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ST
AILBE
CATHOLIC
CHURCH
Rooted
in
Faith
Strengthened
by
love
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Baptism: The
first of the seven sacraments, and the door which gives
access to the other sacraments. Baptism is the first and
chief sacrament of forgiveness of sins because it unites
us with Christ, who died for our sins and rose for our
justification. Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
constitute the Sacraments of initiation by which a
believer receives the remission of original and personal
sin, begins a new life in Christ and the Holy Spirit,
and is incorporated into the Church, the body of Christ.
The rite of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate
in water, or pouring water on the head, while
pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: the
Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Sacred
Chrism, or oil, is a sign of the gift of the Holy
Spirit being given to the newly baptized. It is also a
sign of the close link between the mission of Jesus and
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, who comes to the
person with the Father in baptism.
The newly baptized are dressed in a white
garment after baptism
to symbolize that they are washed clean of sin and that
they are to continue to walk in this newness of life. |
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On
Holy Saturday, the Catholic Church in the United
States will receive tens of thousands of men and
women in the Church. Parishes welcome these new
members through the Rite of Christian Initiation
of Adults (RCIA) and a ceremony bringing men and
women into full communion with the Catholic
Church.
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