Baptism
Learn more about Baptism...
In his dialogue with Nicodemus, Jesus taught that Baptism was necessary for salvation. "No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit" (Jn 3:5). After his Resurrection, Jesus met with the eleven Apostles and gave them the commission to preach the Gospel and baptize, telling them, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mk 16:16).
The word baptism in its origins is Greek and means "immersion" and "bath." Immersion in water is a sign of death and emersion out of the water means new life. To bathe in water is also to undergo cleansing. Saint Paul sums up this truth when he says, "You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead" (Col 2:12).
The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters. "He comes to sanctify the Jordan for our sake . . . to begin a new creation through the Spirit and water" (St. Gregory Nazianzen, Liturgy of the Hours, I, 634).
Jesus' immersion in the water is a sign for all human beings of the need to die to themselves to do God's will. Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father.
By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin—Original and actual—and begin to live a new life with God.
—From the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
Holy Communion
"Take; this is my body"
- Mark 14:22
So rich is the mystery of the Eucharist that we have a number of terms to illumine its saving grace: the Breaking of the Bread; the Lord's Supper; the Eucharistic Assembly; the Memorial of Christ's Passion, Death, and Resurrection; the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Holy and Divine Liturgy; the Eucharistic Liturgy; Holy Communion; and Holy Mass (cf. CCC, nos. 1328-1332).The use of bread and wine in worship is already found in the early history of God's people. In the Old Testament, bread and wine are seen as gifts from God, to whom praise and thanks are given in return for these blessings and for other manifestations of his care and grace. The story of the priest Melchizedek's offering a sacrifice of bread and wine for Abraham's victory is an example of this (cf. Gn 14:18). The harvest of new lambs was also a time for the sacrifice of a lamb to show gratitude to God for the new flock and its contribution to the well-being of the family and tribe.
These ancient rituals were given historical meaning at the Exodus of God's people. They were united into the Passover Meal as a sign of God's delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, a pledge of his fidelity to his promises and eventually a sign of the coming of the Messiah and messianic times. Each family shared the lamb that had been sacrificed and the bread over which a blessing had been proclaimed. They also drank from a cup of wine over which a similar blessing had been proclaimed.
When Jesus instituted the Eucharist he gave a final meaning to the blessing of the bread and the wine and the sacrifice of the lamb. The Gospels narrate events that anticipated the Eucharist. The miracle of the loaves and fish, reported in all four Gospels, prefigured the unique abundance of the Eucharist. The miracle of changing water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana manifested the divine glory of Jesus and the heavenly wedding feast in which we share at every Eucharist.
In his dialogue with the people at Capernaum, Christ used his miracle of multiplying the loaves of bread as the occasion to describe himself as the Bread of Life: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. . . Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you" (Jn 6:51, 53).
Students in Grade 2 will be preparing to receive the Sacrament of First Communion.
Reconciliation
Forgiveness is the Foundation for Reconciliation
Learn more about Confession...
The Sacrament of Penance must be seen within the context of conversion from sin and a turn to God. Peter wept bitterly over his triple denial of Christ but received the grace of conversion and expressed it with a threefold confession of love for Jesus (cf. Lk 22:54-62; Jn 21:15-19). Paul was converted from persecuting Christians to becoming one of the greatest disciples of Christ who ever lived (cf. Acts 9:1-31). These moments of conversion were only the beginning of their lifelong commitment to living in fidelity to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sin harms our relationship with God and damages our communion with the Church. Conversion of heart is the beginning of our journey back to God. Liturgically this happens in the Sacrament of Penance. In the history of the Church, this Sacrament has been celebrated in different ways. Beneath the changes, there have always been two essentials: the acts of the penitent and the acts of Christ through the ministry of the Church. Both go hand in hand. Conversion must involve a change of heart as well as a change of actions. Neither is possible without God's grace.
Act of Contrition
My God,
I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you
whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help,
to do penance, to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.
In His name, my God, have mercy.
Amen.
Students in Grade 2 will be preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confession.
Vocations
God calls. We respond. A vocation is a response to a specific call that Jesus Christ places on our hearts. It is our individual way of living discipleship in the Church.
Our primary call, through the Sacrament of Baptism, is to be a follower (disciple) of Jesus Christ. It is to be a holy person. Within that first call to follow Christ, God calls us in specific ways to live a vocation to the married life, the single life, the consecrated religious life, or the ordained life.
Prayer Chain
The Prayer Chain: A Powerful Tool for Catholics
Prayer is a vital part of the Catholic faith. It is a means of communication with God, and it allows us to deepen our relationship with Him. As Catholics, we believe that prayer has the power to change the world, and one way we put that belief into action is through the Prayer Chain.
The Prayer Chain is a network of individuals who agree to pray for specific intentions. When someone requests prayer, the intention is passed along through the network, and each person on the chain commits to pray for that intention. This creates a powerful wave of prayer, as countless individuals are lifting up the same request to God.
The Prince of Peace Prayer Chain is an important tool for several reasons.
First and foremost, it is a way for us to put our faith into action. We believe that God hears our prayers and that He responds to them. By joining the Prayer Chain, we are actively participating in God's plan for the world. We are saying to Him, "Here are our concerns, our hopes, our fears. We trust You to work in and through us to bring about Your will."
Secondly, the Prayer Chain is a way for us to support one another. Life can be difficult, and there are times when we need extra support and encouragement. By requesting prayer from the Prayer Chain, we are asking our brothers and sisters in Christ to stand with us in prayer. This can be incredibly comforting, knowing that there are others who are praying specifically for us.
Lastly, the Prayer Chain is a way for us to grow in our relationship with God. Prayer is not just about asking for things; it is also about listening to God and seeking His will for our lives. By participating in the Prayer Chain, we are opening ourselves up to the movement of the Holy Spirit. We are allowing God to work in and through us, and we are becoming more attuned to His voice.
So, how can you get involved in the Prayer Chain? The first step is to find out if your parish or community has a Prayer Chain. If they do, ask to be added to the list. If they don't, consider starting one. It can be as simple as sending out an email or text message to a group of friends, asking them to pray for a specific intention. As more people join, the chain will grow, and the power of prayer will be amplified.
As Catholics at the Prince of Peace community, we encourage leveraging prayer on a regular basis since it is such a power too. It allows us to put our faith into action, support one another, and grow in our relationship with God. By joining the Prayer Chain, we become part of a community of believers who are united in prayer.
So, let us lift up our hearts and our voices in prayer, trusting that God hears us and responds to our requests.
If you would like to be involved in the Prayer Chain, please let us know. Or, if you have special prayer requests, you can send those to us at any time.
Prayer Request
At Prince of Peace, we believe in the power of prayer and would be honored to pray for you.
If you have a prayer request or need, please share it with us. Our prayer team will pray for your needs and lift them up to God. We will add your prayer request to our Book of Intentions, as well as pray for your specific intention during our Staff Adoration Prayer time each week.
Some common examples of prayer needs and requests include healing for the sick, comfort for the grieving, strength for those in need, wisdom for our leaders, and guidance in life's challenges.
Please fill out the prayer request below, or send an email to pray@popgb.org at any time.
We would love to pray for you. Thank you for sharing your special prayer needs with us.