SACRAMENTS
Baptism
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
Baptism preparation should start at least 3 months before the birth of your baby. If you are pregnant and interested in starting the process of baptism for your baby, please download the Baptism Preparation Handbook and the Infant Baptism Forms below.
For baptism preparation please contact the parish office 719.687.9345.
Download Preparation Baptism Handbook | Download Infant Baptism Form | Download Godparent Form
Reconciliation
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
Jesus entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church. The Sacrament of Penance is God’s gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven. In confession we have the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. It is a holy moment in which we place ourselves in his presence and honestly acknowledge our sins, especially mortal sins. With absolution, we are reconciled to God and the Church. The Sacrament helps us stay close to the truth that we cannot live without God. “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
– United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
Confession Schedule:
St. Peter’s Chapel: Sundays at 1:00 pm
Our Lady of the Woods: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays at 8:30am, Wednesdays at 5:15 – 5:45 pm and Saturdays at 3:30 pm
Communal Reconciliation is held twice a year during Advent and Lent.
You are welcome to make an appointment with Father Chance
for an individual confession.
Confirmation
Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the “sacraments of Christian initiation,” whose unity must be safeguarded. 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
Confirmation deepens our baptismal life that calls us to be missionary witnesses of Jesus Christ in our families, neighborhoods, society, and the world. . . . We receive the message of faith in a deeper and more intensive manner with great emphasis given to the person of Jesus Christ, who asked the Father to give the Holy Spirit to the Church for building up the community in loving service.
– United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
Confirmation is currently offered to 7th grade aged children as part of Sacramental Preparation.
Download Confirmation Registration Form
Download Diocesan Sponsor Form
Contact Ellen DePatie at 719.687.9345 for additional information.
Eucharist
The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord’s own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist.
“At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior 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 should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet ‘in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.'”
– Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist is the third of the Sacraments of Initiation. The Church encourages us to receive the Eucharist daily, if possible. It is called a sacrament of initiation because, like Baptism and Confirmation, it brings us into the fullness of our life in Christ.
In Holy Eucharist, we are consuming the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, without which “you shall not have life in you” (John 6:53).
See our Worship Schedule for the Celebration of the Holy Mass.
RCIA
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
What is the RCIA? The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA, is a series of interactive year-round sessions that present an adult exploration of the Catholic faith, through the use of Scripture, Catechism and Documents of the Church. The process of initiation has two goals;
personal commitment to Christ and therefore, to a way of life based on the Gospel; and second, integration into the Catholic community with the institution of sacraments.
RCIA is a chance for people to learn the basics of what it means to live a Catholic life, to ask their questions, and to seek ways to more fully open their lives to Jesus Christ. RCIA is primarily for adults considering entering the Catholic Church and for Catholics who have only been baptized. RCIA prepares adults to make a conscious choice whether or not they want to
received into the Church through the sacraments of initiation offered by the Catholic Church (Baptism, Confirmation & Eucharist). There is also a process for those families with adults and children (over the age of 7) who are also interested in the Catholic Church.
For more information, contact Father Chance at cbillmeyer@diocs.org
Matrimony
The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.
– Catechism of the Catholic Church
Your decision to marry is the most important decision you will ever make in your life. At Teller County Catholic Community we want to make certain you have given this decision serious thought and prayer. We also want you to understand the Catholic Church’s teaching on the Sacrament of Matrimony, which has evolved over many centuries and is often in conflict with secular notions or other religious traditions. If one or both of you were baptized Catholic, you must be married in the Catholic Church, according to Church law, for your marriage to be sacramental. Making your marriage sacramental allows you to partake of the other sacraments, like Eucharist.
Thus, in the Diocese of Colorado Springs, there is a Diocesan requirement that the marriage preparation begin a minimum of one year prior to your wedding date. This is so you can complete all the required steps and understand fully what a sacramental marriage means.
If you are engaged, please call Father Chance at our parish office at 719.687.9345, to start the marriage prep process.
Holy Orders
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.
The chosen people was constituted by God as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” But within the people of Israel, God chose one of the twelve tribes, that of Levi, and set it apart for liturgical service; God himself is its inheritance. A special rite consecrated the beginnings of the priesthood of the Old Covenant. The priests are “appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.”
– Catechism of the Catholic Church
Ordination to the priesthood is always a call and a gift from God. Christ reminded his Apostles that they needed to ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest. Those who seek priesthood respond generously to God’s call using the words of the prophet, “Here I am, send me” (Is 6:8). This call from God can be recognized and understood from the daily signs that disclose his will to those in charge of discerning the vocation of the candidate.
– United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
Anointing of the Sick
By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ.
– Catechism of the Catholic Church
Call the parish office before surgery or when seriously ill. For sacramental emergencies call:719-687-0893
Funeral Liturgies
The funeral liturgy is the final act of love and service of the Christian community to its deceased members and their family and friends. It is a celebration of life, death, and ultimately resurrection. Therefore it is important for you to know that no one is ever turned away or denied a Christian burial. No one – no matter how poor or indifferent a Catholic, no matter how virtuous or how sinful a person, no one will be turned away from the Church doors at this difficult time. The Gospel imperative is that the Christian community will in charity pray for the deceased and demonstrate by its liturgy that forgiveness, kindness, and reconciliation that Christ showed to all. Therefore if the deceased attended Mass daily, yearly, or never, each person shall receive a Christian burial that demonstrates the dignity and honor of each and every human life.
It is a corporal work of mercy to bury the dead. Know that we are willing to assist you in planning a dignified and prayerful funeral liturgy. In return, we ask for your generous understanding and respect for our local and universal Catholic traditions. Please know that the priests and pastoral ministers of this parish are well trained and know best how to assist you in making the choices that you are now compelled to make.
Please call the office at 719.687.9345 for further arrangements and support.