Parents who wish to have a child baptized are asked to contact the parish office for a preliminary meeting with one of the priests on staff. Parents, and if possible the godparents, will be expected to attend a baptism preparation session held on the second Tuesday of each month at 8:00 p.m. Baptisms are scheduled on the third and fourth Saturdays of each month at 10:00 a.m. Baptisms in Spanish are regularly scheduled on the second Saturday of each month.
Adults who wish to become familiar with the beliefs, the traditions and practices of the Catholic Church are invited to join the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults(R.C.I.A.). The R.C.I.A. is a process designed primarily for adults who are not baptized and who are considering the possibility of baptism in the Catholic Church. It is also appropriate for adults who are baptized Catholics, who received little or no religious education and who require one or more of the sacraments of initiation. Many R.C.I.A. candidates were baptized in other Christian denominations and are considering membership in the Catholic community. Sessions are scheduled weekly and reception into the Church occurs when the individual is ready.
The parish recognizes that parents are the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith. With this principle in mind, the parish will assist the parents of children who are preparing to receive the Eucharist for the first time. Our Catholic schools provide the remote preparation for the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation; the parish provides the immediate preparation with the support of parents. Religious instruction in our schools is based on the religious education series prepared by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. The parish's immediate preparation is offered in four or five sessions.
Religious education sessions for children enrolled in non-Catholic school are conducted by parish volunteers who assist the parents. These sessions begin in the fall and are normally scheduled on Saturdays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. which is just prior t the 5:00 p.m. liturgy.
At the beginning of each school year, dates for parent meetings and classes are made public through announcements and the parish bulletin. We strongly recommend that parents of children who are candidates for First Communion and Reconciliation register their children in May or June in order that the necessary materials will be available in September.
The Sacrament of Confirmation completes the initiation of the baptized into the Church. In this sacrament the gifts of the Holy Spirit are received to encourage and support us as we continue to live out our baptismal mission as disciples of Jesus.
Candidates for Confirmation are encouraged to register at the beginning of the school year.
Our Catholic schools provide the remote preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation; the parish offers the immediate preparation for the sacrament. Students who are enrolled in non-Catholic schools will be prepared by parish volunteers with the support of parents.
Adults who have not been confirmed are encouraged to contact the parish office for an appointment with one of the priests on staff. Depending on circumstances, it may be appropriate to join the R.C.I.A. sessions or to be directed to another form of preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is regularly offered on Saturdays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m. A confessor can also be available by appointment.
During Advent and Lent, a parish penitential evening is scheduled during which seven or eight confessors are present to hear confessions in Spanish and English.
Engaged couples, who are members of St. Thomas More Parish, are welcome to set up an appointment to make initial wedding plans. Contact should be made with one of the priests on staff one year in advance of the planned wedding date. An information packet is available at the parish office. Couples should expect to meet at least twice with a priest, and will be asked to participate in a marriage preparation series.
Individuals who are seriously ill, preparing for major surgery, or who are frail and advanced in age can request the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. In the event that someone is hospitalized, it is important to know that a priest is assigned to most of the hospitals in Toronto. A request for a visit from a Catholic priest, for the Sacrament of Anointing, can normally be made through the nursing staff.
"The king's good servant, but God's first"- Saint Thomas More.
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