Sacraments
To register for Faith Formation classes for children pre-k through high school, please visit our Faith Formation page.
Adult and Children Sacramental Preparation Information Session
Are you interested in receiving the Sacraments? We are hosting an information session for anyone interested in sacramental preparation for children and adults!
Whether you’re an adult who hasn’t been Baptized or Confirmed, someone who was Baptized but not Confirmed, or a parent seeking the Sacraments for your child(ren), we invite you to come learn more about the process and ask any questions you might have about Sacramental preparation.
Sunday, September 14th
After the 8am Mass (approximately 9am), ending before the 10am Mass
Sacred Heart Hall
All are welcome!
The first day of Sacramental preparation class for adults will be Sunday, September 21st. Time and location will be announced - stay tuned!
If you have any questions, please contact Dominique at dfresquez@notredamedenver.org or 303-742-2351.
Baptism for Children Under Age 7
September Baptism Preparation Class
Tuesday, September 16th
6:00pm to 7:30pm
Dinner is provided!
Parish Office (5100 W Evans Ave.)
To sign up, please contact Dominique Fresquez at 303-742-2351 or dfresquez@notredamedenver.org.
This class is for parents and godparents if children under the age of 7.
Baptism is the beginning of your child’s journey of faith and a beautiful moment for your entire family. We are here to support you in this important step!
If your child is under the age of 7, please fill out the form below to begin the process. A member of our team will follow up with you to provide more information and guide you through the next steps.
If your child is older than 7, please scroll to the Baptism section below for information on our preparation process for older children.
We look forward to welcoming your child into our faith community!
Graces and the Sacraments
Jesus Christ instituted seven sacraments:
Three sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist.
Two sacraments of healing: reconciliation and anointing of the sick.
Two sacraments of service: marriage and holy orders.
In every Christian life and in a Christian’s striving for discipleship, Christ offers these sacraments and, through them, graces his disciples, friends, brothers and sisters, that they may believe, hope, and love.
Baptism
Getting your child baptized
Parents are encouraged to have their babies baptized as soon after birth as possible. At Notre Dame, there is a baptism preparation class once a month. Godparents are invited to attend each of these classes with the parents.
If my child has not yet been baptized and is older than 7, what do I do?
OCIC, the Order of Christian Initiation of Children, is a baptism program for children that are older than the traditional infant baptism age. For more information concerning the baptism of your children 7 years of age and older, please visit our Faith Formation page.
If my child has not yet been baptized but is a teen, what do I do?
Similar to the OCIC program, there is also the Order of Christian Initiation for Teens. For more information, please visit our Faith Formation page.
In any case, if you have questions or wish to speak further with someone regarding the baptism of your children, please contact Dominique Fresquez, Director of Religious Education, at 303-742-2351 or dfresquez@notredamedenver.org.
How should I pick godparents for my child?
The role of godparent comes from ancient Rome. Christian parents, facing the very real threat of losing their lives because they were disciples of Jesus, would entrust their minor children to a “parent in God.” The godparent would promise to help raise the child as a Christian and, in case of the parents death, to adopt them so as to raise them in the faith. Being a godparent is not an honorary role. A godparent is chosen because he/she lives the Catholic Christian life and, as such, is a role model of faith and can support, and even raise, the child in the Catholic faith. The church asks for certain “qualifications” in godparents: be at least sixteen years old, having received the sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist, and be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church. Parents of a child may not be that child’s godparents.
Confirmation
What is the age for the Sacrament of Confirmation?
Confirmation is administered in the third grade and up. Children are prepared for the sacraments by their parents, who are called to live the sacraments in their lives and the lives of their family. When a parent believes his/her child is ready to receive first Reconciliation, Confirmation, and/or first Communion, the parent can contact Dominique Fresquez at 303-742-2351 or dfresquez@notredamedenver.org.
How are children who have not been baptized prepared for Confirmation?
Children older than seven who have not been baptized are to prepare for baptism, confirmation, and first Eucharist through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children and/or Teens. Please contact Dominique Fresquez at 303-742-2351 or dfresquez@notredamedenver.org for more information.
What are the requirements for a Confirmation name?
A Confirmation saint may be chosen as a patron/patroness. At Confirmation you will be confirmed using this saint name or your Baptismal name. You may choose a saint who you have a special devotion to or a saint whose virtues inspire you to live a holy life.
If my child has not yet been confirmed and is in 3rd grade or older, what do I do?
Archbishop Aquila of Denver has implemented a restored order program, raising the age of First Communion from 2nd grade to 3rd grade and lowering the age of Confirmation from high school to 3rd grade, following confirmation. (For more information from the Archdiocese of Denver, please click here.)
For more information regarding a child’s Confirmation following the 3rd grade, please see our sacramental preparation section of our faith formation page.
When does Confirmation take place?
Confirmation usually occurs in February-March.
If I am an adult and have not yet been confirmed, what do I do?
Adults 18 and older who have not been confirmed are invited to contact Dominique Fresquez at 303-742-2351 or dfresquez@notredamedenver.org and discuss his/her desire for and need of Confirmation.
