SACRAMENTS
PASTORAL CARE
If you or a family member is sick at home or in hospital, our Pastoral Care Team will have someone visit you and bring Communion. Please contact the Parish Office
(613) 829-1760 to make arrangements.
SACRAMENT OF THE SICK
To make arrangements for the Sacrament of the Sick, please contact the Parish Office (613) 829-1760
FUNERAL
To make funeral arrangements, please contact the Parish Office (613) 829-1760
BAPTISM
If you are a Catholic parent and wish to have a child who is under 7 years of age baptized, the process is relatively straightforward, If you are first time parents, this time is particularly exciting and you may have many questions regarding the baptism of your child. The following information will strive to answer some of your questions if you wish to have your child baptized at St. John the Apostle Parish.
When are Baptisms offerred?
Baptisms at St. John the Apostle are scheduled once a month, usually on the third Sunday of the month.
Baptism Preparation
If this is your first child, you will be required to attend a Baptism preparation session. A Baptism date cannot be booked until the Baptism preparation has been completed.
Do I need to be a parishioner to have my child baptized at St. John the Apostle?
If you are not a parishioner and do not live in the parish boundaries, it will be necessary to obtain a letter of permission from your home parish to have your child baptized at St. John the Apostle. Please contact the Parish Office (613-829-1760) for more information.
Requirements for Godparents(Sponsors)
Godparents must be Christian and at least one must be a confirmed Catholic, that is at least 16 years of age. A baptized person from another Christian denomination may be admitted as a Christian witness. Only one sponsor is required, but if two are chosen, they must be one male and one female.
How do we register for the Baptism of our child?
To start the process for Baptism, please contact the Parish Office (613-829-1760) and complete and return the Baptism Registration Form.
If you are an adult seeking Baptism, you must participate in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Please call the Parish Office (613 829-1760) for information on this process.
FIRST COMMUNION
Generally children are ready to celebrate First Holy Communion around the age of seven or Grade 2. Parents determine readiness of First Holy Communion as the first and primary teachers of the faith to their children. Parents will recognize their child's desire to share the bread and wine of the Eucharistic meal. They will notice that their son or daughter will have an understanding that the Eucharist is a special meal in which they share in the body and blood of Christ.
Our Catholic schools provide a program that assists in preparing children to celebrate First Communion in the second grade. If your child is not in a Catholic school, instruction is offered by
St. John the Apostle Parish.
Once I have decided that my child is ready, what do I do?
1. Complete a registration form in the Fall.
2. You will be asked to attend an initial Parent Sacramental meeting. The initial parent meeting is held in the fall for families whose children will celebrate in the following Easter Season. The date of the initial parent meeting and registration form will be distributed to the Grade 2 children in our Catholic schools. If your child is in another grade; attends a public school, or is homeschooled, please call the Parish Office (613-829-1760).
What is the process for First Communion at St. John the Apostle Parish?
Preparation for First Reconciliation and a final practice session are required.
When is First Communion celebrated?
First Communion is celebrated during regular Sunday Masses during the Easter Season. A schedule of masses available for First Communion will be presented at the initial parent meeting in the Fall. You may choose a date for your child from those options.
CONFIRMATION
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "Baptism, the Eucharist, and the Sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the sacraments of Christian initiation" (CCC1285). The purpose of Confirmation is to complete a Christian's baptism by celebrating Christ's gift of the Holy Spirit to the new members of his mystical body - the Church. Ultimately, initiation into Christ's body is completed by the sacrament of the Eucharist, for by it we become one body, one spirit, in Christ.
At what age does one receive Confirmation?
In the Archdiocese of Ottawa, the current practice is for young Catholics to receive Confirmation in the sixth grade.
Who confirms?
In every sacrament, it is Christ who acts. Thus, it is Christ who confirms and gives the Holy Spirit to the one receiving the sacrament. However, Christ acts through various ministers, and in the case of Confirmation that minister is the Bishop. In some cases, the Bishop may mandate a priest to confirm.
Where does Confirmaton take place?
Confirmation takes place in the Church during the Easter Season.
Do I have to be a registered parishioner to be confirmed or to have my child confirmed?
Because it is the responsibility of each parish to prepare candidates for Confirmation and to register them with the Archdiocese, it is necessary for you to register for Confirmation with the parish in whose boundary you reside or with which you are registered. However, if you think that there is a sufficent reason for you to register with us and participate in our preparation process, we ask that you contact our Parish Office (613-829-1760).
How should a Confirmation sponsor be selected?
The requirements of a sponsor for Confirmation are the same as those for a Godparent; a fully initiated Catholic (baptized, confirmed and has received First Holy Communion), at least 16 years of age, living a life of faith, and neither the father nor mother of the one being confirmed.
MATRIMONY
The Roman Catholic Church takes the Sacrament of Marriage seriously. Proper preparation for this sacrament is essential for the sacrament to be a life-long committment. The process of preparation will be explained to you upon your initial interview with our Pastor. Sacraments and liturgies are founded on solid tradition and may not always confirm to secular tradition. Check with the Priest who will preside at your wedding before making plans for your wedding ceremony.
Only parishioners may be married at St. John the Apostle. There must be sufficient reason to be married here if you are not a parishioner and all preparation must be completed in your home parish. Do not set any dates until you are booked into our calendar and you have been to your initial interview to determine eligibility to marry in a Catholic Church. Bookings are not confirmed until all paperwork and preparation courses are complete. If you wish to be married at St. John the Apostle, please call the Parish Office (613-829-1760), at least one year before your planned date.
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (RCIA)
Being a Christian is not like being part of any club, organization, institution, or even nation. It is a life, indeed it is life in its truest sense for it is partaking of the Divine nature (2Pet. 1:3-4). According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "the sacraments of Christian initiation - Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist - lay the foundations of every Christian life" (CCC1212). The Christian life is something into which we are born (Baptism), within which we are strengthened (Confirmation) and given the food of eternal life (Eucharist).
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process in which adults come to celebrate any of the Sacraments of Initiation. Since many variations occur in adults, each person's situation is evaluated individually. Please call or email the Parish Office (613-829-1760) if you are over the age of 18 and wish to prepare to celebrate any of the Sacraments of Initiation.