St. Mary's Church


	43, SAROJINI DEVI ROAD, SECUNDERABAD---500 003

		SACRAMENTS
		Sacrament- An efficacious sign of grace instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which
		divine life is dispensed to us through the work of the Holy Spirit.
		There are seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick,
		Holy Orders and Matrimony. The 7 sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of
		Christian life: they give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian's life of faith.
		There are three groups of Sacraments; 1 Initiation, 2 Healing, 3 the service of communion and the
		mission of the faithful.

		The Sacrament of Baptism
		Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis
		ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from
		sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and
		made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water & in the word."

		Baptisms are celebrated on Saturday from 4:00 pm onwards. Parents must be active registered
		members of St. Mary's Parish and will need to contact the Parish Office 1 week in advance.

		The Sacrament of the Eucharist
		The liturgical action called the Eucharist is also traditionally known as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
		The Sunday celebration of the Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life. The Eucharist is the source
		and summit of the Christian life. The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation.

		The Sacrament of Confirmation
		Confirmation completes the grace of Baptism by a special outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
		which seal or "confirm" the baptized in union with Christ and equip them for active participation in the
		worship and apostolic life of the Church.
		Children are confirmed by the Bishop while receiving their First Holy Communion and adults are
		received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. For more information please contact the Parish Office.

		The 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."
		Arrangements for the celebration of marriage must be made at least six months in advance.We urge
		you to contact the church before making arrangements with reception halls, etc. Preparation includes
		participation in a pre-marriage program held locally or through the Archdiocese.

		The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick
		If you or someone you know is seriously ill at home or in the hospital, one of the priests will bring the
		Eucharist and administer the Anointing of the Sick.

		The Sacrament of Reconciliation
		The Sacrament of Reconciliation(confession) is available each Saturday from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
		Special arrangements can be made by contacting one of the priests for times other than Saturday.

		The Sacrament of 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.