Baptismal & Marriage Sacrements
Sacrament of Baptism
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
What is Baptism
In Baptism, the first sacrament of initiation, a person is born again into the Living Body of Christ. He or she is given a name as a share in the Divine Life of Jesus Christ himself.
God desires the salvation of every person and he makes this possible through a rebirth in the Holy Spirit and adoption into his family and kingdom.
The signs and symbols used are water, anointing with oil, laying on of hands and presentation of a lighted candle.
Unlike ordinary symbols these actually accomplish what they signify on the spiritual level.
- Water – cleansing and life giving
- Oil – participation in the kingship of Jesus and his priesthood
- Imposition of hands – indwelling of the Holy Spirit and
- Candle – the light and life of Christ
The Importance of a Godparent/Sponsor
Before any other discussion about godparents/sponsors, the following is what Church Law or Canon Law dictates about the person:
- Chosen for this role by the one to be baptized (or by parents in the case of an infant);
- Must be 16 years of age or older (the local Bishop may establish a different age);
- Must be a Catholic who is Confirmed and who has received the Eucharist, and is leading a life in conformity with the faith and the role assumed as a sponsor;
- Is not bound by any canonical penalty. For example, if the godparent is married, they were married in a Catholic service. A civil marriage is not considered a valid marriage in the Catholic Church. For the role of godparent, this holds.
- Is not a parent to the baptized or the one to be Confirmed.
Please have this established before bringing the godparent to class. If the godparent is not registered in our Parish, we will ask for documentation from the parish where the godparent belongs. Becoming a godparent is a wonderful privilege. It is not one to be taken lightly. We ask parents to select wisely, select well.
Sacrament of Matrimony
Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman, ‘ for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
The Holy Trinity is a community of persons sharing completely in one another’s lives although separate individuals. Since we are made in his image, share in God’s life and with every spiritual gift under heaven, we too are meant to share God’s love and ours with others.
Matrimony is the second of the social sacraments after Reconciliation and sanctifies the love that a man and a woman share with each other. This human love is again a partaking in the divine nature of God himself as St. John tells us, “God is love”.
Through Matrimony the couple also enrich the church with children and strengthen the community with the graces and example of their love and vocation.
The rite of marriage is but one moment, however significant, in the process of a marriage that begins before the rite and deepens and grows thereafter. In preparing couples for marriage, the Church focuses on both the rite and the process. In Catholic belief, Christ is at the center of married love; celebrated in the context of the Church and its faith tradition, marriage is understood as a covenant and an integral part of the journey of faith. So marriage in the Church is approached with great seriousness and deliberation. It is the responsibility of the pastor or other pastoral staff members appointed to help a couple discern their freedom and readiness to take this step.
The Church requires a preparation period of at least four to six months prior to the wedding to explore the couple’s readiness, to take care of necessary paperwork, and to ensure that the couple takes the time needed to prepare well. Engaged couples should secure a date for use of the church and begin this process before making commitments with caterers, reception facilities, etc.
Hawaii Catholic Engaged Encounter
The Engaged Encounter Weekend offers couples a unique opportunity to look at their commitment to each other in a deeper way as they prepare for marriage.
Planning your Catholic Wedding
Please refer to the Diocese of Honolulu for further information & required documentation.
Visitors Wishing to Marry in Hawaii
Please refer to the Diocese of Honolulu for further information & required documentation.