Need to find a Catholic Church while on vacation or away? Look no further! www.masstimes.org can help you locate a Catholic Church anywhere around the world to get Mass times and even directions.    

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Necesita encontrar una iglesia católica mientras estaba de vacaciones? No busques más! www.masstimes.org puede ayudarle a localizar una iglesia católica en cualquier lugar del mundo para obtener tiempos de masa y direcciones incluso.)

  St. Paul’s offers low-gluten hosts for Communion for those parishioners who suffer from Celiac disease. These hosts have only a minute amount of gluten (0.01%) and are approved for use by the USCCB. Parishioners wishing to receive a low-gluten host MUST contact the sacristan10 minutes before Mass for instructions.

You may visit the Welcome Center during regular office hours to arrange for the offering of Masses (up to 3 intentions will be accepted for each Mass, except those Sunday Masses offered for the People of the Parish). You may also make arrangements to offer weekend flowers, weekly bread and wine, and weekly altar/sanctuary candles.  The suggested donations are: Masses: $5 per intention; Flowers: $75 for the standard floral arrangement; Candles: $25 for the Church altar, Chapel Altar and Sanctuary Candles; Bread & Wine: $15 for all the bread and wine used in daily and Sunday celebrations of the Eucharist.

Don’t chew gum in church. (No mastique chicle in la iglesia.)

Fast before Mass. It is Church law that one fasts for at least one (1) hour before receiving Holy Communion. The only exceptions are medicine, water or unless someone is ill and needs to eat sooner. (Ayuno antes de Misa. Es una ley de la iglesia que se ayune al menos una hora antes de recibir la Sagrada Comunión. Las únicas excepciones son medicina, agua o si alguien está enfermo y necesita comer antes.)

No Food and Drink in Church. The only exceptions would be milk for infants, water for the priest or choir (if discreet) and water for those who are ill. (No se come ni se toma nada en la Iglesia. La única excepción sería leche para los bebés, agua para el sacerdote o coro (discretamente) y agua para los que están enfermos.)

IF I AM BUSY? 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) says, “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass” (CCC 2180).
 
“Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin” (CCC 2181).
 
This excludes those who cannot attend for unavoidable reasons such as illness or infirmity, for example. Life can get so busy that when Sunday comes around each week, it becomes just another day to run errands or catch up on sleep or chores. Yet, God intended the Sabbath (Sunday for Catholics) to be a holy day for us, when we reconnect with Him. That’s one of the reasons He gave us the Third Commandment. Attending Mass each week is not just something we have to do; it is something we get to do.
 
At Mass, each faithful Catholic is fed with abundant graces. We know that our Lord is truly present in the Eucharist, and we receive His body and blood in this Sacrament. The Mass is a precious gift to us. Try not to miss even one.

Como actuamos en la Iglesia

La Iglesia es un lugar sagrado, reservado para el culto a Dios. El Santísimo Sacramento está en el tabernáculo y Su Presencia Real requiere de nosotros la mayor reverencia. Es por eso que, aunque no se esté celebrando la Santa Misa, el ambiente en la iglesia debe conducir a la oración y el respeto a Dios. Es más bien un lugar sagrado, diferente a todos los demás. ¡Es casa de oración! Toda nuestra actitud debe reflejar nuestra fe en la Presencia de Cristo. Tenemos la obligación moral de reflexionar sobre nuestro propio comportamiento y enseñar a nuestros hijos.

Algunas reglas en la Iglesia:
Prohibidos chicles, comidas y bebidas.
Vestir decorosamente. Evitar escotes y vestidos provocativos; evitar jeans, pantalones apretados, shorts, camisetas.
Mantener el teléfono apagado. Nunca utilizarlo en la iglesia.
Persignarse con agua bendita al entrar. Nos recuerda nuestro bautismo.
Hacer genuflexión ante el sagrario (tocar el suelo con la rodilla derecha)
Guardar silencio por respeto, para facilitar el recogimiento y la oración.

En la misa:
Saber cuándo sentarse, arrodillarse y pararse.
Participar en las oraciones y los cantos.
Cuidar de no hacer ruido con los reclinatorios al levantarlos y bajarlos.
Sentarse con postura decorosa. No acostarse en los bancos.
Enseñar a los niños a comportarse, si lloran, sacarlos tantito. No correr por la Iglesia.

