The Parish Family of St. Catharine- St. Margaret rejoices with you on the occasion of the birth and baptism of your child. “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” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1213.) We hope you will join our parish community in actively building God’s kingdom through ongoing participation in our worship, faith formation and service to others.
The Catechism reminds us that “Baptism incorporates us into the Church” and “makes us members of the Body of Christ”. We celebrate baptisms the second and fourth Sunday of each month at 1:30PM. Please note there could be up to 4 baptisms per service. To ensure the dignity of each celebration, we limit the number of children baptized at each. Our parish staff will assist you in obtaining the permission and scheduling this ceremony.
Preparation for the Sacrament
The baptism program will help you prepare for that special day in your child’s life. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “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” (No. 1213.) Call the parish office and schedule the celebration of the sacrament as soon as possible, but at least six weeks in advance of the desired date.
When you extend the invitation to family or friends to be a sponsor, you are asking them to make a lifelong commitment to your child, beginning with baptism. In infant baptism, the sponsors, with the parents, present the child for baptism and help the baptized lead the Christian life and fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent to it (can. 872.) The Church requires a sponsor be a baptized and confirmed Catholic over 16 years old, who regularly participates in the Eucharist and is an active member of a Catholic faith community, leading a life in harmony with the duty they are undertaking. Each sponsor is asked to provide a letter from his or her own parish attesting to this fact. The Code of Canon Law goes on to state that one sponsor must be a male and the other sponsor must be a female. The parents of the child to be baptized may not act as sponsors.
According to The Code of Canon Law, the parents of an infant to be baptized, and those who will be sponsors, should be suitably instructed about the meaning of the sacrament and the obligations that go with it (can. 851, 2°.) Given the fundamental importance of the sacrament of baptism in your child’s faith life, we invite all parents and sponsors to attend a baptism preparation class where you will join with other families in learning more about the sacrament of baptism and the commitment it requires of you as parents. Preparations are currently provided online.
Families are asked to arrive at church 15 minutes prior to the start of the baptism celebration, where seating will be reserved for you. Upon arrival, families should check in with the sacristan or baptism hospitality minister. During the celebration, your whole family will be invited up to the font, where siblings or young children will have a special role to play in the ceremony.
Thank you for inquiring about a Baptism. We are happy you have chosen to bring your child into the community of Jesus Christ through the sacrament of Baptism. Below you will find some guidelines that will help you arrange and plan your child’s Baptism here at St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish.
In order to have your child baptized here at our parish, you must be a registered parishoner.
Please note that Baptism dates cannot be arranged until AFTER all the following: the child is born, you have supplied us with the necessary letters of eligibility for the godparents and/or sponsors. Normally, a Baptism preparation class is required for parents to attend but it currently on hold due to COVID-19. We are working to have a new option in the near future.
Please complete the form below and send the following documentation to the rectory offices at 215 Essex Avenue, Spring Lake, NJ 07762 or email [email protected]
Please note- there is no required fee to Baptize a child at St. Catharine- St. Margaret Parish but donations toward the upkeep of the churches or a gift to the priest/deacon are always appreciated.
Congratulations to you during this very exciting time. We look forward to meeting and working with you.
Additional questions or concerns, Please call the parish office directly at 732-449-5765 x100
So rich is the mystery of the Eucharist that we have a number of terms to illumine its saving grace: the Breaking of the Bread; the Lord’s Supper; the Eucharistic Assembly; the Memorial of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection; the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Holy and Divine Liturgy; the Eucharistic Liturgy; Holy Communion; and Holy Mass (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 1328-1332).
The use of bread and wine in worship is already found in the early history of God’s people. In the Old Testament, bread and wine are seen as gifts from God, to whom praise and thanks are given in return for these blessings and for other manifestations of his care and grace. The story of the priest Melchizedek’s offering a sacrifice of bread and wine for Abraham’s victory is an example of this (cf. Gn14:18). The harvest of new lambs was also a time for the sacrifice of a lamb to show gratitude to God for the new flock and its contribution to the well -being of the family and tribe. These ancient rituals were given historical meaning at the Exodus of God’s people. They were united into the Passover Meal as a sign of God’s delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, a pledge of his fidelity to his promises and eventually a sign of the coming of the Messiah and messianic times. Each family shared the lamb that had been sacrificed and the bread over which a blessing had been proclaimed. They also drank from a cup of wine over which a similar blessing had been proclaimed.
