Sacraments

The Catholic Church celebrates seven sacraments — outward signs, instituted by Christ, through which God gives us grace. Grace is God's own life and love, freely given to us. The sacraments are not rituals of habit. They are encounters with a living God.

Below is a guide to each sacrament and how you can be supported at St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Parish Ntinda.

Baptism

Baptism is the first and foundational sacrament — the door through which a person enters the Catholic Church and the Christian life. Through Baptism, original sin (the inherited condition of brokenness that separates humanity from God) is washed away, and the person is reborn as a child of God and a member of the Church.

The word ‘baptise’ comes from the Greek baptizein, meaning to plunge or immerse — signifying burial into Christ’s death and rising with him to new life.

At St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Parish Ntinda, Baptism is celebrated on the second Sunday of each month during the 1:00 PM Mass and on request.

To arrange Baptism for your child, or for an adult seeking to enter the Church, contact the Parish Office.

Confession

The Sacrament of Penance restores the friendship between a person and God that is broken by serious sin. In Confession, a person honestly names their sins before a priest, expresses genuine sorrow, and receives absolution — God’s forgiveness, spoken through the priest in Christ’s name.

This sacrament is not something to fear. It is one of the most merciful gifts the Church offers.

Confession is available on Thursdays during Adoration (8:00 AM and 5:30 PM) and on Saturdays (7:30 AM). Other times are available on request — contact the Parish Office.

Holy Eucharist

The Eucharist — from the Greek eucharistia, meaning thanksgiving — is the sacrament in which bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Catholics believe this is not a symbol but a true and real presence. It is the source and summit of the Christian life — everything flows from it, and everything returns to it.

The Eucharist is celebrated at every Mass at St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Parish Ntinda. Catholics in a state of grace are invited to receive. All others are warmly welcome to come forward with arms crossed at the chest for a blessing.

Confirmation

Confirmation completes what Baptism began. In this sacrament, the Holy Spirit is given in a fuller way, strengthening the confirmed person to live and defend the faith. The confirmed receives the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude (courage), knowledge, piety (reverence), and fear of the Lord.

Confirmation is not a graduation from religion class. It is a commissioning — a sending out into the world as a witness to Christ.

Holy Matrimony

In the Sacrament of Marriage, a man and a woman freely give themselves to one another in a lifelong, faithful, and fruitful covenant — and Christ himself is present in that covenant. The spouses are the ministers of this sacrament to each other; the priest is the Church’s witness.

At St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Parish Ntinda, we accompany couples as they prepare for this sacred commitment. Saturday weddings are accommodated between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

Anointing of the Sick

The Anointing of the Sick is the sacrament offered to those who are seriously ill, facing surgery, or approaching death. Through the anointing with blessed oil and the prayers of the priest, God brings comfort, strength, and healing — spiritual and sometimes physical. It is not a sacrament for the dying only. It is for anyone who is seriously unwell and needs God’s grace in a particular way.

To request the Anointing of the Sick for yourself or a loved one, contact the Parish Office at any time — including emergencies outside of office hours.

Holy Orders

Holy Orders is the sacrament through which men are ordained as deacons, priests, or bishops — set apart for sacred service in the Church. Through this sacrament, they receive the grace and authority to act in the person of Christ, especially in offering the Mass and forgiving sins.

If you feel God calling you to the priesthood or diaconate, speak to one of our parish priests. Vocations — the call to serve God in a particular way — are a gift to the whole Church, and our parish actively supports and encourages those who sense this calling.