The foundation of an active life in Christ
Catholics are disciples of Jesus Christ, baptized into His body and faithful to His Church.
Christian life requires a commitment to prayer and active participation in the liturgy and sacraments. The Catechism of the Catholic Church helps us understand what it means to be faithful in practice by presenting us the Precepts of the Church (CCC#2041-3).
As parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes, we live these precepts:
- 1Attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obligation
- Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, should be treated differently from the other days of the week. We do that in making the day holy by attending Mass and refraining from doing unneces- sary work. Holy Days of Obligation, when we celebrate special feasts of Jesus, the Blessed Mother and the saints, should be marked in the same way.
- 2Confess your sins at least once a year
- This obliges in particular those who are conscious of serious sin. Regular reception of the Sacrament of Penance helps to prepare us not only to receive the Eucharist but also to continue the process of conversion begun in Baptism.
- 3Receive the sacrament of Eucharist at least during the Easter Season
- Because the Holy Eucharist is both the source and summit of life for all in the Church, the Church teaches that every member for his or her own good must receive Communion minimally at least once a year. The season of Lent provides the perfect context to turn again to Christ so that we might receive Him worthily at Easter.
- 4Observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church
- The Church identifies specific days as times of fasting and abstinence to prepare the faithful for certain special feasts; such actions of sacrifice help us to grow in self-discipline and in holiness.
- 5Provide for the needs of the Church
- This means contributing to the support of the mission of the Church with time, talent and financial resources.