives, as well as to accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and His Church. 

To celebrate the Sacrament of Matrimony in St. Mark Parish, one of the partners must be a registered member for at least one year and the couple must contact one of the priests or deacons at least six months prior to the wedding date for proper assistance. Participation in an Archdiocesan approved marriage preparation program is required.,

Please consult our Guidelines for Weddings brochure or visit the Marriage Preparation section on the Archdiocese of Baltimore web-site for additional information.

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“Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate (bishop), presbyterate (priest), and diaconate (deacon).” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1536).

Only baptized, Catholic men are called by the Church to become ordained and receive this sacrament. The man who is ordained a bishop or a priest receives a special grace to act “in persona Christi”, not based on his own power or merit, but in the person of Jesus Christ. Deacons “share in Christ’s mission and grace in a special way” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1570) to serve as Christ served.

Through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time. The Sacrament’s three degrees are conferred as follows:

• Bishops (Episcopate) receive the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which integrates them into the Episcopal college and makes them visible heads of the particular Church entrusted to them. As successors of the apostles and members of the college, the bishops share in the apostolic responsibility and mission of the whole Church under the authority of the Pope.
• Priests (Presbyterate) are united with the bishop in sacerdotal dignity and called to be the bishop’s prudent co-workers in the exercise of their pastoral functions. They gather around their bishop who bears responsibility with them for a particular church. They receive from the bishop the charge of a parish community or determinate ecclesial office.
• Deacons (Diaconate) are ordained into the ministry of service to the Church. Deacons do not receive the ministerial priesthood, but ordination confers on them the functions of the Ministry of the Word, Divine Worship, and Service of Charity under the pastoral authority of their bishop. [Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1536,1595,1596]

For additional information on vocations, please contact one of the parish priests or deacons at (410) 744-6560, or call the Vocation Office of the Archdiocese of Baltimore at (410) 547-5431.

The Sacraments of Penance and the Anointing of the Sick are the two Sacraments of Healing that were instituted by Christ to strengthen us in our physical and spiritual weakness. Any Catholic whose health is in critical state can receive this sacrament more than once, on such occasions such as grave illnesses or serious operations. 

In a unique way, this sacrament unites those who are suffering with the sufferings of Jesus, who also experienced fear and pain during His time on earth. This profound experience sometimes brings physical healing to those who are gravely ill. Moreover, celebrating this sacrament unifies the communion of the saints in interceding for the sick person, “contribut(ing) to the sanctification of the Church and to the good of all men for whom the Church suffers and offers herself through Christ to God the Father.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1522)

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