Baptism celebrates a family's and the faithful community's experience of that love in the baptized child.  Baptism happens not only to the child, but also to Christ's body, the Church. That is why we encourage this to be celebrated in the Christian assembly (most often during the liturgy of the mass), with our community members present and actively participating as they are the ones welcoming the new member, journeying with them, providing models for them, supporting and nourishing them. 

If you are interested in having your child baptized at St. Teresa's, please contact the office to set up an appointment with Father Kevin. 

First Communion, "Eucharist", is a momentous move in a person's life.  For a child, baptized as an infant into a family of God we call Church, will now take a place at the Lord's Table with the grownups. On this special day, family and community members join in that moment the child welcomes Jesus into their very being. The child, along with us, will now worship each week to celebrate all the grace-filled moments of our lives which are so easily overlooked.   Most profoundly we gather at Eucharist, our family meal, to be challenged to deeper awareness of what God is doing in our lives, in our fellow community members and in this world.

Children and parents of children wishing to receive First Eucharist are required to attend First Eucharist classes. 

At Confirmation, we learn what this new life in the Spirit implies: All-powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit you freed your sons and daughters from sin and gave them new life. Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their helper and guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence. Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence" (Rite of Confirmation & Christian Initiation of Adults, #234). The prophet Isaiah taught that these seven gifts would be the sign of the Messiah, the one anointed by the Holy Spirit. The word Messiah (Christos in Greek) means "anointed." Jesus is the Christ, the anointed one, the one filled with the Holy Spirit; at Confirmation we are anointed with that same Holy Spirit.  With Baptism and Eucharist, Confirmation shapes us as Catholic Christians; each of these three sacraments focuses on a different aspect of our life as believers; birth, breath, and nourishment.

In the sacred Scriptures the relationship between God and God's people is often described in terms of a marriage.  This joining and sacramental sign, which the husband and wife give to each other, they also give to the entire faithful community of witnesses.  The fidelity of Catholic husbands and wives are a reflection of a commitment to God and to each other; our human lives are interconnected, like a fabric, woven together by many commitments: their commitments strengthens our own commitments.

Arrangements for Parishioners planning to be married must be make at least six months in advance. 

Call the office to set up an appointment with Fr. Kevin.

Reconciliation is so critical in our lives; reconciliation with significant people, with ourselves and with our God.  Ones sinfulness is not always the same as one's sins.  As a sacrament of healing, it addresses our sinfulness rather than the sins and challenges us to search deep into our heart to discover the struggles, value conflicts which causes the sinful act to appear and thus allowing us to regain that full relationship with our God.  Sin against God equally damages that communion with the Church and thus during Lent and Advent we have an opportunity to celebrate in a communal reconciliation service; we encourage all to celebrate and frequent this sacrament. 

Children wishing to receive this Sacrament for the first time are required, along with their parents, to attend Reconciliation Formation classes. 

Individuals wanting to celebrate this Sacrament can call and make an appointment with Father Kevin.

The image of this wonderful sacrament is not only one of a priest at a hospital! At St. Teresa it is a picture of the faith community gathered for Sunday Eucharist, with one or more individuals visibly ill, some apparently perfectly healthy, coming up the aisle to be anointed around the altar, some with their spouses or caregivers and joined with members of the faith community as Father Kevin anoints them and we all pray over them. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger from sickness or old age, the fitting time for them to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived. 

Anyone wishing to receive this sacrament should contact the office.