Signs of God's Love

Becoming a member of the Body of Christ - the Church 

Baptism is the first of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, and it marks the beginning of a person’s journey in to faith with God. It is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation.  In some denominations this Sacrament is referred to as Christening.  Literally making Christ-like. 

Through Baptism we become members of Christ, and we are welcomed into the Church. 

They now share in the rights and responsibilities of the Church. 

It is traditional in the Roman Catholic Church that parents bring their children to Baptism. The parents participate in a formation programme so that they understand their role as the 'first educators of faith'.

Adults interested in Baptism are walked with through the process of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, often referred to as RCIA. 

Find out more about why Catholics baptise infants.

Bringing a child forward for baptism is a wonderful gift a family bestows on a child.  It also brings responsibility for supporting the child in their journey of faith and explained in this Information for families bringing infants forward for baptism.

Families are helped in this responsibility by the child's godparent/s.  Only one is required and they have to meet certain requirements in order to ensure they can carry out their responsibilities.  They have a particular role as Godparent.

This Frequently Asked Questions About Baptism sheet provides answers to questions families may have concerning baptism. It provides some indicative answers. To have questions fully answered according to your particular situation please contact your local parish priest or pastoral worker, or talk to a priest you know. 

Receive the Holy Spirit

Confirmation is the second Sacrament of Initiation. At Confirmation we receive the Holy Spirit, who helps us to become good Christians. It helps us to be brave and tell people by our words and actions that we believe in Jesus. 

The Holy Spirit helps us in many ways. It comforts, teaches, helps us grow in our relationship with God and gives us strength to get rid of the bad habits in our lives. The Holy Spirit also gives us power and helps us know when we've done something wrong. We need to want to grow, learn and change to be more like God for the Holy Spirit to really work with us. 

Fruits of the Spirit 

The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.   Galatians 5:22-23 

The Holy Spirit makes a home in people’s hearts. We see the fruits of the Spirit in how lives are lived and how people are treated by each other. 

Be who you were created to be, and you will set the world on fire.
                                                                     St. Catherine of Siena 

A hero, A Guide - Perhaps a new name? 

In the early Church as people became Christian they changed their name, This was to indicate that they had converted to Christ and would from then on live the Christian life.  Being given a name that reminds us of a holy person who demonstrates by their ordinary life how to life the Christian life.   Saints are our heroes in faith. 

Confirmation time is a great opportunity to look carefully at the lives of the Saints in our name.  Although the practice in recent years is that a new saint's name is chosen at Confirmation that is not required.  A candidate can be confirmed with one of their given names. 

Choosing a Confirmation Name 

• What names were you baptised with?   Consider both your first and middle names.
• What Saints are present in your names?
• Does this Saint inspire you to be holy, to live the Christian life?
• Would this name make a good Confirmation name? 
• Is there a Saint whose story inspires you to live your life in the Christian manner

Learning from heroes 

Confirmation is an opportunity to pause and consider the great richness of the Church's Community of Saints.   Each of them demonstrates an heroic virtue, something we can inspire to practice in our own lives. 

Restored Order

In the diocese of Auckland the policy is that Confirmation be conferred at the age of discretion (about 8 years of age).  This is different from the practice experienced in some other countries leading to question Why confirm before first Holy Communion? 

Food for the Journey

Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian life. A great gift and food for the journey.  It is important to understand just what Catholics believe about Eucharist. This video is a great introduction. 

The word Eucharist comes from the Greek word eucharistein, meaning “thanksgiving.” It is the memorial sacrifice by which bread and wine is changed into the body and blood of Christ.  The eucharistic host still looks and tastes like bread and the precious blood still looks and tastes like wine.  Catholics believe that the bread and wine have not transformed, because the form or appearance of the bread and wine has not changed. Instead, it is the substance of the bread and wine that has changed, and so Catholics teach that during consecration the bread and wine have been transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ.

Mass across the world

No matter where or when you go to Mass, you will always know what you’re going to get!  The language may be different, the songs unfamiliar but the form, function and prayers of the Mass will be the same.

Jesus Christ celebrated the Last Supper with his followers, the night before he died. During the supper he commanded the disciples, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). The celebration of the Mass then became the main form of worship in the early Church, as a reenactment of the Last Supper, as Christ had commanded.

Each and every Mass since commemorates Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross through the  Eucharist. The Mass “re-presents” (makes present) the sacrifice of Christ when he died on the cross.  There is something fascinating about continuing to celebrate the same Mass—instituted by Christ and practiced by the early Church—with the whole community of Catholics around the world…and in heaven.

First Communion

Often people will talk about receiving the Eucharist as 'going to Communion'.  And it is when Catholics process up to receive the Body and Blood of Christ it is a sign of our unity, with each other and Christ.

The day of someone's first communion is big for Catholics and is often accompanied by great celebrations.   Traditional Catholic children are prepared for First Communion at the age of discretion around seven or eight years.

Parents and the parish community prepare the child together recognising that parents are the first educators of faith.  For some parents this can seem quite daunting so the diocese has prepared some information for parents preparing children for first Communion.

An experience of God's bountiful mercy.

Reconciliation, Confession, Penance

What's in a name?  This sacrament is often referred to as Confession and is officially called Penance.  However today it is generally referred to as Reconciliation. These names refer to particular parts of the Sacrament. First, we feel sorrowful in our hearts, and have a determination not to sin again. We then confess our sins to a priest. After our confession and an Act of Contrition, we receive absolution of our sins and a penance to strengthen us to live fully and in love.  By receiving the sacrament we are reconciled.

Not only does the sacrament 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.   We obtain new insight into the words of the Prayer of St. Francis: "It is in pardoning that we are pardoned."

Many people ask why Catholics confess their sins (at least the serious ones) to a priest rather than directly to God.   Catholics do not tell their sins to a priest "instead of to God," but to God through a priest.  There are three key reasons:

1. A Personal Encounter with Christ. The priest is not just “another human being,” but one who acts in persona Christi, in the person of Christ. With faith we believe that when we  speak to the priest during reconciliation, we are speaking to Christ. When the priest says, “I absolve you,” it is Christ who absolves (Mk 2:10).
2. It is about Community. All sacraments are community affairs. Our sins offend not only God, but the community as well. When we admit our sins to a priest, the priest also serves in persona ecclesia, “in the person of the Church” or “in the person of the community, the Body of Christ.”
3. The Personal Touch. We are all individuals. When we go to reconciliation the priest is able to hear and respond to our circumstances and we can be given a penance that is specifically tailored to help us.

Sometimes people get our of the habit of going to Reconciliation.  "Do not fear" (Is 41:10), the priest is present to help guide you through the process.  You can't get it wrong.  The very act of going is a huge step and a great beginning.  One of the preparation steps is to spend time reflecting on life since our last reconciliation.  This is referred to as an examination of conscious.  This in itself can be daunting.  It may help to consider our lives in light of the 10 commandments which this handout from the United States Catholic Bishops can lead you through.  Others might like to use this guide based on the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

This short video gives further background to this wonderful Sacrament.