Parish Services

Welcome to our Parish Service and Service Ministries information page.  Below you will see the available services and service ministries.  Some services are offered in both English and Spanish.  Please contact the service ministry POC (Point of Contact) for specific information.  The contact information along with dates and times have also been included when provided by the service ministry POC.

Service Ministries Annandale Christian Community for Action Christ House Domestic Violence Lumen Christi - Pastoral Counseling Center Mary's House   Reach Out Respect for Life Committee

Sacraments

Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)

Saturday
4:00 to 5:00 PM (English & Español)
6:30 to 7:30 PM (English & Español)

Baptism

Pre-baptismal catechesis for Parents/Godparents is required.

English Baptism, call Jean Vanes Nicolas at 703-820-7111, ext. 109 or click here to Email

Click here for complete information on English Baptism

Bautizo en Español

Weddings

Preparation must begin at least six months in advance of the wedding. Pre-Cana instruction is required. For more information call 703-820-7111 or use the contact form.

Sick and Infirm

Please notify the Parish Office (703-820-7111) or the Parish Nurse, Georgine Redmond, of those sick at home or in hospitals. 703-820-7111, ext. 111

Registration

You may register with our parish by either visiting the Parish Office in person or by filling out our online Parish Registration form.

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Baptism of Children in English

Para Bautismos en Espanol, llame al telefono 703-241-8412

Next Baptism Classes Below is the list of the Baptism classes, which are held in Room No. 17 (Serra Room) located in the Corpus Christi school across from the church from 7:30pm to 9:00pm: 2006: Thursday, July 6 & Tuesday, July 11 Tuesday, September 5 & 12 Tuesday, November 7 & 14 2007: Tuesday, January 2 & 9 Tuesday, March 6 & 13 Tuesday, May 1 & 9 Tuesday, July 3 & 10 Baptisms – The 3rd Sunday of the month at the English-language Masses

Congratulations on the birth of your child! With such joy you welcomed your little one as a gift from God. And how good it is that you now bring your child to the Lord to receive from Him the gift of divine life.

Parents and Godparents

Consider the importance that is attached to the physical care of a child even from before birth. Consider too the necessity of ensuring that parents and others with charge of a newborn have adequate knowledge and training regarding the child’s physical care. How important then must the child’s spiritual care be! And how necessary that parents and godparents receive adequate help in preparing to undertake the role of spiritual parenting!

Because of the vital necessity of Baptism, Church law obliges parents “to see that their infants are baptized within the first few weeks. As soon as possible after the birth, indeed even before it, they are to approach the parish priest to ask for the sacrament for their child, and to be themselves duly prepared for it.” (Canon 867, Code of Canon Law) Beginning to prepare for Baptism before the birth of your child or as soon after birth as possible will make it easier to fit the necessary preparation into your schedule and still have your child baptized in the first weeks after birth.

Careful thought should be given to the choice of godparents. The godparent is to be added spiritually to the immediate family of the one to be baptized and also represents the Church. Professing and living their Catholic faith, the godparents are to help the parents bring up their child to profess and live that same faith. Thus, the godparent must have received all three sacraments of Christian initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) and must live a life of faith that befits the role to be undertaken. If the godparents are not registered at St. Anthony’s, they must submit a certificate from their parish stating that they have received the above sacraments. If married, the godparent should be married according to the Catholic Church. Although godparents must be Catholic, a baptized Christian who is not Catholic may be admitted to the role of a “witness” to the baptism, in company with a Catholic godparent.

Preparation Sessions

Church law requires that not only the parents of a child to be baptized but also those who are to undertake the office of godparents be “suitably instructed on the meaning of this sacrament and the obligations attaching to it” and that the parents be prepared not only by means of “pastoral advice” but also by “communal prayer” (Canon 851, Code of Canon Law).

At St. Anthony, a program of instruction, pastoral advice, and communal prayer is offered in two sessions taking place from 7:30pm to 9:00pm. These sessions (schedule is attached) are offered several times a year.

The two sessions will be given by priests of St. Anthony and dedicated volunteers. Each session contains essential components of baptismal preparation. Therefore, attendance at all sessions is required. We ask that children not attend. You may bring a newborn if a sitter is not available.

