Church of
St. Monica
New York City
Priests of Saint Monica
Pastor:
Rev. Msgr. Thomas A. Modugno
Associates:
Rev. Joe A. Francis
Rev. Thomas Mankamthanath
In Residence:
Rev. Apolinari Ngirwa
In Sunday Service:
Rev. Richard Arold
Tel: 212-288-6250
Fax: 212-570-1562
Email: info@churchofstmonica.org
Sacraments
Christ instituted the sacraments of the new law. There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life; they give birth and increase healing and mission to the Christian’s life of faith. There is thus a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the spiritual life.
The Sacrament of Baptism
Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word.
Please contact a member of the parish
staff well in advance
to schedule a baptism.
Please note that godparents are required to
provide
a ‘certificate / letter of eligibility’ to
ensure that they
are members in good standing of a Roman Catholic
Church, and proof that they have been baptized.
The Sacrament of Confirmation
Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of
Confirmation together constitute the “sacraments of Christian
initiation,” whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to
the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is
necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For, by the sacrament
of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church
and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they
are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and
defend the faith by word and deed.
The Sacrament of the Eucharist
The Holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord’s own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist.
At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a blond of charity, a Paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.
The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God’s mercy for the offenses committed against Him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church, which they have wounded by their sins and which, by charity, by example, and by prayer, labors for their conversion.
Confessions are heard at
anytime by appointment.
The Anointing of the Sick
By the sacred Anointing of the Sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that He may raise them up and save them. And indeed He exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ.
Please telephone the parish
office for visitation of the sick at home or in the hospital.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate, and deaconate.
“Wisdom
is easily discerned by those who love her (Wisdom
In other words, wisdom is found by those who look for it. Pray
for the wisdom to know God’s will in your life. Perhaps it is to serve
Him as a priest, sister or brother. If you think God is calling you to a
Church vocation, click on vocations
to start discerning your call.
The Sacrament of Matrimony
The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.
Please call the parish
office for an appointment at least six (6) months in advance.
Instruction is required for the engaged couples. For a complete list of places where the Marriage Preparation Programs are being offered, you can pass by the parish office to request a Pre-Cana booklet and registration form. That booklet will guide you through the marriage preparation process, and help you lay a firm foundation for your married life.