THE PARISH OF ST JOHN XXIII PRESTON
Join us at the Parish Church of St Joseph & the
Shrine Church of St Thomas of Canterbury & the English Martyrs
There are five districts of our parish incorporating five former parishes in Preston: St Augustine, St Ignatius, St Joseph, St Teresa and St Thomas of Canterbury & the English Martyrs
Sacraments faith
As pivotal parts of our faith journey and our lives lived with Christ, we're passionate about preparing people to receive the Sacraments. Learn about them below...
What is a Sacrament?
The Latin word Sacramentum means “a sacred sign.” Sacraments are signs of sacred things. According to the teaching of the Catholic Church, the Sacraments, understood as coming from Jesus the Saviour, are not just signs or signify Divine grace, they also engender that grace in our souls. The widely held definition of a sacrament was the one given by Peter Lombard in the Twelfth century: A sacrament is in such a manner an outward sign of inward grace. When one receives any sacrament, it is a special occasion for experiencing divine presence because that sacrament causes grace in one’s soul.
Christ instituted the sacraments of the new law. There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation (or Chrismation), the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life:1 they give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian’s life of faith. There is thus a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the spiritual life.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1210
Approaching the Sacraments
To receive a Sacrament in the Catholic Church we need to be part of a community of faith that prays and grows together. That means we must be followers of Jesus Christ, learning from Him, modelling our lives on His teaching, and joining the wider community when it comes together each week to celebrate the Mass.
Each Sacrament we approach is more than a moment or an event, it is an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. Given how significant this is each needs preparation and prayerful consideration of our relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church and so in the first instance introduce yourself to Fr Etienne (our Parish Priest) after one of our Sunday Masses.
Contact
Any other questions or enquiries can be directed to the Presbytery.
01772 796053