In recognition of the fact that in some cases it may be impossible for a godparent or even a parent to attend the program here at St. Anthony, the required instruction and preparation may be completed in another parish. In that case, the godparent or parent must provide a letter from that parish advising that the required instruction has been given.

If you are a parent or godparent of a child to be baptized in another parish, simply attend the preparation sessions and any necessary paperwork can be completed at that time.

There is no need to register for the preparation sessions. Simply come to the receptionist area to be directed to where the session is being held.

The Baptism

Baptism is the sacrament by which your child will become a member of God’s holy people, who form one body in Christ. As we read in the introduction to the Rite of Baptism for Children, “the people of God, that is the Church, made present in the local community, has an important part to play” in the baptism of your child. Even during the rite of baptism itself, the community expresses its assent after the parents and godparents profess their faith. “In this way, it is clear that the faith in which the children are baptized is not the private possession of the individual family, but is the common treasure of the whole Church of Christ” (Rite of Baptism for Children).

In keeping with this communal aspect of the sacrament, the Church desires that recently born babies be baptized at a common celebration. Also, because Baptism confers a share in Christ’s risen life, the Church desires that it be celebrated on Sunday, the day of the Lord’s resurrection. At St. Anthony children are baptized in a communal celebration within Mass, “so that the entire community may be present and the necessary relationship between baptism and Eucharist may be clearly seen” (Rite of Baptism for Children). To schedule your child’s Baptism, please call me at (703) 820-7111 ext. 109.

We look forward to seeing you at a session soon!

8/14/06
Rev. Jean Vanes Nicolas

Baptism of Children in English

• Parents and godparents are required to attend two session of the baptism preparation class (see schedule on reverse side). Each session is one hour and 30 minutes held in the Church rooms. There is no need to register for the Baptism preparation sessions. Simply come to the reception area to be directed to where the session is being held. When the parents and godparents have completed the program (or furnished a letter indicating completion of a preparation program within the past year in another parish), the Baptism may be scheduled for an upcoming Mass on the third Sunday of the month. We look forward to seeing you at a session soon!
• Godparents are to be practicing Catholics, having received the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. If the godparents are not registered at St. Anthony’s they must submit a certificate from their parish stating that they have received the above sacraments. If married, the godparents should be married according to the Catholic Church.
• A child may have two godparents (one godmother and one godfather). The two godparents may not be of the same sex. If you wish, you may have only one godparent for your child.
• Baptisms in English are held on the third Sunday of the month during one of the English Sunday Masses or Saturday evening. Because the baptisms take place during Mass only 3 babies can be baptized at each Mass. Baptisms will not take place during Lent and Advent. To schedule your child’s baptism, please call Fr. Nicolas at (703) 820-7111 ext. 109.
• We have found that having children at the classes causes somewhat of a distraction. We therefore ask that you not bring children to the classes. The exception to this would be a newborn if you are not able to leave the baby with a sitter.

Programa de Preparacion Bautismal

Este programa comprende distintos tópicos para completar la preparación requerida por la Iglesia para poder ser padrinos de un catecúmeno.

Los seminarios para la preparación del Bautismo tienen lugar los sábados anunciados en el mensaje del teléfono adjunto, de 12:00 a 4:00 PM. en el salón #17 de la Escuela de Corpus Christi. A estos seminarios tienen que asistir los padres y los padrinos.

Toda la información sobre este seminario, y los bautizos de los domingos, además de los requisitos para los padres y padrinos, etc. puede recibirse a través del teléfono: (703)241-8412.

Si tiene alguna pregunta deje su número de teléfono claro y se le devolverá la llamada lo más pronto posible.

Programa del seminario es el siguiente:

1. Qué es el Sacramento del Bautismo
2. Pequeña historia de la Iglesia Católica
3. El Sacramento del Matrimonio
4. Compromiso de los padrinos
5. Desarrollo de la ceremonia bautismal

Contacto

Diácono Mario Mendoza
(703)241-8412
(703)820-7111, Ext. 114