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: 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.
“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.'”
–Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1213
For child baptism, please contact Debbie Boswell at (830) 379-1796 or [email protected] .
For adult baptism, please please contact Debbie to inquire about the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)--formerly known as RCIA-- process.
Baptism, the first sacrament, is critically important to the spiritual life of the individual, of
the family, and of the parish and whole Church. It is the first sacrament and the beginning of a
life of faith and grace.
St. James Parish welcomes parents to present their children for the Sacrament of Baptism and to teach them to live the Catholic Faith as members of a parish, a community of faith.
Baptism makes us to belong to Christ and to the Church, incorporates us into the Catholic faith community, and cleanses us of all sin. We expect families to participate in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church and to help their children to continue to grow in the Faith.
Baptism is important administratively because the particular parish church where one is baptized becomes the official location of record for other sacraments received. This is important when verification is needed for the Sacraments of Confirmation, Matrimony, or Holy Orders.
St. James Parish requires parents and godparents to attend the Baptism preparation class. We want to help parents and godparents to deepen their understanding of Baptism and its implications in our lives. We want to help prepare them to meet their responsibilities as Christian parents and godparents.
Please contact the parish office to attend the Baptism preparation class.
Both parents need to attend preparation classes. In the case of a single-parent household when one parent will be responsible for the child’s Catholic upbringing, the one parent needs to attend.
Classes are scheduled on the 1ˢᵗ or 2ⁿᵈ Saturday morning of the months of January, March, May, July, September, and November. St. James Parish celebrates the Sacrament of Baptism during the Sunday Eucharistic Liturgies on the weekend of the 4ᵗʰ Sunday of the month, except in Lent. We do not celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism in Lent except in the case of an emergency. We will try to accommodate the parent’s request for Baptism at a particular Mass on that weekend.
PARENTS
Parents are responsible for their child’s faith growth and participation in the sacraments.
Parents need to be registered at St. James Parish for at least six months before bringing their
child for Baptism. Exceptions:
a. Parents who are preparing to be Godparents at another parish.
b. Parents who grew up as parishioners of St. James, have family who have current ties to St. James and want to baptize their children at St. James. They need to attend preparation classes in their parish and get a permission letter from their pastor to baptize at St. James.
c. If parents attended classes recently (no more than three years previous), and provide documentary evidence of this, they do not need to attend current classes. Documentary evidence must be provided to the church office.
To provide the best example of Catholic living to their child, we encourage parents whose marriages are not blessed by the Church to begin working toward celebrating a Catholic sacramental marriage.
GODPARENTS
“The Godparent is a person who, together with the parents, presents an infant for baptism. The
Godparent is to help the child lead a Christian life and to fulfill obligations connected with it”
(Canon 872). Only one male or female or one of each sex is to be employed (Canon 873).
The godparent must:
a) be designated by the parents or pastor and have the qualifications for and intention of
performing this role.
b) be at least 16 years of age.
c) be a Catholic, who has celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation and has received the Sacrament of Eucharist and leads a life in harmony with the Faith and the role to be undertaken.
d) not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared.
e) not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
f) if married, must be married in the Church.
A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial church community may not be a godparent but may be a Christian witness to Baptism together with a Catholic sponsor (Canon 874).
Please scroll down to the bottom of the page for registration forms.
“…It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For ‘by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.'”
–Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1285
For child confirmation: please contact Debbie Boswell at (830) 379-1796 or [email protected] .
For adult confirmation: please contact Debbie to inquire about the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)--formerly known as RCIA-- process.
The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life” through which Christ is truly present as his Body and Blood for consumption as bread and wine. Because of the most holy and Divine nature of this Sacrament, proper catechesis (education) and initiation is required before a Catholic Christian may celebrate this Sacrament.
For children’s sacramental preparation for the Eucharist: please contact Debbie Boswell at (830) 379-1796 or [email protected] .
For adult preparation for the Eucharist: please contact Debbie to inquire about the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)--formerly known as RCIA-- process.
“‘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.'”
–Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1422
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated every Saturday before the Vigil Mass beginning at 3:00 PM. Confessional booths are located at the side entrances of the church; typically, the booth on the left-side (Joseph’s side) of the church are used before Mass. You may also request an appointment to celebrate this Sacrament by calling the parish office at (830) 379-1796.
Click here for a Guide to Confession from the Knights of Columbus.
Click here to review Examinations of Conscience from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
“Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.”
–James 5:14-15 (NABRE)
Catholics may call upon their priest to receive this Sacrament before surgery, when they fall seriously ill, when their illness worsens, and prior to death in the form known as viaticum (or Last Rite). Please contact our parish office as soon as possible at (830) 379-1796 when you or a loved one needs this Sacrament.
The Sacrament of Matrimony is a covenant which reflects Christ’s covenant with his Church: self-sacrificing for the good of his spouse, ordered towards helping his spouse obtain heaven.
Please contact the parish office at (830) 379-1796 at least six months prior to your intended date to get started on preparations.
Inquiring about an annulment? Please contact the parish office at (830) 379-1796 to start the process and click here to read frequently asked questions about the annulment process from the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
“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.”
–Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1536
“The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus. When you see a priest, think of our Lord Jesus Christ.” –St. John Vianney, patron saint of parish priests
Do you think you may be called by God to serve his Church and faithful in the priesthood, diaconate, or even religious life?
Please feel free to contact the parish office at (830) 379-1796 to speak to Fr. Stan about your calling, too!
And don’t forget to pray for our priests and increase in vocations!
SACRAMENTAL RECORDS
In order to maintain confidentiality and security to your sacramental records, we require a Photo ID to confirm the validity of your request. The requesting person must also produce a picture ID before the certificate will be handed over. If you are unable to come into the parish because of distance, you may go to your local parish and use a form, if available. If one is not available, then you will need to give written permission to that parish that they may request a copy of the certificate or record in question. In the request, the names of parents, including the maiden name of the mother, the date of birth, and other pertinent information must be given. Requests will not be accepted via mail, e-mail, fax, telephone, or internet.
As strange as it may seem, there can be quite of bit of fraud accomplished with sacramental records. We only want to protect your information. These rules are designed to protect the legal rights and the exercise of responsibilities of all concerned, both civilly and canonically.
GENEAOLOGICAL RECORDS
If you are looking for genealogical records, please contact the Archdiocesan Archives at
210-734-2620.