- Baptism
- 1st Reconciliation
- Confirmation/1st Eucharist (Grade 3)
- Confirmation (Grade 4-12)
- Marriage
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)
Baptism is a time of
special joy and blessing and it can serve as a reminder to us that we are
called to renew and deepen our faith in the Paschal Mystery by participating
in the Churches liturgy, by daily prayer and works of charity.
The Church encourages parents to have their child baptized within the first 3 to 4 months; please contact Margaret (282-7217) in the parish office to arrange to take the preparation class and to schedule the baptism.
Baptism preparation classes are held monthly. The next class will be held on the 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00pm. In case of an emergency, such as illness of the child or parent, please contact the Holy Cross office to request alternative arrangements.
The preparation class will include the topics: Why we baptize infants, how to prepare for the baptism, the baptism service, as well as other important issues.
Please ask for a copy of the booklet "Your Baby's Baptism," by Liguori Press. It will be helpful if parents read the booklet before beginning the preparation class.
We look forward meeting you and your baby.
During the 2nd grade, children of Holy Cross prepare for and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. They will receive this sacrament at Holy Cross, the date will be announced soon.
Students and their parents will be asked to prepare for this sacrament in several concrete ways. We hope the range of activities will help families come to know God as a forgiving Father who we seek regularly to forgive us from our sins.
The following is expected of Holy Cross 2nd grade students and their parents in order to be fully prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation during this academic year 2011-2012:
Parent Meeting:
Parents of all 2nd grade students are expected to attend a parent meeting regarding their child’s preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday, January 18. This meeting will be held in the Upper Room at 4:00pm and 6:00pm and will last approximately ½ hour. Parents may attend the meeting at either time.
Classroom Learning:
Students in grade 2 are expected to regularly attend faith formation classes every year through the 12th grade. Beginning in January, students will learn about the sacrament of Reconciliation in their Faith Formation classroom.
1st Reconciliation Retreat:
Students in grade 2 and at least one parent are required to attend the 1st Reconciliation Retreat on Sunday, February 12 from 1:00-3:00pm at Holy Cross. Through story, prayer, discussion and fun activities, students and parents learn about the Sacrament of Reconciliation and how receiving this sacrament regularly can bring them into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.
1st Reconciliation Preparation Folder:
Students receive a folder of preparation materials for First Reconciliation at the retreat in February. This folder is divided into 6 lessons focusing on Reconciliation. These lessons are to be done at home with their parents before they make their First Reconciliation on March 20.
Confirmation/1st Eucharist (Grade 3)
During
the 3rd grade, children of Holy Cross prepare for and receive the last
two sacraments of initiation – Confirmation and Eucharist. They
will receive these two sacraments at the same Mass
the place and date will be announced soon. Students and their parents will be asked
to prepare for both sacraments in several concrete ways. We hope the range
of activities will help families receive a basic understanding of the gifts
and fruits of the Holy Spirit and a deeper understanding of the Real Presence
of Jesus in the Eucharist.
The following is expected of Holy Cross 3rd grade students and parents in order to be fully prepared to receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist during this academic year 2011-2012:
Parent Meeting:
Parents of all 3rd grade students are expected to attend a parent meeting regarding their child’s preparation for the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist on Wednesday, October 12. This meeting will be held in the Upper Room at 4:00pm and 6:00pm and will last approximately ½ hour. Parents may attend the meeting at either time. The 2nd Confirmation meeting will be held on Sunday, December 4.
Classroom Learning:
Students in grade 3 are expected to regularly attend faith formation classes every year through the 12th grade. Beginning (the dates will be announced soon), grade 3 students will learn solely about the sacrament of Confirmation in their faith formation classroom. During these five classes, students will not be using their normal faith formation textbooks. They will follow a Grade 3 Confirmation Curriculum that has been approved by the Diocese of Fargo. In March and April, students will use their textbooks and participate in a pretend Mass to learn more about the sacrament of the Eucharist.
Retreats:
Students in grade 3 and at least one parent are required to attend the Confirmation Retreat on Sunday, December 4 from 1:00 to 3:00 and the Eucharist Retreat on Friday March 30 6:00 to 8:30pm. Both retreats will be held at Holy Cross. Each retreat will include stories, prayer, discussion and fun activities that help students and their parents learn more about Confirmation and Eucharist, and how both sacraments can bring them into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. The child’s sponsor is encouraged to attend both retreats, but not required to.
