ANOINTING OF THE SICK
Anointing of the Sick
Any baptized Catholic can receive the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick for reasons of serious illness. Examples of appropriate times to receive Anointing of the Sick: a new diagnosis of a serious illness, a relapse in a serious illness, an elderly person whose frailty becomes more pronounced, before a serious operation, etc.
The Sacrament of the Sick is not only for those who are at the point of death.
What are Last Rites?
Last Rites is the term for the combination of three sacraments given to those who are dying: Anointing of the Sick, Confession (where possible), and Communion (Viaticum). Viaticum means literally, 'food for the journey,' and is the term for Communion given to the dying.
Request Anointing
If you or a loved one would like to receive Anointing of the Sick or Last Rites, please call the Parish Office 610-326-5877.
BAPTISM
In Scripture, we learn that God calls us each by name. Therefore, we are baptized by our own name, in the Name of Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
This divine adoption is the first Sacrament: it cleanses us from Original Sin, brings us from spiritual death to new life, marks us as a child of God, and initiates us as a member of the Christian community. This is the true identity you were created for, we are excited to welcome new members into our parish family!
Infant Baptism: We invite all expectant and new parents to call the parish office 610-326-5877 to obtain the proper paperwork and to schedule your child's baptism! Parents must attend one of the Masses on the date of their child's scheduled Baptism.
Parents must be registered members of Saint Aloysius Parish in order to have their child baptized here. God-parents need to obtain a letter of eligibility from the Parish in which they are registered. God-parents are to be in good standing in the eyes of the church.
RECONCILIATION
Jesus sacrificed Himself on the Cross to free you personally from your sins! Through Him, you always have the opportunity to restore your relationship with God, which takes place through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Father Maloney and Father Francesco are available to hear confessions on Saturdays from 8:30-9:00am and 3:30-4:30pm, or by making an appointment.
Remember, to worthily receive Christ in the Holy Eucharist, one must be a baptized Catholic who is following the teachings of the Church and living in a state of grace!
In preparation for Confession, first, click here: examine your conscience:
As you go into confession, make sure that you are truly sorry for all your sins and have the firm purpose to avoid these and all sins in the future, as well as the near occasions of sin. Without this, the priest cannot take any of your sins away.
REMEMBER: Thinking that you may fall again in the future does not negate your good intention here and now – the intention here and now to be done with the sin is sufficient for absolution.
When in the Confessional:
Begin with “Bless me Father for I have sinned, it has been [however long of a time] since my last confession. Adults can indicate your status: "I am married/single/widowed/have children, and these are my sins...”
Confess your sins to the priest according to their number and kind, beginning with mortal sins.
End your confession with “for these and all my sins I am truly sorry,” or words to that effect.
The priest will then give you spiritual counsel and penance. If you have any questions or uncertainties regarding the confession, you can ask Father about this now.
Say an Act of Contrition when the priest asks you to recite it, thinking about the words you are saying (there will be a copy of this prayer in the confessional too, but it is helpful to know it by heart):
"O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins because of Your just punishments, but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Your grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen."
The priest will then give you absolution, cleansing you from all your sins, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
You make the Sign of the Cross and say "Amen."
To conclude, the priest may say "Your sins have been forgiven, go in peace." You can respond, "thanks be to God" or simply "thank you.
Live joyfully! You have been given new life in Christ! Praise God!
What an amazingly beautiful gift & essential aid for your spiritual life!
HOLY EUCHARIST
The Mass is our central act of worship, in which the Eucharist is consecrated (changed into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus). Mass consists of two main parts: The Liturgy of the Word, in which the people hear the Scriptures read and then broken open in a short sermon, and The Liturgy of the Eucharist, in which we enter into the Paschal Mystery and the Last Supper of Jesus on the night before he died.
If you have been baptized but never received the Sacrament of First Communion or were not baptized in a Catholic Church, please contact the parish office 610-326-5877 to have a conversation about coming into full Communion with the Catholic Church!
Our parish and school children received the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist in 3rd Grade as a class.
CONFIRMATION
Baptism marked the start of your relationship with Christ when your soul changed permanently and you were filled with God's grace. Through Confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens these graces, gives you more of them, and seals them within you. This brings you closer to Christ and better prepares you to face the daily challenges of the Christian life.
When you receive the sacrament of Confirmation you accept a mission from God. After the Resurrection, Jesus tells His disciples to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends upon them and they receive the courage to take on this mission from Jesus. Confirmation is your own personal Pentecost. The Holy Spirit descends upon you and you accept the same challenge given by Jesus to the disciples.
To be Confirmed, you must select a sponsor to help guide you through the process. This person should be a good example of what it means to be a Catholic, someone who will commit to praying for you and providing a support system for your faith. You are not alone!
Also, at Confirmation, you will take the name of a particular Saint you have a devotion or attachment to. This saint will pray for you and help you on your mission of holiness, evangelization, and being a martyr (witness) for Jesus Christ!
Confirmation takes place in the 7th grade for Saint Aloysius Parish Prep and School students. Children who do not attend Saint Aloysius Parish School or PREP Classes and/or adults who have not received the Sacrament of Confirmation and would like to, please call the church office at 610-326-5877.
MARRIAGE
Preparation for the Vocation to Marriage and Family Life
We congratulate you on your engagement! The Church believes that your decision to marry is a response in faith in God's love for you. We believe that through the power of the Sacrament of Matrimony, God enables you to appreciate the sacredness of your own love (an image of Christ's love for his Bride, the Church) and to accept the responsibility to manifest God's love to each other and to the world every day of your lives.
Marriage Preparation in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is intended to assist you in developing a solid foundation for permanent, faithful, and life-giving love in marriage.
Since Catholics believe Christian marriage to be a very serious relationship, a decision to make this commitment requires sufficient reflection, discussion, and responsible preparation. This is why you are required to notify your parish of your intention to marry no less than six months before the date of the wedding.
These guidelines seek to assist you and all couples to develop a solid foundation for growth and faithfulness in your marriage and family life. They recognize two important facts:
that the Church has a responsibility to engaged couples to assist them in their preparation for the Sacrament of Matrimony;
that a "full and authentic" preparation will take time to accomplish.
The unique situation of each engaged couple is give personal attention at the parish through interviews with the parish priest. Between the initial interview and the wedding, a program of marriage and family life preparation is required.
Pre-Cana Information
For more information regarding the Marriage Preparation Program of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please check these links:
1) Information
2) Planning a Catholic Wedding
Completion of the Archdiocesan Pre-Cana program is required before the wedding. At the end of the program, a certificate will be given to the couple, which they should present to the presiding priest of their wedding.
To schedule your appointment with a priest please contact the Mrs. Cathy Remick in the Parish Office at 610-326-5877, ext. 427 at least six months prior to your desired wedding date. A $250.00 deposit is required to secure your requested date.
HOLY ORDERS
"The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus." -St. John Vianney
If you’ve ever thought about serving the Church as a priest, you are welcome to speak with Fr. Maloney, or Fr. Francesco. They will be happy to assist you in your discernment!
You’re also encouraged to visit the diocesan Vocations website HERE to learn more and sign up to receive information about discerning the Catholic priesthood.