Para comulgar:
Es necesario practicar la fe católica y estar en gracia de Dios para ir a comulgar.
Respetar la hora del ayuno.
- Padre Jordi Rivero www.catolico.org

Sanctuary: (from the Latin sanctus, meaning holy) -- elevated area of the Church which contains altar, cross, ambo, and presidential chair -- It is a holy area because this is where the sacrifice of the Mass is offered and where the word of God is read. It should be approached with great respect. 

Presidential Chair: The presider's chair is not a throne for someone set apart, but is arranged so that the priest is seen to be a member of the worshiping community even though he has a special office to perform.
 
Altar: from Hebrew, signifying the place of sacrifice - the table of meal and sacrifice on which Christ becomes present in signs of bread and wine - The altar is the table upon which we celebrate the Lord's Supper. It functions as both banquet table and altar of sacrifice: the Mass is both Holy Thursday (meal) and Good Friday (sacrifice). The altar, symbol of sacrifice and Christ, holds such a high value for the Church that it is consecrated by the bishop himself, separate from the consecration of the church building. That is why the priest venerates the altar at the beginning and end of every Mass.

Ambo: place from which the readings from Scripture are proclaimed and the homily can be preached

Paschal (Easter) Candle: symbol of Jesus risen from the dead; lit each year at the Easter Vigil; placed in the Sanctuary during the Easter Season, Baptisms and Funerals, otherwise, kept alongside the Baptismal Font.  It reminds us that Christ is our light.  The light of Christ dispels our doubts and fears as the candle's flame lights up the darkness.
 
PROCESSIONAL CRUCIFIX: A crucifix, large enough for the congregation to see it during a procession, which is mounted on a long handle. It is carried at the front of the procession, with the figure of the crucified Christ facing the direction the procession is moving, because all Christians are followers of Christ.
 
CANDLES: The candles are carried after the Processional Crucifix in processions. They symbolize the triumph of light over darkness (good over evil).  The candles were once primarily functional and gave light for reading the Scriptures and celebrating the sacred action. Now that churches have electrical lights, the candles play a more symbolic function.

Chalice: From the Latin “calix,” meaning cup or goblet - the main vessel which holds the wine; the smaller, simpler cups are used to hold the wine that will be consecrated and distributed to the assembly at Mass.

Cruet: small vessel which looks like a tiny pitcher containing wine or water. Water was originally mixed with wine because the wine alone was too bitter to drink.

Corporal - A square piece of linen folded four times and has a cross sewn on it. The word “corporal” comes from the Latin word "corpus", meaning body. It is called a corporal because the body of Jesus rests on it.
 
Purificator-cloth used to clean the sacred vessels

Host— unleavened bread made of flour and water

Paten: From the Latin “patella,” meaning dish, platter or plate. The Paten is the plate used to hold the hosts which will become the consecrated Body of Jesus.

Bowl vessel which holds the hosts

Ciborium - metal container with lid used to store consecrated hosts in the tabernacle.
 
Tabernacle: From the Latin “tabernaculum,” meaning tent or hut - place where the remaining hosts are placed after Communion for communion to sick and for adoration.  From the time of the apostles, when members of the assembly could not be present for Sunday Mass because they were sick or in prison, some of the bread and wine was taken to absent members. The Eucharist began to be reserved so that it could be received at the moment of death as viaticum.  Today it is also kept for the communion of the sick and for adoration outside of Mass. The tabernacle key, when not in use, is kept in a safe place.
 
Monstrance - a large, standing vessel used to show people the body of Christ.  The Monstrance looks like a sun burst with a glass center. The back of the Monstrance has a small door. The inside holds a glass container called the Luna or lunette. The priest puts a consecrated host in the Luna, and places the Luna in the Monstrance. The Monstrance is then placed on the Altar for Benediction or Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
 
Sanctuary Lamp - A single candle in its own stand or mounted on a wall. It is always located near the tabernacle. The burning candle signifies that the Eucharist is present.
 
