Sacraments

Baptism

Parents of child to be baptized must be registered parishioners.
Infant baptisms are scheduled on the last Sunday of each month at 1:00 in the afternoon.
Baptisms may also be scheduled during a weekend Mass, when possible.
A rehearsal is held for the parents in the Rectory on the Saturday before the Baptism.

To make arrangements for the Baptism, call Shirley at the rectory. At that time Shirley will take the necessary information, schedule the date of the Baptism, and schedule an appointment with Fr. to discuss the commitment and responsibility of raising your child Catholic.

In choosing Godparents for your child, please keep in mind that they are to be a sign and example to your child of living the Catholic Faith. At least one of the Godparents must be a confirmed, practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church. You will be asked to have them obtain a statement from their pastor to this effect. A non-confirmed Catholic may be a "Catholic witness" to the Baptism. A non-Catholic, who is baptized in the Christian faith, will be listed as a "non-Catholic witness". A person who is not baptized in any faith cannot serve as a witness. You may choose to only have one Godparent, or a man and a women Godparent, but not two women, and not two men.

The sacrament of Baptism is the beginning of your child's spiritual life, nourished throughout the child's growing years. This involves a long period of commitment by the parents, sharing values, beliefs, and developing religious practices. God has given you a precious gift...the human life of a child. Through the celebration of Baptism, the whole church community welcomes the child into their faith experience. Group Baptism or Baptism at Mass enable us to understand that a child becomes a member of a Catholic community.

Marriages

Matrimony is a Sacrament celebrated in the Roman Catholic tradition. The following Guidelines and Policy has been established to preserve the dignity of the celebration.

At least you, your fianc'e, or your parents must already be a registered and practicing member of St. Peter Church.

The wedding is contingent upon the following:
-reserving the date for the use of the Church
-meeting all Diocesan requirements
-meeting all Parish requirements

Diocesan requirements for the celebration of matrimony include:
-at least six months notification to Fr.
-completion of Engaged Couples Seminar..
-completion of FOCCUS program.

Parish requirements for the celebration of matrimony include:
-First meeting with Fr. to obtain necessary information, and to reserve the wedding date. Weddings may be planned as early as 9:30am on Saturday, and as late as 1pm. When the Church calendar allows, a 6:00pm evening wedding is possible.

-There is no charge for the use of the Church for registered parishioners.

-The groom and all ushers should arrive at least 30 minutes before the wedding.
-The bride and attendants should arrive at least 10 minutes before the wedding, so that the ceremony may begin on time.

-Rice, confetti, bird seed, or flower petals are not allowed in or at the Church. We have no weekend custodial service.

-If there is to be a candle-lighting ceremony, you are responsible for the purchase of the unity candle. Please bring it to the rehearsal. We can supply the two smaller candles if necessary.

-Picture taking and video taping are allowed, but should be done in a non-interfering or non-obstructive manner.

Documents required for marriage preparation include:
- Baptismal Certificates dated within six months of the wedding date. These can be obtained by calling your church of Baptism. ( Catholic / Christian)

Parish Music Policy
Your wedding celebration is a religious event, therefore, the music must be chosen with great care. We recommend that you use our organist, Helene Belanger, who is prepared to assist you in the selection of liturgical music to enhance your wedding. We also recommend our vocalist, Anne Vargas, should you decide to have a soloist. These are only recommendations, but both Helene and Anne are well prepared and knowledgeable as to our liturgical procedures. Should you choose a different organist / soloist, Fr. requests a list of the Music that will be played at your wedding. You are responsible for the payment of any organist or soloist.

The basic schedule for preparing a Church wedding is as follows:
1. Meet with Fr. to set the wedding date and discuss initial details, prior to booking.
2. Send in your application to Toward Marriage. As soon as you know the date you are to attend, call Fr. to schedule and appointment to come in and do FOCCUS.
3. FOCCUS, a program used to initiate further discussion on marital issues. At that time, you will schedule and appointment with Fr. to:
4. Discuss the results of your FOCCUS.
5. Attend Toward Marriage Course.
6. Make an appointment and come in to complete the Pre-Nuptial Questionnaire. At that time you can also discuss with Fr. the readings, music, etc. that you have chosen for your wedding.
7. Your marriage license can be obtained up to 3 months before your wedding date. As soon as you have the license, bring it to the Church office.
8. Rehearsal.
9. Wedding ! !

Last Updated; 02/25/04