Understanding the Faith We Profess

Becoming A Catholic

God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man and woman to make them share in his own blessed life. He calls man and woman to seek him, to know him, to love him with all their strength. He calls together all men and all women, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Catholic Church.

To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Saviour. In his Son and through him, he invites men and women to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life. Those who with God's help have welcomed Christ's call and freely responded to it are urged on by love of Christ to plant the seed of the Good News and harvest its fruit of peace and the in-breaking of the kingdom of God everywhere in the world. This Good News is the hope in the future God has in store for us. It is one of blessing and joy.

At the same time is the certainty that God’s kingdom is already at hand, we live in this blessing and joy now. All Christ's faithful are called to belong at God’s universal family, the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church offers us deep union with Christ through the Scripture, Sacraments, Prayers, and Community. To help deepen understanding of our faith and orienting towards the maturing of it, we have the Catechism. Through which we can profess the faith, living it in fraternal sharing, and celebrating it in liturgy and prayer.

We pray in order to know what changes we need to make in our lives to serve the Lord more faithfully, and to ask for the courage and strength we need to let God’s power work through us. We must study the teachings of the Catholic faith so that we will understand the faith we profess. No one should become a Catholic unless they believe what the Catholic Church teaches. One must know what the Church teaches and why.

One becomes a Catholic, by receiving the Sacraments. If you were always a Catholic but have been away from the Church, you are invited to come home! What are you waiting for? God is calling you to be a part of His universal family. We are Catholic. Welcome home!​

B​aptism

Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, 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."

One of the greatest gifts

Baptism is one of the greatest gifts that Christ has given us, and one of the greatest gifts that parents can give their children, because an infant becomes a Catholic by being baptized. Likewise, an adult also enters the Church by receiving the Sacraments.

  • Parents anticipating the baptism of a child should contact the parish office. Baptisms are celebrated on the 2nd or 4th weekend of the month, except during Lent.

  • If an adult wishing to become Catholic has never been baptized, he or she receives the Sacrament of Baptism. But unlike an infant, the adult also receives the Sacrament of Confirmation and receives Holy Communion at the same time.

  • If an adult has been validly baptized in another Christian denomination, that person is not re-baptized. Such a person would make a Profession of Faith (affirming acceptance of the Catholic Faith) and then receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion.

You can find more information below in the RCIA section, also you can click here

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.

Many words describe such a great mystery

  • Breaking of the Bread

  • The Lord’s Supper, Sacrifice

  • Holy Meal

  • Memorial

  • Real Presence of Christ.

At heart, Eucharist is a pledge of Jesus’ love, where those who are initiated into his Body and Blood become transformed into witnesses, disciples giving their lives in faith-filled service.

First Holy Communion

At St. Pius X Parish, children receive their First Holy Communion in second grade. They attend a retreat with their parents prior to the reception of the sacrament.

Reconciliation

Christ “loved the Church and gave himself up for her to make her holy” (Ephesians 5:25-26), and he united the Church to himself as his bride. He filled her with his divine gifts, because she is his body and fullness, and through her he spreads truth and grace to all.

In need of purification

The members of the Church, however, are exposed to temptation and unfortunately often fall into sin. As a result, “while Christ, ‘holy, innocent, and unstained’ (Hebrews 7:26), did not know sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) but came only to atone for the sins of the people (see Hebrews 2:17), the Church, which includes within itself sinners and is at the same time holy and always in need of purification, constantly pursues repentance and renewal.”[1]

Mercy of God

In this sacrament the faithful “obtain from the mercy of God, pardon for their sins against him; at the same time they are reconciled with the Church which they wounded by their sins and which works for their conversion by charity, example, and prayer.”[2] Not only does it free us from our sins but it also challenges us to have the same kind of compassion and forgiveness for those who sin against us. 

At St. Pius X Parish, children receive the sacrament of Reconciliation prior to receiving the Eucharist sacrament in second grade.

Penance is regularly scheduled for Saturdays from 4:00-4:30pm, or by appointment.

  • If you would like to view a Guide to Reconciliation please click here.

  • If you would like to view an Examination of Conscience to use in preparation for Reconciliation please click here

Confirmation

Like Baptism which it completes, Confirmation is given only once, for it too imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark, the "character," which is the sign that Jesus Christ has marked a Christian with the seal of his Spirit by clothing him with power from on high so that he may be his witness. The effect of the Sacrament of Confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

Holy Matrimony

Marriage is so important in Christian life that it has been instituted by Christ as a sacrament: Christian marriage makes Christ, in his love, sacramentally present. Choosing to have your wedding within the liturgy of the Church indicates that you look upon your wedding as a religious event and understand the faith that is necessary to celebrate this sacrament. 

We are thrilled you are interested in getting married at St. Pius X Parish. Please call the parish office with any questions on the following information or to set up an appointment.

Marriage preparation involves

  • Meeting with the pastor

  • Making one of the marriage workshops provided by the diocese

  • Planning the wedding Mass or Service 

Please allow at le​ast six months for preparation.

Holy Orders

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.

Life of serving God’s people

If you believe you are called to a life of serving God’s people within the parishes and diocese by being a visible sign of the presence of Christ or if you believe that your gift is following Christ’s call to serve the Church as a Deacon through service of the word, service of the liturgy, and service of charity, justice and pastoral outreach, please speak with our pastor for direction or visit Madisonvocations

Funerals

Losing a loved one is a difficult and emotional time in the life of a family. It is also a time when numerous decisions need to be made as we seek to honor the person who has died, to give thanks to God for the gift of life and to express our faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the knowledge that “those who have died with him, will live with him.” Funeral preparation can begin before or after death. Contact the parish office for additional explanation and planning information.

Anointing of the sick

Anointing of the Sick is for people preparing for serious surgery or suffering from a worsening medical condition. For information on rec​​eiving this sacrament, please contact the parish office.

Mass Intentions

If you would like to have a Mass Intention said for a loved one, please contact the office to schedule a Mass. It is very meaningful to remember your loved one during the Mass!