Reconciliation
If my child is in 3rd grade or older but has not yet received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time, what should I do?
The sacraments are best taught by parents, who as part of their baptismal and family spirituality are called to celebrate the sacraments in their lives and in their family. Since the sacraments are occasions of friendship with Jesus, the most important part of any sacrament is not to know its theological content but to know how to live its sacramental grace. And knowing how to live its sacramental grace is modeled by parents so as to be imitated by children.
First Reconciliation traditionally occurs in the 3rd grade towards the end of the year, that is, when a child has reached the age of reason and can begin to understand truth and love, right from wrong, and freedom and responsibility.
For more information regarding the reception of Reconciliation for children and teenagers, please see our sacramental preparation section of our faith formation page.
If I am a young adult or older and have not received the Sacrament of Reconciliation yet, what should I do?
Please contact Dominique Fresquez at 303-742-2351 or dfresquez@notredamedenver.org and she will work out a program of formation with you.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Saturdays: 8:30—10:30 a.m. or by appointment with Fr. Peter or Fr. Owen.
Contact the parish office to set up an appointment (303) 935-3900
Eucharist
The Sacrament of the Eucharist / Holy Communion
The Sacrament of the Eucharist is the third and final Sacrament of Initiation. It is called a sacrament of initiation because receiving it brings us into the fullness of our life in Christ.
First Communion usually occurs in 3rd grade or after, usually in May. As with the sacraments of Reconciliation and Confirmation, parents help in the preparation of First Communion for their child. There will be parents meetings to help in this preparation. Please contact Dominique Fresquez at dfresquez@notredamedenver.org or 303.742.2351 for more information.
Vocations
Jesus Christ calls everyone to live a life of vocation. He calls some to marriage and others to priesthood, religious life, or the single life. He may also call some married and single men to the diaconate.
With each vocation, a person lives a life of faith and prayer so that he/she may continue to grow in his/her friendship with God. The Catholic Church recognizes that each vocation is important and necessary in the life of the church. Because God calls one to a particular vocation, that vocation is the best for that individual because it is the one that will lead them to friendship with Christ and service to Christ’s bride, the church.
For more information, contact Father Peter or Deacon Ernie, and refer to the Office of Vocations of the Archdiocese of Denver.
Priesthood
The Catholic priest is a male ordained minister who gives his life in complete service to the church. Priests are asked to embrace celibacy and commit to a life of pastoral service to the People of God. Priests build up the parish community, celebrate the sacraments, lead the parish in its worship of God, teach the Catholic faith, and serve their parishioners and the poor by meeting their pastoral needs. Most priests minister in a parish setting while others serve as chaplains in universities, hospitals, prisons, or in other Christian communities.
Religious Life
Religious priests, brothers, and sisters (commonly referred to as nuns) commit their lives to the mission of their religious community, wherein they embrace the call to poverty, chastity, and obedience. They foster their call through a life of celibacy, prayer, and service. Religious priests, brothers, and sisters normally serve in specialized areas of ministry, such as healthcare, teaching, and in specific missions found in remote areas of the world. Two distinctive marks of a religious priest, brother, or sister are 1) living in community; 2) serving the charism (mission) of the religious order to which they belong.
Single Life
A true vocation in the Lord and in the church, the single life is, for some, the truest and only way to faithfully live his/her baptismal calling. As St. Paul himself says, “Everyone should live as the Lord has assigned, just as God called each one” (I Cor 7:17). And then he adds, “An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord….An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit” (vs. 32, 34). Many single people dedicate their lives to Christ and the service of his people without formal promises or vows. Others make promises or vows of virginity.
Diaconate
A deacon is either a single or married man who is ordained to serve the poor in the name of the church. According to Church teaching, he is ordained not to priesthood but to service in imitation of Christ, the suffering servant who came not to be served but to serve. In the Mass, the deacon proclaims the gospel, leads the congregation in the prayers of the faithful, distributes Holy Communion, and leads the congregation out to glorify the Lord, announce the gospel, and serve one another. The Lord and the church call to this ministry men of more mature faith, stable marriages and family life (if married and with a family), and a heart for loving and serving the poor.
Marriage
“A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh.” – Mark 10:7-8
If you are newly engaged and would like to learn more about preparing for the Sacrament of Marriage, please click here.
If you would like to learn more about getting your marriage blessed in the Catholic Church, please click here.
To begin marriage preparation or to begin the process of getting your marriage blessed in the Catholic Church, please contact Laura at 303.742.2342 or lgillette@notredamedenver.org to schedule an appointment with one of our priests.
Anointing of the Sick
Anointing of the Sick
To request a priest for the Anointing of the Sick, please call 303.935.3900.
For an After Hours Sacramental Emergency, please call 303.935.3540.
One should not wait until one is dying to receive the Anointing of the Sick. The following are sufficient circumstances to warrant calling for the priest
The onset or worsening of a serious illness
Before major surgery
Worsening health associated with continued aging
The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick expresses Jesus’s and the Church’s solidarity with the sick person in his/her suffering. While physical healing of illness is a hoped-for effect, the primary effect of the sacrament is spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and courage to deal with the difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age.