Sacraments
Baptism
St. Joseph Parish is a faith-filled community sharing in the mission of the Church to evangelize the nations. At the heart of evangelization is the essential sacrament of baptism. By baptism we are no longer a child of this world but a child of God. The life of grace and Spirit is received through the sacrament of baptism. In this first of the sacraments of initiation, the priest or deacon presider, consecrates the newborn child before all the heavenly hosts to the divine life of God. Pope Francis calls for all children to be baptized. Here at St. Joseph's Church we are ready to work with you for the baptism of your child.
Eucharist
The Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. In the celebration of the Eucharist, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit and the instrumentality of the priest. The whole Christ is truly present -- body, blood, soul, and divinity -- under the appearances of bread and wine, the glorified Christ who rose from the dead. This is what the Church means when she speaks of the "Real Presence" of Christ in the Eucharist.
Second graders in our Parish School of Religion program prepare to receive First Communion in the Spring.
If you are homebound and would like to receive the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist, please contact the church office at 985-594-5859.
Confirmation
The Sacrament Itself
Confirmation deepens our baptismal life that calls us to be missionary witnesses of Jesus Christ in our families, neighborhoods, society, and the world. We receive the message of faith in a deeper and more intensive manner with great emphasis given to the person of Jesus Christ, who asked the Father to give the Holy Spirit to the Church for building up the community in loving service.
In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit" and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ.
Registration for the Sacrament
St. Joseph requires registration every spring for all Faith Formation classes including all sacraments. If you have questions, please call our Faith Formation Coordinator,
Sharon Picou at (985) 790-2121 or email at spicou@htdiocese.org.
Were you baptized Catholic as a child, but have not celebrated the Sacraments of Confirmation? OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) is a program designed for people just like you. If you are interested or have questions, please call the parish office at (985) 594-5859.
Reconciliation
One of the two Sacraments of Healing, the Sacrament of Reconciliation (or Penance) is an experience of the gift of God's boundless mercy. Jesus entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church. The Sacrament of Penance is God's gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven. In confession we have the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. With absolution, we are reconciled to God and the Church. The Sacrament helps us stay close to the truth that we cannot live without God. "In him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).
Our regular Confession times are:
Saturdays 3:15 - 3:45 PM
Confessions may also be scheduled by appointment.
Anointing of the Sick
In the Church's Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, through the ministry of the priest, it is Jesus who touches the sick to heal them from sin – and sometimes even from physical ailment. The Rite of Anointing tells us there is no need to wait until a person is at the point of death to receive the Sacrament. A careful judgment about the serious nature of the illness is sufficient.
If you or someone you love requires anointing of the sick, either before surgery or in grave circumstances, please contact the church office at 985-594-5859.
Marriage
The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. Covenant always expresses a relationship between persons. The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God. The celebration of marriage is also a liturgical act, appropriately held in a public liturgy at church. Catholics are urged to celebrate their marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy.
Marriage preparation should begin 6 months in advance of your planned wedding date. Please call the church office at 985-594-5859 to schedule an appointment.
