Many Catholics, baptized as infants, don't remember their own Baptism, when their parents professed Christian faith on their behalf. And all too often, teenage Catholics receive the Sacrament of Confirmation without fully appreciating the incredible graces of that sacrament. Those adults entering the Catholic Church through our Becoming Catholic (OCIA) process will have the special opportunity to approach these sacraments with a more mature understanding.

This week, we reflect on the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, which are intimately connected. We pray that your love and appreciation for these sacraments continues to grow, whether you are a lifelong Catholic or still discerning joining the Catholic Church.

From Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained Part 2, Episode 1, "The Sacraments: Baptism & Confirmation":

Most of us are familiar with the word "sacrament." We participate in sacramental rites often as Catholics. But do we understand what a sacrament is, and what it means for us and our everyday lives?

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What's the relationship between Baptism and Confirmation? Try this analogy!

Fire purifies and transforms. We can see this dynamic at work in both pottery making . . . and the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives. The Holy Spirit is often described and depicted as fire - and, like fire, takes one thing and makes it another. In pottery making, clay is cast into fire, and transformed into ceramic. In our journey as Christians, we are given the Holy Spirit at Baptism and Confirmation, and slowly transformed into Christ. The Holy Spirit changes everything it touches. It matures and transforms us into our ultimate goal, to act and be more like Jesus. 

How do we welcome the fire of the Holy Spirit into our lives? Watch to learn more.

Baptism: "but what about . . . ?"

“Baptism is the sacrament of faith.” The Catechism explains to us who can baptize as well as why we need Baptism for eternal life. It also explains to us what happens when people die without the opportunity for Baptism. Fr. Mike addresses our “what about” questions concerning Baptism. Most especially, Fr. Mike addresses the destination of those who will never have the opportunity to hear the Gospel or be baptized. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1253-1261.

We continue our examination of the sacrament of Confirmation, specifically the celebration and effects of the sacrament of Confirmation. Fr. Mike explores the different elements of the rite of Confirmation and the ways in which Confirmation increases and deepens our baptismal graces. He emphasizes, in particular, the special strength of the Holy Spirit that we receive to spread and defend the Faith by our words and actions. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1297-1305.

Saint Augustine of Hippo is one of the Church's most famous converts. After years of wild living as a teenager and young adult (and a lot of perseverance in prayer on the part of his mother, Saint Monica), Augustine embraced Christianity at age 33. He went on to become a priest, bishop, and one of the finest theologians in the history of the Catholic Church.

Saint Augustine is perhaps best known for the Confessions, his autobiographical account of his journey to faith. Join Deacon Harry Verhiley for a 7-part series on the Confessions, beginning on February 13 here at SPX.

Looking for more opportunities to deepen your faith here at Saint Pius X? Visit our website to learn more!

• StPius.net/Faith Homepage for seasonal adult faith formation programs
• StPius.net/Bible Bible studies and Bible study resources, including our Living Water Bible Study blog
• StPius.net/Groups Grow in faith with a group! Check out That Man is You! and She Shall Be Called Woman
• StPius.net/Resources Parish lending library, subscriptions to Catholic periodicals, and instructions for accessing Formed.org