SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

A preparation class is required for parents and sponsors. These classes are offered on the first Sunday of the month in the church at 12 noon. Please call the parish office to register for the class or to schedule the baptism.

A few points for consideration by parents planning an infant baptism:

• The request for baptism must come from the parent or legal guardian.
• That parent/guardian must be Catholic and intend to teach and sacramentalize the child in the Catholic Faith.
• Baptism is not a naming ceremony. It is the child's entrance into the Body of Christ.
• Only one Catholic godparent is required. There may be two godparents, but only one man and one woman.
• The godparents must be Confirmed, practicing Catholics, 16 years of age or older.
• If married, the godparent's marriage must be a valid Catholic marriage.
• Canon Law requires the parents and godparents to have pre-baptismal instruction.
• Children over age seven are no longer considered infants because they have reached the age of reason and therefore require preparation for all three Sacraments of Initiation . . . Baptism, Confirmation and First Eucharist. That preparation will usually begin in September and culminate during the Easter liturgical season.
• The category of Christian Witness allows baptized, practicing, non-Catholic Christians to take part in the Catholic baptismal ceremony. This is to allow both sides of the family in a mixed-religion marriage to be part of the ceremony.
• Catholics are not eligible to be Christian Witnesses.
• Baptisms are regularly held each Sunday, following the 11:00am Mass and Saturday evenings following the 5:15pm Mass.
• Baptismal preparation classes are held on the first Sunday of each month, following the 11:00am Mass.

FIRST RECONCILIATION/ FIRST EUCHARIST

In the fall of the year parents of the children who will receive First Reconciliation will attend a meeting. Then parent meetings are held in the spring of the year with Eucharist being received by the children the first Sunday in May, or individually at a pre-scheduled time. Parents assist in the preparation of the children, and sacramental preparation usually begins in the 2nd Grade. The parent, as primary faith-sharer, determines the time for celebrating the sacraments. The guidelines of the Church require that the child celebrate Reconciliation before First Eucharist. The Archdiocesan guidelines state that the children are to have a year of formal religious education before a sacramental year of celebration. Please contact Teri Lauwers in the Office of Catechetics at (303)279-4797 for further information.

SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

Confessions are heard in the church every Saturday from 4:30 - 5:00pm. Communal Penance Services, with an opportunity for individual confession and absolution, are held twice a year during the seasons of Advent and Lent.

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

Confirmation is available to all teens of the parish who have attained 10th grade or older and have already received the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, and Eucharist. Two years of formal religious education must be completed, and home study does not apply in this sacramental preparation. Classes begin in the fall and the Sacrament of Confirmation is usually received in the spring. The Archdiocesan guidelines state that the youth are to complete a year of formal religious education before a preparation year for sacramental celebration.

SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS

For those who are interested in entering the Priesthood, Diaconate or Religious Life you may contact Father Kent Drotar 303-282-3429 at the Archdiocese of Denver, or speak with Father Monahan, Deacon Glenn Allison or Deacon Ed Clements.

SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY

The Archdiocese of Denver requires a marriage preparation course prior to the wedding. At St. Joseph Parish this includes a minimum of three meetings with the deacon. At these meetings the couple will complete required paperwork, take a marriage preparation inventory and review this with the deacon. A one-day workshop offered through the Archdiocese, God's Plan for a Joy-filled Marriage, a weekend Catholic Engaged Encounter retreat, and participation in a Natural Family Planning course are required to fulfill the marriage preparation requirements.

A few points for consideration by those planning a Catholic wedding:

• Contact the parish office before making any wedding plans.
• Use of the church for weddings is limited to parishioners only. Parishioners are persons registered in the parish and contributing to its support for a six-month period prior to beginning the marriage preparation process.
• The Archdiocese requires an eight-month to one-year period of preparation.
• The Archdiocese requires a marriage preparation course prior to the wedding.
• A Catholic wedding is a life-long sacrament.
• The Catholic parties should have received the sacrament of Confirmation.
The Archdiocese does not allow outdoor weddings.
• Do not plan your wedding around the availability of a reception center.
• The Parish Center is not available for wedding receptions.
• The usual Saturday wedding times at St. Joseph are 10:00am and 1:00pm.
• Archdiocesan policy is not to allow Saturday evening or Sunday weddings.
• Two Catholics should plan for a Nuptial Mass, which can only be performed by a priest.
• If one party is not Catholic, the couple should plan for a Wedding Rite.

SACRAMENT OF THE SICK

When you or a family member are hospitalized or are homebound and are in need of this sacrament, please call the parish at 303-279-4464. A new Federal privacy law could make it difficult for priests, deacons or Extraordinary Ministers of Communion to visit the sick in hospitals and nursing homes. It is important for the patient or their immediate family to notify the parish office of hospital admission. We will not be able to get a list of Catholic patients from the hospitals. It is also necessary for the patient or family to inform the hospital that they desire visits from the chaplain when they are admitted. This will allow us to visit. It is important that it is the patient or their family who makes these notifications, the privacy law will not allow us to respond if the request is made by a friend or some other non-family member. If you anticipate a hospital stay or have a serious health problem, please ask Father for the Anointing after Mass. Waiting until the last minute could result in no priest being available, or no time for the priest to arrive. This sacrament is for healing and should occur early in the illness and when the patient is able to participate in it.

The Sacrament of the Sick may be celebrated communally during the year. Watch the parish bulletin for date and time.