SACRAMENTS
Ceremonies at the Shrine
The Catholic sacraments—central to our faith and spiritual life—are available to parishioners at the Shrine. To inquire, please download and complete the appropriate request forms and submit via EMAIL. All required documents must be submitted in person at the time of your reservation with the parish office.
Baptism
Baptism is the one sacrament shared by all Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, infants are baptized to welcome them into the faith and free them from original sin. Adults prepare for baptism through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), receiving the sacrament to remit both original and actual sin.
Contact the Parish Office: 403-678-5022
First Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Penance, also called Reconciliation or Confession, is the first of two sacraments of healing. It restores the baptized to God’s grace by forgiving sins through contrition, confession, absolution, and penance. Only a priest can administer this sacrament, granting absolution after sincere repentance.
Contact the Parish Office: 403-678-5022
First Communion
In First Communion, Catholics receive the Eucharist for the first time, partaking in the Body and Blood of Christ. Through transubstantiation, the bread and wine are transformed into Christ’s real presence, completing Christian initiation. This sacred moment marks a deepening of the child’s relationship with Jesus and full participation in the life of the Church.
Contact the Parish Office: 403-678-5022
Confirmation
Confirmation is one of the three sacraments of initiation into the Roman Catholic Church, the other two being Baptism and Holy Communion. According to Catholic doctrine, the Sacrament of Confirmation enables the faithful to be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, strengthening them in their Christian life.
At the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies Confirmation celebrations are held every two years in the Spring at Easter Vigil.
Contact the Parish Office: 403-678-5022
Marriage
Contact the Parish Office: 403-678-5022
Annointing of the Sick
The anointing of the sick is administered to bring spiritual and even physical strength during an illness, especially near the time of death. It is most likely one of the last sacraments one will receive. A sacrament is an outward sign established by Jesus Christ to confer inward grace. In more basic terms, it is a rite that is performed to convey God’s grace to the recipient, through the power of the Holy Spirit. New privacy laws, allow for only family members to be informed if one of our parishioners is in the hospital. If you or a loved one are in the hospital and would like a visit from Fr. Pilmaiken, please inform the hospital staff.
Holy Order & Consecrated Life
The Sacrament of Holy Orders is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, instituted by Christ to perpetuate the apostolic ministry through the ordination of bishops, priests, and deacons, who receive the grace and sacred power to act in the person of Christ for the service of the faithful.It configures the ordained to Christ the Head, enabling them to govern, teach, and sanctify the Church community, particularly through presiding at the Eucharist and administering other sacraments.
Source: https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
Sacramental Preparation & Pastoral Ministry
RCIA - Becoming Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, a process within the Catholic Church for unbaptized adults to become members of the Church and for those baptized in other Christian traditions to be received into full communion. It’s a gradual journey of faith formation, prayer, and instruction, culminating in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
Sacramental Preparations
Preparations offers a time of learning, reflection, and spiritual growth. It involves preparing to receive a specific sacrament—through attending classes, studying teachings, and prayerfully considering the meaning of the sacrament in one’s life.
Funeral & Columbarium
At the heart of our Catholic faith is the Paschal Mystery of Christ—a mystery that embraces both this life and the life to come, and offers us the hope of resurrection. Whether you are planning a funeral, prearranging future services, or considering a resting place in our Columbarium, the Shrine Church may offer a sacred home for you or your loved one.