Sacraments
Sacraments are at the very heart of our Catholic faith. There are seven sacraments initiated by Christ that touch all the stages and important moments of Christian life. The sacraments of Christian initiation- Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist- lay the foundations of every Christian life. During these beautiful encounters with God we are born anew, strengthened, and receive the food of eternal life.
Baptism
"Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit 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)
The Catholic church requires that at least one of the parents and one of the godparents be active, practicing Catholics.
For the grace of Baptism to unfold, the parents’ help is important. So too is the role of the godparent, who must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptized on the road of Christian life. CCC1255
The Church of the Divine Child celebrates Baptisms on Sundays after 12:30 PM Mass. Arrangements and approval must be made in advance. First time parents are required to attend a Baptism class.
To learn more, contact Jodi Ann Micallef, OCIA, Baptism & Worship Coordinator, at 313-277-3110 x 4222 or jamicallef@divinechild.org.
Reconciliation
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:19-23)
Opportunities for Confession: The sacrament is offered on Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m. and Saturdays from 2:30 - 4 p.m. and immediately after 4:30 p.m. Mass from 5:30 p.m. until all are heard.
Preparation for Children: Children who have reached the age of seven years old may prepare to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. Formation begins before the first reception of the Eucharist.
Act of Contrition: My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good,I have sinned against You whom I should love above all,I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us. In His name, my God, have mercy. Amen
Before celebrating the Sacrament of Confession, one should prepare themselves with an examination of conscience. An examination of conscience is a “prayerful self-reflection on our words and deeds in the light of the Gospel to determine how we may have sinned against God”
Glossary, The Catechism of the Catholic Church.
There are various types of examinations of conscience but regardless of which one you use to prepare yourself for the Sacrament it should be rooted in Scripture; particularly, the Ten Commandments and Beatitudes.
Eucharist
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
(MATTHEW 26:26-29)
The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life." "The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch."
(CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, 1324)
Children
Children who are over seven years old and have received the Sacrament of Reconciliation may prepare to celebrate the Sacrament of Eucharist for the first time.
For more information, please contact Dawn Dwyer, Director of Religious Education, at dwyerd@dces.info.
Teens & Adults
Teens (9th grade and older) and adults who wish to celebrate the Sacrament of Eucharist, contact Jodi Ann Micallef, OCIA, Baptism & Worship Coordinator, at 313-277-3110 x 4222 or jamicallef@divinechild.org.
Confirmation
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (ACT 8:14-17)
The effect of Confirmation is a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit like that of Pentecost. This outpouring impresses on the soul an indelible character and produces a growth in the grace of Baptism. It roots the recipient more deeply in divine sonship, binds him more firmly to Christ and to the Church and reinvigorates the gifts of the Holy Spirit in his soul. It gives a special strength to witness to the Christian faith. (COMPENDIUM OF THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, 268)
Formation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation is a two-year program that begins in the 7th grade. For more information, please contact Dawn Dwyer at dwyerd@dces.info
Children
Formation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation is a two-year program that begins in the 7th grade.
For more information, please contact Dawn Dwyer, Director of Religious Education, at dwyerd@dces.info.
Teens & Adults
Teens (9th grade and older) and adults who wish to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation, contact Jodi Ann Micallef, OCIA, Baptism & Worship Coordinator, at 313-277-3110 x 4222 or jamicallef@divinechild.org.
Marriage
He answered, “Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one’? So they are no longer two but one. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” (MATTHEW 19:4-6)
The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament. (CODE OF CANON LAW, 1055)
Couples wishing to be married at Church of the Divine Child are requested to call the Rectory Office and speak with the administrative assistant, Alicia Reyes at 313-277-3110 ex. 301. Weddings may be scheduled (pending approval) on Friday afternoon/evening or Saturday at 1:00 PM. Divine Child does not perform weddings on Sunday.
Arrangements for weddings at Church of the Divine Child must be made at least six months in advance. One person of the couple must be an active, registered parishioner of Divine Child for at least 6 months. (Exceptions are made for DC alumni.) Any potential wedding date discussed with Rectory personnel is not confirmed until the couple speaks/meets with a priest from Divine Child. The officiant at the ceremony will be a priest from Divine Child unless the couple has a relative who is a priest. Music for the liturgy must be coordinated with Divine Child’s Director of Music Ministry. For more information, contact Alicia Reyes at alicia@divinechild.org
Natural Family Planning
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a natural and open method of Fertility Awareness that allows husbands and wives to identify times of fertility and infertility in order to achieve or avoid pregnancy, while prayerfully discerning God’s will for their families. Couples can effectively achieve, postpone, or avoid pregnancy by learning to read different biological signs observed throughout a woman’s reproductive cycle.
Holy Orders
Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Take heed to yourself and to your teaching; hold to that, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 TIMOTHY 4:14-16)
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, presbyterate, and diaconate. (CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 1536)
"The priest continues the work of redemption on earth.... If we really understood the priest on earth, we would die not of fright but of love.... the Priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus." (ST. JOHN VIANNEY)
Be Not Afraid
Anointing of the Sick
Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (JAMES 5:13-15)
1514 The Anointing of the Sick "is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived."
Anointing of the Sick is celebrated after the 4:30 PM Mass the first Saturday of each month. Or, to request the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, please contact the Rectory Office at 313-277-3110. If a call is made after hours, you will be prompted to dial 1 and be connected to our emergency line for immediate assistance.