Sacraments

The Seven Sacraments

The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. The seven sacraments touch all 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 spiritual life. 


Baptism

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28: 19

“Every baptized person should consider that it is in the womb of the church where he is transformed from a child of Adam to a child of God.” St. Vincent Ferrer

Baptism is the first Sacrament of initiation in the Catholic Church. This wonderful moment of great joy in a family and/or an individual’s life, is the most important of moments. Through baptism, a person is freed from original sin, made a child of God and brought into His family, the Church. Please read the information below before filling out the Baptismal Register Google Form.  Please note that the whole process takes about 2 months from the time you fill out the Register form and is completely dependent upon when we receive all of the documentation.  We will not secure Baptismal dates until all of the information and documentation is received.


When you are ready, please click on this link to be taken to the Baptismal Register Google Form.

The Holy Eucharist

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6: 53-58)

“...In this world I cannot see the Most High Son of God with my own eyes, except for His Most Holy Body and Blood." St. Francis of Assisi

The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is a Sacrament of Initiation in the Catholic Church. Through this sacrament, we really, literally, actually receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. The Holy Eucharist unites us with our Lord, whom we receive in this sacrament. It is, in fact, what makes us his Church.

For more information on receiving the Sacraments, please contact the Office of Religious Education at 732-747-0813 ext. 103.

Confirmation

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2: 1-4)

“If we don't teach our children to follow Christ, the world will teach them not to.” Anonymous

"And then remember that you received the seal of the Spirit; the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness, and the spirit of holy fear, and preserved what you received. God the Father sealed you, Christ the Lord strengthened you, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in your heart, as you have learned in the lesson from the Apostle." St. Ambrose

Confirmation is one of the three sacraments of initiation in the Catholic Church. This sacrament is the perfection of our Baptism. Through Confirmation, we become true witnesses to Christ, and receive the grace of the Holy Spirit that was bestowed upon the Apostles on Pentecost. With the gift of the Holy Spirit, Christ conquers our hearts and gives us the courage to give witness to Him in the world. By His grace, the weak become strong, the downcast are lifted up, the fearful become courageous and sinners become saints.

For more information on receiving the Sacraments, please contact the Office of Religious Education at 732-747-0813 ext. 103

Anointing of the Sick

"Is there any sick among you? Let him call for the priests of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save them” James 5:14-15

The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is provides spiritual strength and healing to those who are ill or dying. It can be administered as often as necessary. Through this sacrament, we receive the grace to be in union with the Passion of Christ, so our suffering will be holy, and the grace to prepare for death. If the anointed was not able to go to Confession, Anointing also provides forgiveness of sins.

For more information, please contact the parish office at 732-747-0813 ext. 101.

If there is an emergency and you need a priest for an immediate anointing day or night, please call our emergency line at 732-747-0813 ext 5. 

Confession

“Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.” John 20:22-23

“Our Lord Himself I saw in this venerable Sacrament . . . I felt as if my chains fell, as those of St. Peter at the touch of the Divine messenger. My God, what new scenes for my soul!” -St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Christ instituted this Sacrament as an offer of mercy toward His followers. Knowing that we who love Him may continue to fall, He gave His Apostles the power to forgive sins (and to hold people bound to sin should they be unrepentant). This power has been handed down from Christ to the Apostles and now to the bishops (the successors of the Apostles) and priests today.

Through this incredible Sacrament, Christ washes away our sins. If we are contrite and truly desire to amend our lives, he forgives us totally. What could be more powerful or more valuable than this? Don’t be afraid to approach the confessional. Come and be forgiven and healed of whatever sins you may have committed.

Please see the homepage for the exact times for confession. Examination of Conscience Sheets and Instructions on How to Go to Confession are available outside of the confessional. 

For more information on receiving the Sacraments, please contact the Office of Religious Education at 732-747-0813 ext. 101

Holy Matrimony

“But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” Mark 10:6-9

“It takes three to make love, not two: you, your spouse, and God. Without God, people only succeed in bringing out the worst in one another. Lovers who have nothing else to do but love each other soon find there is nothing else. Without a central loyalty, life is unfinished.” Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Marriage is a sacrament of the Catholic Church and is the union of one man and one woman for as long as the two shall live. This holy sacrament is an icon, an image, a representation of the love and union between Christ and His Church – a union which can never be broken.

Please make arrangements a year in advance by contacting the parish office at 732-747-0813 ext. 101. 

Holy Orders

“Go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21

“And the Lord gave me brothers.” St. Francis of Assisi

“Our vocation is to embrace the hearts of all men, to do what the Son of God did, he who came into the world to set it on fire. It is true therefore that I am sent not only to love God but to make Him loved. It is not enough to love God if my neighbor does not love Him.” St. Vincent de Paul

“He who wishes for anything but Christ, does not know what he wishes; he who asks for anything but Christ, does not know what he is asking; he who works, and not for Christ, does not know what he is doing.” St. Philip Neri

The sacrament of Holy Orders is the initiation into the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Originally bestowed by Christ upon the Apostles, it is known as the “sacrament of apostolic ministry”. When a man receives this sacrament, he is ordained into one, two or all of three designations: the episcopate, the priesthood, and/or the diaconate.

Those young men called by Christ to be His priests are called to give up all to follow after Him with devotion and hearts aflame with love for Him. Christ invites, He calls, He beckons us by speaking deeply in our hearts, all we need to do is embrace Him and follow Him with courage and love. Are you being called? Do you have the courage and generosity to say “yes” to Him?

Make sure to find a good, faithful, and joyful priest to help you discern and pray, pray, pray!

For more information about the priesthood, religious vocations, and the Red Bank Oratory of St. Philip Neri, please contact the priests of the Oratory at 732-747-0813 ext. 109 (Fr. Al) or 107 (Fr. Nick) or send us an email at rboratory@gmail.com.