Confirmation and Eucharist Preparation Materials:
Parents will receive a Confirmation preparation book at the parent meeting in October. There are Confirmation lessons in this book that parents will need to complete with their child at home. Students will be required to bring their book to class to insure the required lessons have been completed. Students and parents will also receive a Eucharist preparation folder at the Eucharist Retreat. This folder includes Eucharist lessons to be done at home with their parents in the weeks prior to receiving Confirmation and 1st Communion.
Confirmation Record Form and Baptismal Certificate:
At Faith Formation Registration, parents will be asked to complete a Confirmation Record Form for their child. A copy of the child’s baptismal certificate is also needed before they can be confirmed. If the child was baptized at Holy Cross, we most likely have a record of it. If they were baptized at another church, you must call that church and request that the baptismal certificate be sent to Holy Cross. The Confirmation Record Form and a copy of the baptismal certificate should be turned in no later than the date will be announced soon. Click here for the Confirmation Record Form.
Service Project Form:
Students in grade 3 are asked to complete 1 parish or 1 community service project. This is the minimum requirement – it is always better to do more; to build a habit of service. We would like to emphasize that the service project be done as a family. Parents will receive a Service Project form at the parent meeting in October. This form should be turned in no later than the date will be announced soon. Click here for the Service Project form.
Confirmation Name Form:
Students may choose to take a saint’s name or their Baptismal name as their Confirmation name. Parents will receive a Confirmation Name form at the parent meeting in October. This form should be turned in no later than February 3, 2011. The Confirmation Name form includes a Catholic saint website for parents and children to locate and learn more about the saint the child has chosen. Stories of Catholic saints can also be found in various Catholic saint books available in the Faith Formation Resource Room. Please contact Joe if you would like to check out one of these books.
Sponsor Information Form:
Each 3rd grade Confirmation candidate must have one sponsor. This person must be a confirmed, practicing Catholic of at least 16 years of age. The sponsor cannot be the parent of the candidate. Students are encouraged to visit regularly with their sponsor, either by phone or in person throughout the school year. Sponsors must be present at the Confirmation and 1st Communion rehearsal on the date will be announced soon if they cannot be present you must have a parent or 'fill in' to relay the information to you at the Confirmation and 1st Communion Mass on the date will be announced soon. Parents will receive a Sponsor Information form at the parent meeting in October. This form should be turned in no later than the date will be announced soon. Click here for the Sponsor form.
Reconciliation:
Parents are strongly encouraged to bring their child to the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to their child receiving the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist on Sunday, March 18 at 2:00pm. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered at Holy Cross every Saturday (except Holy Saturday) from 3:30-4:00pm or by appointment. Holy Cross will also offer an opportunity to go to this sacrament at our Communal Reconciliation Service. The date is to be determinded.
4-12 grade students who have not yet received the sacrament of Confirmation will prepare to receive this sacrament in the fall of 2009. They will receive the sacrament of Confirmation on the date will be announced soon
Students will be asked to prepare to receive Confirmation in several concrete ways. We hope that the range of activities will help each student to reflect on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and move toward a mature commitment to their faith. Remember, this commitment does not have to do with a certain amount of knowledge, and does not mean that the student, at this point, is an adult – but, with the grace of Confirmation, the student is fully initiated into the Church. This is not an end, but a beginning!
The following is asked of Holy Cross 4-12 grade students who will be confirmed during this academic year 2011-2012:
Classroom/Learning:
Students in grades 4-12 are expected to attend faith formation classes, which are offered through 12th grade. As we know, Confirmation is not a graduation from faith formation. All students, whether in 1st grade or 12th grade, are to continue learning about their Catholic faith, guided by their parents.
Retreat:
Students in grades 4-12 and at least one parent of that student are required to attend the Confirmation Retreat on the date will be announced soon at Holy Cross. The retreat will include stories, prayer, discussion and games that will help students and their parents learn more about Confirmation, and how this sacrament can bring them into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. The student’s sponsor is encouraged to attend, but not required to.
Confirmation Preparation Booklet:
Students will receive a booklet of preparation materials at the retreat. This booklet focuses on the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit and includes prayers and learning activities to be done at home with the family in the weeks prior to their Confirmation.
