Sacraments

Baptism is the most important gift we can give our children and ourselves.  It admits us into the "new life" in water and the Spirit and affirms us as members of the parish community.

We offer baptismal classes for parents with a child to be baptized.  We also offer classes for teens and adults who are discerning if they want to be baptized in the Catholic Church.

This provides a wonderful opportunity to review the sacrament and to receive support in living the Catholic faith within their family.

Infant Baptism

We offer Baptismal classes for parents with a child to be baptized in either English or Spanish. This provides a wonderful opportunity for parents to review the sacrament and to receive support in living the Catholic faith within their family.

Contact the Parish Office for English instruction at 503.289.2834, or Carmina Perez-Flores for Spanish instruction at 503.289.7188. The Sacrament of Baptism is scheduled after the class with the pastoral staff.

Adult Baptism

Holy Cross offers Instruction, prayer, and fellowship that assists adults and youth in the discernment process of joining the Catholic Church through the RCIA process.  A faith-filled team joins the participants in understanding the traditions, doctrines, and observances of Catholicism through Sunday Liturgies and Rites, instruction, small and large group discussion, field trips, outreach, prayer, and social events.  Please contact the Parish Office at 503.289.2834 for more information.

When we sin, we make a conscious choice to turn away from God and one another. Through the sacrament of Reconciliation, we can experience a conversion, a turning back, to God and the Church community. We talk to the Priest about what we have done wrong, expressing our sorrow and our willingness to change. The Priest blesses us and says the words of absolution, forgiving our sins in the name of Jesus and the Church.

Time: Wednesday, 7pm & Friday, 9am in the Church, or by appointment with Fr. Mark

Contact the Parish Office at 503.289.2834 to set up a private appointment.

Most children and adults prepare to celebrate this sacrament as they prepare to receive their First Communion. Children can make their First Reconciliation at second grade or older. Please visit our Religious Education page for more information on preparing for this sacrament.

One of our greatest gifts as a Catholic community is our sharing of the Eucharistic meal at each Mass. We continue the Eucharistic meal that Jesus shared with his disciples at the Last Supper. We believe that this meal nourishes us and strengthens us, both physically and spiritually.

For the celebration of First Communion, children go through preparatory classes so that they are ready to receive the Eucharist. Children who are preparing to celebrate this sacrament must be at least in second grade.

We begin our classes in the fall and the children celebrate their First Communion in the spring, after celebrating their First Reconciliation.

If you have a child who is ready to make their First Reconciliation and First Communion, please contact Religious Education Director Andrea Swanson at [email protected]. You can also jump to the Religious Education page.

In Confirmation, we reaffirm for ourselves our baptismal promises, renew our commitment to the Catholic faith, and accept our responsibilities as followers of Jesus. During the celebration, the Bishop or Priest lays his hand on the head of the one to be confirmed and anoints the forehead with chrism (holy oil). These actions seal us with the gift of the Holy Spirit and signify our participation in Christ's ministry.

In our archdiocese, the Sacrament of Confirmation is celebrated with teens in 7th through 12th grades. We invite teens in these grades who are ready to take on this next step of faith to register for Confirmation Classes.

Please contact our Director of Religious Education, Andrea Swanson, at [email protected] with any questions. For adult Confirmation, contact the Parish Office at 503.289.2834.

The sacrament of Matrimony celebrates the lifelong love of a man and woman for each other. Their vows express the covenant, or special bond of love, between the husband and wife, who administer the sacrament to one another in the presence of the Priest and the entire community as witnesses. Through their married love, spouses may become co-creators with God by bringing new life into the world. They accept the responsibilities and joys of raising their children as members of the Body of Christ.

Couples must arrange for pre-marriage instructions at least six months prior to wedding date.  Please contact the Parish Office at 503.289.2834 to schedule a meeting with our pastor.

From the days of the Apostles, the Church has acted as Jesus did by calling forth leaders to share in his ministry. In the sacrament of Holy Orders, men are ordained to serve the Church by celebrating the sacraments, preaching God's word, serving those in need, and building a more just community. The word "ordain" means "to set aside." In the sacrament of Holy Orders, Bishops, Priests and Deacons are set aside for lifelong service to the Catholic Church community. The sacrament of Holy Orders transforms the man who receives it into a visible sign of Christ.

Please contact the Parish Office at 503.289.2834 if you would like to know more about the priesthood or other religious vocations.

This sacrament brings Jesus' healing, comfort, and strength to those who are seriously ill or in danger of death through the Priest, who offers God's mercy, strength and healing in Jesus' name.

The Anointing of the Sick can be celebrated individually (at home, in the hospital, in a nursing home) or communally during/after Mass. The sacrament of Reconciliation can precede it. The Priest places his hands on the person's head as a sign of Christ's presence and healing. He anoints the person's forehead and hands with blessed oil. He prays that Jesus will bring healing, peace and strength to the sick person.

The body and blood of Christ are our greatest signs of Christ's dying and rising. After the anointing, a person who is in danger of death may receive the Eucharist as viaticum, "food for the journey" to eternal life with God.

We are happy to bring this sacrament of healing to any who are seriously ill or in emergency. Our priest celebrates the Sacrament of Anointing here at Holy Cross every second Wednesday of the month after the 8:30am Mass.

Anointing is also available at all hours if there is an emergency.  Please contact the Parish Office at 503.289.2834.