Sacraments
The Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, through which Divine life is given. There are seven Sacraments:
Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders.
The seven Sacraments span all stages of natural life and all-important moments
of the Christian life. Sacraments are classified as Christian Initiation (Baptism,
Confirmation and the Eucharist), Sacraments of Healing (Reconciliation and
Anointing of the Sick), and Sacraments of Service (Matrimony and Holy Orders).
The Eucharist occupies a unique place as the Sacrament of Sacraments and all
the other Sacraments are ordered to it as to their end. [Catechism of the
Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1131,1210,1211]
The Sacrament of Baptism is the foundation of Christian life, the entrance to the life in the Spirit and access to the other Sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from original sin, become heirs to the Kingdom of God, are incorporated into the Church and become sharers in the Mission of the Church. [Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1213]
Baptisms of infants and young children are celebrated for families who are members of the parish or with granted delegation. Parents generally must attend a preparation session before the Baptism can be celebrated. Appointments for the preparation session and Baptism should be made with Fr. Brian Shoda at (304)229-8945.
Baptisms of school-age children may need to be arranged through our Religious Education Program. Please contact Paula DiSante (304)229-8945.
Baptisms of adults are arranged through our adult education programs, such as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. They should contact Chuck Quigley or Sr. Eucharia Gomba at (304)229-8945
Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace and through the gifts
of the Holy Spirit helps us grow to Christian maturity. The Sacrament strengthens
our bond with the Church, associates us more closely with her Mission and
helps us bear witness to the Christian faith in words and deeds. [Catechism
of the Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1316]
Confirmation is offered annually to high school students. Students who request
this Sacrament are prepared through a special program and must already be
attending religious education classes or attending Catholic high school. For
more information, please contact Paula Disante at (304)229-8945.
Adults wishing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation are prepared according
to a process designed specifically for their needs. The should contact Chuck
Quigley or Sr. Eucharia Gomba at (304)229-8945
Eucharist
The Sacrament of the Eucharist has its origin at the Last Supper when on the
night Jesus was betrayed, He instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of His Body
and Blood. This He did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout
the ages until He comes again. In this Sacrament, Jesus entrusts to his Church
a memorial of His death and Resurrection, the Sacrament of Love, a Sign of
Unity and a Bond of Charity, in which Christ is consumed, and our minds are
filled with grace and a pledge of future glory. The Eucharist is the sum and
summary of our faith through the actions of the Holy Spirit and the Real Presence
of Jesus; His Body and Blood become present under the form of bread and wine.
It is through the Eucharist that each of us are nourished by Jesus to seek
God's Will. [Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1323,1327]
Children are generally prepared to receive their first Holy Communion when
they reach the second grade. They are prepared through a special program and
must already be attending religious education classes or attending Catholic
grade school. Older children may be prepared separately from the second graders.
For further information, please contact Paula DiSante at (304)229-8945.
Adults who wish to be initiated into the sacrament of Holy Communion should
contact Chuck Quigley or Sr. Eucharia Gomba at (304)229-8945
Holy Eucharist is offered at all our weekend and weekday Masses. Please consult
our Mass Schedule for more information.
Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion
For Catholics - Catholics fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist
when they receive Holy Communion in fulfillment of Christ’s command
to eat His Body and drink His Blood. In order to be properly disposed to receive
Communion, communicants should not be conscious of grave sin, have fasted
for an hour, and seek to live in charity and love with their neighbors. Persons
conscious of grave sin must first be reconciled with God and the Church through
the Sacrament of Penance.
For other Christians: We welcome to this celebration of the Mass those Christians
who are not fully united with us. It is a consequence of the sad divisions
in Christianity that we cannot extend to them a general invitation to receive
Communion. Catholics believe that the Eucharist is an action of the celebrating
community signifying a oneness in faith, life , and worship of the community.
Reception of the Eucharist by Christians not fully united with us would imply
a oneness which does not yet exist, and for which we must all pray.
For those not receiving Communion: Those not receiving sacramental Communion
are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with
the Lord Jesus and one another.
For Non-Christians: We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share
our faith in Jesus. While we cannot extend to them an invitation to receive
Communion , we do invite them to be united with us in prayer. (National Conference
of Catholic Bishops, 1987)
Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance was instituted by Jesus, the physician
of our souls and bodies, who forgave the sins of the paralytic and willed
that his Church continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, His work of healing
and salvation. Jesus has willed that the life and actions of his Church be
a sign and instrument of forgiveness and reconciliation. [Catechism of the
Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1442]
Children are generally prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation
for the first time when they reach the second grade. They are prepared through
a special program and must already be attending religious education classes
or attending Catholic grade school. Older children may be prepared separately
from the second graders. For more information, please contact Paula DiSante
at (304)229-8945.
Adults who wish to be initiated into the sacrament of Reconciliation should
contact Fr. Brian Shoda at (304)229-8945.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered on Saturdays at 4:45 p.m. It is
recommended that penitents arrive at the beginning of the time periods to
ensure adequate opportunity to receive the sacrament. Parish penance services
are held during Advent and Lent and are announced in the Parish bulletin.
Individuals may also call Fr. Brian Shoda at (304)229-8945 to arrange for
a personal appointment to celebrate the sacrament.
Anointing
of the Sick
The Sacrament of the Anointing the Sick has as its end the conferral of a
special grace on people experiencing a grave illness or old age. The Church
exhorts the Christian who is ill to unite with the Passion and Death of Christ.
[Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1511,1499,1513]
The Sacrament of the Sick may be received by any Catholic who is facing a
serious illness or is of advanced years. Please contact Fr. Brian Shoda at
(304)229-8945.
Matrimony
The Sacrament of Matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church. It
gives spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ
has loved His Church. The grace of the Sacrament perfects the human love of
the spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on
the way to eternal life. [Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994 Reference:
1661]
To celebrate the Sacrament of Matrimony in St. Leo Parish one of the partners
must be a registered member of the Parish or with granted delegation from
their registered Parish. The couple must contact Fr. Brian Shoda at (304)229-8945
at least six months prior to the wedding date for proper assistance.
Holy
Orders
Through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the mission entrusted by Christ to his
apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time. The
Sacrament's three degrees (Episcopate, Presbyterate, and Diaconate) are conferred
as follows:
Bishops
(Episcopate) receive the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which integrates
them into the Episcopal college and makes them visible heads of the particular
Church entrusted to them. As successors of the apostles and members of the
college, the bishops share in the apostolic responsibility and mission of
the whole Church under the authority of the Pope.
Priests (Presbyterate)
are united with the Bishop in sacerdotal dignity and called to be the bishop's
prudent co-workers in the exercise of their pastoral functions. They gather
around their bishop who bears responsibility with them for a particular church.
They receive from the Bishop the charge of a Parish community or determinate
ecclesial office.
Deacons
(Diaconate) are ordained into the ministry of service to the Church. Deacons
do not receive the ministerial priesthood, but ordination confers on them
the functions of the Ministry of the Word, Divine Worship, and Service of
Charity under the pastoral authority of their bishop. [Catechism of the Catholic
Church 1994 Reference: 1536, 1595, 1596]
