Sacraments
The Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated on the second and fourth Sundays of the month following the 9 o'clock Mass. Parents must be registered and attending members of the parish. Arrangements are to be made beforehand by calling the parish office.
Baptism Classes: Both parents are required to attend a Baptism Instruction Class prior to the birth of their child. These classes are held throughout the year.
Godparents: Together with the parents, godparents present the infant for Baptism. Godparents, one male and one female, are to help the baptized child lead a Catholic Christian life and to fulfill faithfully the obligations connected with it.
Qualifications for Godparents/Sponsor: To qualify to be a godparent/sponsor, a person MUST:
1. be at least 16 years of age and have received the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation
2. be a practicing Catholic (i.e. weekly attendance at Mass, valid marriage)
Godparents/Sponsor Certificate of Eligibility: Godparents sponsors not from this parish must get a letter from their parish attesting to the fact that they qualify to be a godparent/sponsor.
NOTE: One godparent in Baptism may be a non-Catholic, but this godparent must be a practicing member of a Christian Church. This person would be considered a Christian Witness.
First Penance & First Eucharist
Children preparing for the Sacraments of First Penance and First Eucharist are required to attend 1st and 2nd grade classes in either CCD or St. Joseph School. Attendance at religious instruction class is mandatory in these grades.
Meetings are scheduled for parents of sacramental students to fully explain the program and to give them help in preparing their children for the sacrament. At least one parent must attend these meetings.
First Penance is celebrated in January or February with individuals confessions within a communal service. Children receive their First Eucharist in April or May at a special parish Mass. Those students from our parish who attend St. Joseph School will receive these two sacraments with the parish community of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
Students preparing for Confirmation must attend 7th and 8th grade classes in either CCD or St. Joseph School. Attendance is required. In addition, parent meetings will be scheduled to assist parents in preparing their children for the reception of the sacrament as well as to explain the program. The presence of at least one parent at the meetings is mandatory.
Confirmation is conferred each spring. Students from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish who attend St. Joseph School will receive Confirmation with our parish community.
NOTE: See "Qualifications for Godparent/Sponsor" as listed under Sacrament of Baptism.
Confessions are heard every Saturday afternoon from 4 o'clock until 5 o'clock. In addition, a Parish Communal Penance Service is held during Advent and Lent. The dates and times of these Communal Penance Services are published in the church bulletin.
Weddings at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church are scheduled on Saturdays between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. In order to allow sufficient time to carry out the various steps of marriage preparation, couples preparing for marriage are required to call the parish office at least twelve months prior to the proposed wedding date. Couples will initially meet with the priest. They then enter our Mentoring Program or attend an Engaged Encounter.
Mentoring Program: Designed to help you learn more about yourself and your fiance(e) and to assist you in developing your communication skills with one another.
Engaged Encounter: A time for couples to share in the security of their own relationship without interference from others.
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is available for those parishioners who are seriously ill. Please call the parish office to make arrangements.
Holy Communion to the SickCommunion calls are made weekly to parishioners who are in nursing homes within the parish. The pastor brings Holy Communion to shut-ins and those who are ill on the First Friday of the month. If you would like Holy Communion each month because you are ill and shut in, please call the parish office to make arrangements.