SACRAMENTS

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”   Galatians 3:28

In Christian tradition, liturgy is understood as the participation of the people of God in “the work of God.” Through the liturgy, Christ continues the work of our redemption in, with, and through his Church. At its best, liturgy engages the faithful in the life of the community and involves the “conscious, active, and fruitful participation” of everyone. We are committed to creating an environment in which liturgy draws together a diverse community of the faithful. Nourished by Word and Sacrament, we are empowered to live the Eucharist in the world through our interactions with others and through our work for justice.

The word Sacrament means sign. "Outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace” – celebrated at particular times in our lives. Sacramental grace supports us in responding to Christ’s invitation to follow him as disciples. The sacraments can be grouped together under various headings to show the connections between them. The sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are called Sacraments of Initiation, as receiving them “initiates” one into the life of the Church.

The Sacrament of Baptism is often called “The door of the church,” because it is the first of the seven sacraments not only in time (since most Catholics receive it as infants) but in priority since the reception of the other sacraments depends on it. It is the first of the three Sacraments of Initiation, the other two being the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Sacrament of Holy Communion. 

Traditionally, the rite (or ceremony) of baptism was held outside the doors of the main part of the church, to signify this fact, Christ Himself ordered His disciples to preach the Gospel to all nations and to baptize those who accept the message of the Gospel. In His encounter with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21), Christ made it clear that baptism was necessary for salvation: “Amen, amen I say to you unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” 

For Catholics, the sacrament is not a mere formality; it is the very mark of a Christian because it brings us into a new life in Christ. For more information on Baptism of Desire, The Form of the Sacrament of Baptism, The Minister of the Sacrament of Baptism, Infant Baptism, Adult Baptism, and The Effects of the Sacrament of Baptism please contact the church office for more information.

BAPTISMS Are celebrated on the 2nd and 4th weekend of the month. 

Please contact the Parish Office

The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord's own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist. Many words describe such a great mystery: Breaking of the Bread, the Lord’s Supper, Sacrifice, Holy Meal, Memorial and Real Presence of Christ. At heart, Eucharist is a pledge of Jesus’ love, where those who are initiated into his Body and Blood become transformed into witnesses, disciples giving their lives in faith-filled service.

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. . . . Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. (Jn 6:53-57)

FIRST COMMUNION: Please contact the Catechesis Coordinator

Trish Griswold

Christ “loved the Church and gave himself up for her to make her holy” (Ephesians 5:25-26), and he united the Church to himself as his bride. He filled her with his divine gifts, because she is his body and fullness, and through her he spreads truth and grace to all.

The members of the Church, however, are exposed to temptation and unfortunately often fall into sin. As a result, “while Christ, ‘holy, innocent, and unstained’ (Hebrews 7:26), did not know sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) but came only to atone for the sins of the people (see Hebrews 2:17), the Church, which includes within itself sinners and is at the same time holy and always in need of purification, constantly pursues repentance and renewal.

In this sacrament the faithful “obtain from the mercy of God pardon for their sins against him; at the same time they are reconciled with the Church which they wounded by their sins and which works for their conversion by charity, example, and prayer.”[2] Not only does it 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. 

• If you would like to view a Guide to Reconciliation.

RECONCILIATION SCHEDULE: 

Saturdays 3:30pm to 4:30pm @ St. John the Baptist or by appointment contacting                     Fr. Higuera at the Parish Office

Like Baptism which it completes, Confirmation is given only once, for it too imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark, the "character," which is the sign that Jesus Christ has marked a Christian with the seal of his Spirit by clothing him with power from on high so that he may be his witness. The effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

CONFIRMATION: Please contact the  Catechesis Coordinator 

Trish Griswold

So important is marriage in Christian life that it has been instituted by Christ as a sacrament: Christian marriage makes Christ, in his love, sacramentally present. Choosing to have your wedding within the liturgy of the Church indicates that you look upon your wedding as a religious event and understand the faith that is necessary to celebrate this sacrament. 

Romans 12:10 : “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

If you are considering being married in either St. John the Baptist or Immaculate Conception Catholic Churches here in Upper Kittitas County, please contact Fr. Higuera at least six months in advance at the parish office, 509-674-2531 Ext 5 or please email parish@ukccatholic.org for more information. 

After Jesus had gathered his disciples, he sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God (Mark 6: 1–13). He instructed them to travel light, to trust in God to provide for them, and to preach repentance to the people. In Jesus’ name the disciples  “ … drove out many demons. They anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them” (Mark 6:13). The disciples were Jesus’ ambassadors with a mission to tell people that they were not alone, that the healing touch of God was in their midst.

Anointing of the Sick allows for the community to come together and pray especially for its members in need of healing. It is a spiritual ​opportunity to show support for the sick, and for individual members to seek healing and grace through the sacrament. ​

For those of grave illness or old age and especially the home-bound and the hospitalized... 

Please contact the Parish Office

A vocation is a response to a specific call that Jesus Christ places on our hearts. It is our individual way of living discipleship in the Church. Our primary call, through the Sacrament of Baptism, is to be a follower (disciple) of Jesus Christ. It is to be a holy person. Within that first call to follow Christ, God calls us in specific ways to live a vocation to the married life, the single life, the consecrated religious life, or the ordained life.

If you believe you are called to a life of serving God’s people within the parishes and diocese by being a visible sign of the presence of Christ or if you believe that your gift is following Christ’s call to serve the Church as a Deacon through service of the word, service of the liturgy, and service of charity, justice, and pastoral outreach, please speak with our pastor for direction.

Please contact Fr. Higuera at the Parish Office

Please review the Diocese of Yakima Information on Holy Orders

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) - Holy Orders