Inquiring About a Sacrament?

Catholics are entitled to receive the sacraments in the parish where they belong: indeed it is the responsibility of the pastor to administer the sacraments for the parishioners. It is understood that all Catholics are welcome to participate in the Mass and Reconciliation at any parish. However, it is not the pastor’s responsibility to provide the other sacraments for people who do not belong to his parish. They are really meant to go to their own parish.

This raises the question “to which parish do I belong?” Every person belongs to a parish at least by way of geographical boundaries. This does not force you to belong to a given parish – you may choose to belong to parish other than the one in which you live. But this belonging must be demonstrated by at least regularly attending the parish you are choosing to belong to and registering with them. Of course, even if you live within our boundaries and hence “belong” here, you are expected to attend Mass and we ask that you register as well.

Our understanding of being a Christian entails belonging to Christ and to each other. We make up the Body of Christ present in the world today. We gather together to worship Christ our head and it is within that community that we find the minister that is sacramentally responsible for us. The following information is for those who belong to St. Francis de Sales Parish.