Incense, Incense Boat, Censer - Incense is perfumed grains that are burned during special occasions. Incense symbolizes our prayers ascending to God, it is used as a blessing and it reminds us of the gifts of frankincense and myrrh given to the baby Jesus by the Magi
The Censer is usually a metal container that holds hot coals. It has a top with air vents and a long chain so that it can be carried. It can also be in the form of a bowl.
An Incense Boat is the container that holds the unburned incense. Incense is scooped out of the incense boat and sprinkled on the hot coals in the censer. When the incense is burned in makes smoke

Missal —book which contains the priest’s parts of the Mass

Book of the Gospels: edited Bible which contains only the Gospel passage for each Sunday Mass

Lectionary: edited Bible which contains all the readings for Mass according to the day; lectors proclaim the First and Second Readings from this book
 
Mass Planner Booklet:
Three ring binder with seasonal cover used by priest and deacon for Mass parts prepared locally (Penitential Rite, Universal Prayer, Announcements, etc.)
 
Sacristy - The room where Mass items are kept – there is one off the Narthex and one off the Chapel. 
 
Baptismal Font: Place where all baptisms take place
 
AMBRY - The niche where the three Sacred Oils (Oil of Catechumens, Oil of the Sick, Sacred Chrism) are kept

CONFESSIONAL:  There is a screen and a kneeler to kneel on so the penitent can confess anonymously, but there is also a chair that the penitent may sit on and face the priest. The screen may be anything from a curtain to a section of wall with a grille inserted in it. Sometimes the penitent may be able to see the priest through the screen, but the priest can usually never see the penitent. Often placed on the kneeler is a plaque with the Act of Contrition written on it. There may also be other materials associated with the sacrament, such as a card containing the order of the sacrament, with prayers and other useful information.  A crucifix or cross is placed above the screen or anywhere near the penitent to aid in prayer. 
 
Bow- form of reverence given to the altar
 
Kiss- form of reverence given by the priest to the altar and the book from which he reads the Gospel
 
Genuflection—form of reverence given to Jesus present under the signs of bread and wine

At Mass the priest wears a long white garment called an alb. Over this he wears a larger, more colorful garment called the chasuble. Today these garments look quite different from our ordinary street clothing. But originally the alb and chasuble were the ordinary garments worn in the Greco-Roman world. When at home, both men and women wore a long, loose-fitting housecoat. When going out in public, they covered this alb with a more ornate garment.  If you attended Mass in fourth-century Rome, the leader would be dressed in much the same clothing as the priest today wears for Sunday Mass. But at that time, everyone in the church would be wearing an alb and chasuble, not just the priest!

Alb — From the Latin “albus,” meaning white - long white garment worn by bishops, priests, deacons, altar servers – it  is symbolic of the garment which Jesus wore and illustrates that the one wearing it is serving others. Its color symbolizes the purity to which a servant is called.
 
Cincture - A cord made of silk or cotton with tassels on the ends tied around the waist. Its practical use was to secure the alb so that it would not interfere with walking.
 
Chasuble - from the Latin word “casula” meaning “little house” - colorful exterior garment worn by priest or bishop at Mass.  It was originally a cone-shaped, all weather cloak in Roman times, with only an opening for the head and a little hood. In later years it was heavily decorated and became every cumbersome, so the sides were cut out. Chasubles reflect the Liturgical colors (white, red, green, and violet).
 
The dalmatic is the outer garment worn by the deacon.  It is similar in size and color to the Chasuble, but hemmed so that it has sleeves.
 
Stole – colorful scarf worn during sacramental celebrations which indicates official ministry in the Church; deacons wear a different style of stole from priests and bishops.  It is a symbol of the clerical office, immortality, and the yoke of Christ (complete dependence upon him).

Color of Vestments
The color of vestments give expression to the mysteries of our faith and is like a calendar for the church year.
White – symbolizes Purity, Holiness, Joy, Triumph, and the Resurrection; used in Masses of Easter, Christmas season, Feasts and Memorials of Jesus, Mary, the Angels, Saints who were not martyrs, Weddings, and Funerals
Red - symbolizes the Holy Spirit and the blood of martyrs; used on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Pentecost, feasts of the Apostles, Evangelists and Martyrs.
Green - symbolizing Life, Growth and Hope; used during Ordinary time.
Violet - symbolizing Penance, Atonement and Expiation; used during Lent and Advent