Sacraments
& Faith Formation
The mysteries of Christ's life are the foundations of what he would henceforth dispense in the sacraments, through the ministers of his Church, for "what was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries." (St. Leo the Great)
Baptism
For infants and children under seven, baptisms are performed on Saturdays at 5:30pm after the 4:30pm Mass, and on Sundays at 8:30am after the 7:30am Mass and at 11:45am after the 10:30am Mass. A one-hour Baptism Catechesis is required for parents prior to confirming the Baptism date.
Weddings
Wedding dates at St. Mary’s are usually booked nine to twelve months in advance. Generally, we can only accept couples who live in the Twin Cities metro and so can prepare personally with us. An exception can be made for couples who have a direct connection to St. Mary’s (e.g. member who has moved away, or longtime family association). To begin the process please complete the form below.
Children & Youth Faith Formation
The conventional religious ed. and sacraments prep classes (Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation), long a joint program between St. Mary’s and Assumption parish, is no longer held at St. Mary’s but rather on the campus of Assumption. For further inquiry contact Jill Bueno (jbueno@assumptionsp.org). Faith formation for young children of homeschooling parents is available through the River Immaculate Child Enrichment Program at St. Mary’s on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 830a-Noon Sep-May. Families are admitted to the program as space allows. To inquire contact the parish office (office@stmarystpaul.org).
Introduction to [Catholic] Christianity
Fr. Evans and I are pleased to launch this course in the fall of 2022. For experienced Catholics, inquirers, and adults seeking Confirmation and/or full communion with the Catholic Church, this is no ordinary set of “RCIA” classes but rather a unique presentation of the Catholic faith in the light of the Three Transcendentals: the Beautiful, the Good, and the True. Neither will the faith be presented in an abstract and legalistic manner but rather in the context of contemporary European and American culture, where the claims of Christianity meet with the concrete realities of mainstream life in our secularized western society.
OCIA (formerly RCIA) stands for Order of Christian Initiation for Adults. For any adult age 18+ who has not been baptized (catechumen), or who has been baptized—whether as a Catholic who has not received the sacrament of Confirmation or as a non-Catholic who seeks full communion with the Catholic Church (candidate), OCIA is the normal path of preparation for these Sacraments of Initiation.
For more information about getting started in OCIA or for inquiring about attending the class sessions for Intro to Catholic Christianity, complete and send the form below.