Sacraments
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The 7 SacramentsGifts of God's grace in our lives
We recognize that the sacraments have a visible and invisible reality, a reality open to all human senses, but understood by the eyes of faith in the depth that God gives them. When parents hug their children, for example, the visible reality is the hug. The invisible reality of the hug expresses love. We cannot "see" the love that the hug expresses, although we sometimes see the emotional effect on the child.
The visible reality that we see in the sacraments is their outward expression, the form they take, and the way they are administered and received. The invisible reality that we cannot "see" is God's grace, his generous initiative to redeem us through the death and resurrection of his Son. This initiative is called grace because it is the free and loving gift by which God offers his people to share in his life, and shows his favor and will for our salvation. Our response to the grace of God's initiative is itself a grace or gift of God by which we can imitate Christ in our daily lives.
The saving words and works of Jesus Christ are the foundation of what he would communicate to us in the sacraments through the ministries of the Church. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church recognizes the existence of the seven sacraments instituted by the Lord. They are the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist), the sacraments of healing (Penance and Anointing of the sick), and the sacraments of service (Marriage and Holy Orders). Through the sacraments, God shares with us his holiness so that we, in turn, make the world holier. - USCCB
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Sacraments of Christian Initiation
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Sacrament of Holy Eucharist
From the Eucharist comes strength to live the Christian life and zeal to share that life with others." - Pope John Paul II
What is the Eucharist?The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life. "The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch." CCC 1324
Because we see the Eucharist as the true body of Christ and not a symbol or metaphor, we know our Lord is truly present in this Sacrament, and in the tabernacle in our church. The Eucharist is to be honored and adored.To receive the Eucharist, one must be in a state of Grace, or free of mortal sin. We are in a state of grace by going to confession. Mother Church obliges the faithful to go to confession at least once a year, and receive the Eucharist at least once a year. For Mass Times at St. Elizabeth click here.
How to obtain the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist for the first time
For baptized children under 7 years old, our Religious Education program prepares them to receive their First Communion in the child's 2nd-grade year. A prior year of Religious Education is encouraged. Preparation begins every September (Registration for classes begins in August). Please contact re@stelizabethpf.org for the most current information.
Youth ages 8 to 18 who are NOT baptized are welcomed into the Catholic Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Adapted for Children. Two years of preparation is required and parent participation is requested. This process prepares the child for the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. Please contact re@stelizabethpf.org for the most current information.
If you are 18 years old and up and ready to take the next step on your journey of faith, we invite you to join our Rite of Christian Initiation process. This step-by-step process by which adults are initiated, or brought into the Catholic Church, holds sessions twice a week. These sessions are open to anyone wishing to join the Catholic Church through baptism or the profession of faith, or anyone who wishes to complete the Christian Initiation by receiving the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. Practicing Catholics who wish to enrich their faith are also invited. Additionally, there are opportunities to sponsor candidates who are on their journey of faith. Please contact re@stelizabethpf.org for the most current information.
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Confirmation
Truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. – Matthew 17:20
What is Confirmation?
"Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds." (CCC 1316).
How to obtain a Youth Confirmation
Confirmation Year One is a prerequisite to Confirmation Prep Year Two. Students must attend 80% of classes. For students who have met the prerequisite: students must attend 80% of classes, plus a retreat. Accommodations will be made for seniors and students needing first Holy Communion. Students should also be attending Mass as part of their faith formation. High School Confirmation students also requesting the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and/or and First Communion will follow the applicable 2-year formation requirement in order to receive these sacraments. These students will attend the Confirmation class with the understanding that they will need additional instruction specific to the additional sacraments they are preparing for. This instruction will occur throughout the year and during the Year 2 Confirmation retreat. Registration for Confirmation Classes begins in August. Classes run from September through May. If you have more questions:
Contact ymc@stelizabethpf.com Visit High School Formation Page
How to obtain an Adult Confirmation
Adult Confirmation is received by those who have never been Confirmed but have already received the Sacraments of Baptism and First Communion. For more information about this program please call our Director of Religious Education at 512-251-9842.
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Sacraments of Healing
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Sacrament of Confession
Confession is an act of honesty and courage - an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God." -St. John Paul II
What is Confession?
"Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion." (CCC 1422)
Not only does it [the Sacrament of Penance] 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. We are liberated to be forgivers. We obtain new insight into the words of the Prayer of St. Francis: "It is in pardoning that we are pardoned."
How to Obtain the Sacrament of Confession
Due to COVID19, we are currently offering the Sacrament of Confession in the Main Church to allow for proper social distancing. No appointment is necessary and we currently are offering Confession Times at our normal schedule:Wednesday | 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Thursday | 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday | 3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Examination of Conscience
Before celebrating the Sacrament of Penance, one should prepare oneself with an examination of conscience, which involves reflecting prayerfully on one's thoughts, words, and deeds in order to identify any sins.
There are various types of examinations of conscience but regardless of which one you use to prepare yourself for the Sacrament it should be rooted in Scripture; particularly, the Ten Commandments and Beatitudes. Below are a few examples of Examinations of Conscience that can help you prepare for the Sacrament.
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Anointing of the Sick"By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ." - CCC 1499
Who should receive the Anointing of the Sick?
The Anointing of the Sick is not only for those who are at the point of death. As soon as anyone begins to be in danger from sickness or old age, that is the time to receive this sacrament. If the person regains their health they can, should they become seriously ill again, receive this sacrament again. If during the same illness the person's condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated. It is also proper for the sacrament to be received just prior to surgery. It is not necessary to wait to Anoint when someone is seriously ill.
How to obtain Anointing of the Sick
If you or your loved one becomes seriously ill, please call the office at 512-251-9838 to schedule an anointing.
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Sacraments of Service
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Sacrament of Marriage
"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament." - CCC 1601
For information about Marriage Preparation, please call 512-251-9838 or email:
marriage-prep@stelizabethpf.org.
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Holy Orders
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate. - CCC 1536
What are Holy Orders?
It includes three degrees: episcopate (bishop), presbyterate (priest), and diaconate (deacon). Through Holy Orders, the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time.
Are you being called to the Priesthood?
If you feel you are being called to the priesthood, first pray for God's will to be done in your life. Make an appointment with Fr. Juan Carlos, or your parish priest. Diocesan priests are conformed to the person of Jesus Christ through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which enables them to speak and act in persona Christi capitis (in the Person of Christ the Head). Pledging obedience to the diocesan bishop, the priest becomes a sharer in his ministry, the ministry of Christ the Good Shepherd. Through celibacy (which is intimately connected to the priesthood in the Roman Rite), the priest gives his heart exclusively to God and thus is able to love his people with the Heart of Christ the Bridegroom. That love is fruitful, making the priest a spiritual father for the people he serves. Simply put, priests bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus.
Are you being called to the Consecrated Life?If you feel you are being called to the Consecrated Life, first pray for God's will to be done in your life. The consecrated life is a counter-cultural, love-filled, life-giving response to God’s love. In this vocation, a woman imitates Jesus Christ by taking vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and in doing so, finds a profound source of joy. She gives her heart to God alone, becoming a bride of Christ and an image of the Church -- that is, a witness to the world of the dedication we all should have to the Lord. She witnesses by her life that God is enough to satisfy all the desires of our hearts! A woman who is called to this vocation lives in a community that prays, works, and ministers together, and that community is a profound source of support and joy.
Are you being called to the Deaconate?If you feel you are being called to the Deaconate, first pray for God's will to be done in your life. Men between 30 and 59 sensing God’s call to the permanent diaconate should discuss this with their pastors and obtain his permission to attend (with their wife, if married) an Inquiry Sessions (offered in Spanish and English). Diaconal Formation is a process of spiritual, human, intellectual and pastoral growth spanning a period of several years. The principal components of this growth comprise the following dimensions: Spiritual Dimension, Human Dimension, Intellectual Dimension, Pastoral Dimension
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Sacrament RequestUse one of the forms to request a Sacramental Certificate. It generally takes 2-3 business days to complete the process - we will email when you can pick up. The cost is $10 and could be paid by cash or card at time of picking up certificate. There is a $2.50 convenience fee if paid by credit/debit card.