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
St. Mary’s is reconstituting its congregation with very young families, so as of now there is no Confirmation program as such. Families with younger children who wish to have them confirmed according to “restored order” may contact one of the priests for more information on how to go about this. Faith formation for young children of homeschooling parents is available through the River Immaculate Child Enrichment Program held at St. Mary’s on Tuesdays 830a-Noon Sep-May. Families are admitted to the program as space allows. To inquire contact the parish office (office@stmarystpaul.org). Families who wish to register their children for 1st Communion may contact the office or one of the priests for more information on joining the cohort. 1st Communion is traditionally held in the month of May.
Introduction to [Catholic] Christianity
Fr. Evans and I are pleased to be able to continue this course in the fall of 2025. For experienced Catholics, inquirers, and adults seeking Confirmation and/or full communion with the Catholic Church, this is no ordinary set of “OCIA” classes but rather a unique presentation of the Catholic faith in the light of the Three Transcendentals: the Beautiful, the Good, and the True, from within a human cultural narrative framed by Sacred Scripture and the great catholic tradition, the “metanarrative” in which we each can find our own place. Thus, the faith will not 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.