When Jesus instituted the Eucharist he gave a final meaning to the blessing of the bread and the wine and the sacrifice of the lamb. The Gospels narrate events that anticipated the Eucharist. The miracle of the loaves and fish, reported in all four Gospels, prefigured the unique abundance of the Eucharist. The miracle of changing water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana manifested the divine glory of Jesus and the heavenly wedding feast in which we share at every Eucharist.
In his dialogue with the people at Capernaum, Christ used his miracle of multiplying the loaves of bread as the occasion to describe himself as the Bread of Life: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. . . Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (Jn 6:51, 53). — From the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
The Eucharist—commonly known as First Communion—is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation required to be fully initiated into the Catholic Church.
More information on First Reconciliation can be be found on the Religious Education page HERE or the First Reconciliation & First Communion Information Page HERE
At confirmation we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and confirm our baptismal promises. Greater awareness of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conferred through the anointing of chrism oil and the laying on of hands by the Bishop.
Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation is two years. Students will receive this final Sacrament of Initiation upon successful completion of the two-year program requirements and the student’s personal request to be Confirmed in the Catholic Church.
For more information on upcoming Confirmation please see the Religious Education Page HERE.
We receive many requests for marriages to take place in our parish. The Church as a whole sees marriage in one’s own parish as the most proper arrangement. Therefore, people who reside in the boundaries of St. Catharine – St. Margaret Parish and are registered parishioners have a right to be married here. Couples who are not members of the parish should receive the sacrament in their own parishes.
The bride, groom, or a parent of the bride or groom must be a registered parishoner of St. Catharine- St. Margaret Parish for at least one year prior to requesting a marriage date.
Please call the rectory 732-449-5765, ext. 109 or [email protected] for arrangements.
If you or a member of your family is thinking about a vocation please see the information below to assist in the discerning process.
Anyone thinking of a vocation including the priesthood, diaconate or joining a religious order as a brother or sister is urged to contact the current religious members of our parish. Please see their contact information listen below. Additionally, the Diocese of Trenton’s vocation web page can be of great assistance. (see link below)
Father Damian McElroy- 732-449-5765
Father William Dunlap- 732-449-5765 x102
Deacon Edward Jennings- 732-449-5765 x188
Deacon John Little-732-449-5765 x
Sister Margaret Tierney, SC- 732-449-5765 x124
Sister Carole MacKenthun, RSM- 732-449-4424 x369
The Rite of Anointing tells us there is no need to wait until a person is at the point of death to receive the Sacrament. A careful judgment about the serious nature of the illness is sufficient. The Sacrament may be repeated if the sick person recovers after the anointing but becomes ill once again, or if, during the same illness, the person’s condition becomes more serious.
A person should be anointed before surgery when a dangerous illness is the reason for the intervention (cf. Rite of Anointing, Introduction, nos. 8-10). Moreover, “old people may be anointed if they are in weak condition even though no dangerous illness is present. Sick children may be anointed if they have sufficient use of reason to be comforted by this sacrament. . . . [The faithful] should be encouraged to ask for the anointing, and, as soon as the time for the anointing comes, to receive it with faith and devotion, not misusing the sacrament by putting it off” (Rite of Anointing, nos. 11, 12, 13).
Call the Parish Office at any time to arrange for anointing of the sick. If it is an emergency and you are calling outside regular business office hours, please use the emergency line to contact a priest.
Parish Office Line- 732-449-5765 x100
Emergency Line- 732-449-5783
Nearby assisted living facilities are periodically visited for anointings, please contact Sr. Margaret Tierney in the Pastoral Care Department at 732-449-5765 x124 for a schedule.
Please complete the information below.
A date will be set once all required documentation is received.
For more information please contact us at 732-449-5765 x100 or
[email protected]
THIS FORM SHOULD BE COMPLETED AFTER THE BIRTH OF THE CHILD