Confirmation Record Form and Baptismal Certificate:
At Faith Formation Registration, parents will be asked to complete a Confirmation Record Form for their child. A copy of the child’s baptismal certificate is also needed before they can be confirmed. If the child was baptized at Holy Cross, we most likely have a record of it. If they were baptized at another church, you must call that church and request that the baptismal certificate be sent to Holy Cross. The Confirmation Record Form and a copy of the baptismal certificate should be turned in no later than the date will be announced soon. Click here for the Confirmation Record Form.
Service Project Form:
Students are asked to complete 1 parish or 1 community service project. This is the minimum requirement – it is always better to do more; to build a habit of service. We would like to emphasize that the service project be done as a family. Parents will receive a Service Project form at the retreat in October. This form should be turned in no later than the date will be announced soon
Confirmation Name Form:
Students may choose to take a saint’s name or their Baptismal name as their Confirmation name. Parents will receive a Confirmation Name form at the retreat in October. This form should be turned in no later than the date will be announced soon. The Confirmation Name form includes a Catholic saint website for parents and children to locate and learn more about the saint the child has chosen. Stories of Catholic saints can also be found in various Catholic saint books available in the Faith Formation Resource Room. Please contact Joe if you would like to check out one of these books.
Sponsor Information Form:
Each Confirmation candidate must have one sponsor. This person must be a confirmed, practicing Catholic of at least 16 years of age. The sponsor cannot be the parent of the candidate. Students are encouraged to visit regularly with their sponsor, either by phone or in person throughout the school year. Sponsors must be present at the Confirmation rehearsal and the Confirmation Mass. Parents will receive a Sponsor Information form at the retreat in October. This form should be turned in no later than the date will be announced soon. Click here for the Sponsor form.
Reconciliation:
Parents are strongly encouraged to bring their child to the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to their child receiving the sacrament of Confirmation. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered at Holy Cross every Saturday from 3:30-4:00pm or by appointment.
We are happy to assist couples who want to be married in the Church. Your desire to be married at Holy Cross and/or your asking for help with the preparation tells us that your belief in Christ and the Church is important to you as a couple. Because community is such a central part of what it means to be Catholic, it is important that you be an active member of the parish, if you are not already. Being active means you are a registered member of the parish, you join us at Eucharist on Sunday and that you share your gifts with us, thus blessing us as your faith community, while benefiting from our gifts of the community in return. In other words, the relationship you have with us as a parish is an important part of preparing for marriage and a lifetime journey of faith.
In the Diocese of Fargo the marriage requirements are as follows:
- Contact the parish at least 7 months ahead of the wedding date
- Take a relationship inventory
- Attend a pre-marriage seminar/workshop/retreat
- Attend a Natural Family Planning course
- Complete appropriate paperwork including securing baptismal certificates
- Plan the wedding celebration following the Church's guidelines
To begin the process or ask questions, contact Bianca at 701-282-7217.
Sample order of the Service with Mass
Sample order of the Service without Mass
Do you someone who is interested in becoming Catholic ~ maybe a friend, co-worker, or family member? Consider the power of invitation, an invitation to participate in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
What exactly is the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)?
The RCIA is a liturgical-catechetical process that provides formation into the Catholic faith and way of life for non-baptized adults, Christians of other denominations, and adult Catholics who have not been confirmed. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults participants have the opportunity to ask questions about the Church and hear about the message of Jesus Christ and how that message is lived out in the Catholic Church.
How the RCIA works
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process provides a structure for:
+ learning about the Catholic faith and way of life;
+ catechesis (the handing on of the teachings of the Church);
+ public and private prayer;
+ the opportunity to participate in faith-sharing groups;
+ direct spiritual support from members of the Holy Cross community;
+ the observance of feasts, fasts, Sundays and seasons of the Church Calendar;
+ participation in the work of the church for justice and peace;
+ and proclamation of the Gospel
During this time, each catechumen or candidate is paired with a sponsor who serves as a spiritual companion who provides support and encouragement.
When is the RCIA offered at Holy Cross?
Weekly RCIA meetings will resume in early September and continue until Pentecost Sunday, with breaks for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Each meeting will provide the opportunity to reflect on the Sunday scripture readings, to receive teaching on a wide range of topics related to church teachings and Catholic-Christian living, interact with presenters and facilitators and the group, and participate in and share hospitality.
For more information about RCIA call Darryl Lutovsky at 701-282-7217.