Sacramental Preparation

Overview

Preparation for the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation,
Eucharist, Confirmation and Marriage

Involvement in the Sacramental Life of the Church is what makes us Catholic! These wonderful gifts help us grow closer to one another and to our God. We are blessed as Catholics to have them as part of our tradition.

At Sacred Heart, preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation involves a partnership among families, parishioners, catechists, and parish teams.  As primary teachers and models of the Christian faith, parents play the most critical role in the sacramental preparation of their children.  

The decision to receive a sacrament is an important one and should be made after careful thought. Diocesan guidelines recommend that readiness be the criteria for entering a sacramental preparation program. To help in the decision-making, readiness is one who:

  • Desires to receive the Sacrament
  • Worships with the parish community (weekly Mass). This is the starting point for being initiated into the Catholic faith.
  • Invests in the faith community by sharing their time, talent and treasure to enhance the life of the community.

The Sacramental Preparation programs at Sacred Heart are “immediate preparation”, meaning that they provide basic catechesis about the Sacrament to be received. Sacramental preparation programs are “free-standing”, meaning that they are separate programs from weekly faith formation. It is imperative that the candidate preparing for the Sacrament be engaged in life-long learning: both in the home, and in the parish by being fully immersed in the life of the faith community (parish).