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Baptism of Children

The Sacrament of Baptism celebrates the very essence of our Christian Faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It initiates one into the Body of Christ, the parish faith community. Since the parents' decision to bring their children into the church entails the important responsibility of raising their children in the faith, Divine Mercy has the following policy in place to insure that parents have an understanding of the commitment they are undertaking.

Baptism Policy

The Catholic parent of children to be baptized must be registered and practicing members of Divne Mercy Parish. The should worship with the community on a regular basis. They should worship with the community on a regular basis and exercise responsible stewardship of their time, talent and treasure in witness to Jesus Christ and service to our community.

The parent(s) are required to attend one session of preparation if this is their first child or if they have not attended a session in the past two years. Parents are encouraged to attend this session before the birth of their child.

The registration for baptism will be accepted and finalized when all necessary forms and the above requirement has been met.

Baptisms are held on the full first weekend and third weekend of the month during the 4:00pm Mass on Saturday and the 11:00am Mass on Sunday. This schedule may change due to calendar conflicts. Please call the Parish Office for the exact dates.

First Reconciliation

First Reconciliation is the sacrament of God's love and mercy. It is also called Penance or Confession. It is a holy encounter with Jesus through the presence of the priest who represents the Lord and the faith community. By admitting that we do wrong and being willing to make things right, we build up our relationship with Jesus. Our Bishop has asked that this sacrament be celebrated before First Communion.

Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered at 3:00pm every Saturday at our main worship site, 800 Marquette Avenue. If you are unable to make it to church at that time, you can make an appointment with a priest by contacting the Parish Office at 414-762-6810.

Communal celebrations of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which provide opportunities for individual confession, are scheduled in Advent and Lent.

First Eucharist

Holy Communion is the heart of our experience of Jesus Christ. When we gather to say Thank You (which is what the word "Eucharist" means) for the blessings we receive, we unite ourselves closely to the Lord by receiving the Body and Blood in Communion. The Mass (or Eucharistic celebration) unites us in the closest way to our God who loves us and offered His Son for us. Every Mass is a celebration of Easter and the blessings of life.

Confirmation

The celebration of Confirmation focuses on a young person's faith and commitment to Christ and his/her desire to enter adulthood in the parish community. Sacramental preparation for young people who are 16 years of age or older includes classes, service to the community, a weekend retreat, and a day of reflection experience.

Adult Confirmation

Adults who have never been confirmed are invited into this process of preparation which is intended to deepen the baptismal commitment to discipleship through formation, prayer and increased involvement in the community.  Readiness for the sacrament is determined by the individual themselves as they examine their life of faith and their response to that gift.

Becoming a Catholic/RCIA

Adults who are seeking initiation into the Catholic Church are prepared through a process called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). This process is intended for:

  • any adult not yet baptized who wishes to become Catholic
  • any adult baptized in another Christian church who wishes to become Catholic
  • any adult baptized in the Catholic Church, but not raised in the faith, who wishes complete Initiation (Confirmation, First Eucharist)

Preparation for children and youth ages seven through seventeen is designed for each individual. Initiation for these children and youth follows the principles of the adult initiation process rather than those for infant baptism.

Matrimony

Marriage is a solemn and holy commitment and the Church requires engaged couples to partake in a preparation process to ensure your understanding and willingness to make this type of commitment. 

If you or your parents are members of Divine Mercy Parish and you'd like to get married in church, here are a few steps that you'll need to take:

  • Make an appointment to meet with one of the priests at least six months prior to your desired wedding date.
    • You will confirm your wedding date availability; weddings are normally celebrated on Saturdays at 1:00pm.
    • You will receive several resources to help you plan your wedding.
  • Meet with a married couple from Divine Mercy Parish who are trained facilitators in marriage preparation (FOCCUS).
  • Register and attend an Archdiocesan Engagement Enrichment Day.
  • Have follow-up meeting(s) with your celebrant.

To set up an appointment with a parish priest, please call the office at 414-762-6810 or e-mail dmparish@www.divinemercysm.org .

To find out more about music options for your wedding, click here.

Convalidation/Blessing of Marriage

We probably all know at least one couple who were not married according to the legal requirements of the Catholic church. Perhaps the couple were married in a civil ceremony. Or maybe they were married in the church of the non-Catholic partner without having gone through the procedure of receiving a dispensation from the Catholic Church. Perhaps one of the partners had been married previously and was not at the time of the new marriage canonically free to marry again. It is not unusual for such couples to wish later th have the Catholic Church formally recognize their marriage.

If you would like to find out more about what is commonly called "having your marriage blessed", please call the Parish Office at 414-762-6810.

Each couple's circumstances differ, of course, calling for different procedures. The process of convalidating a marriage respects the needs of each couple as well as the teachings of the Catholic Church. Through it, the couple's experience of married love is interpreted in a new context-the paschal mystery-the pattern at the heart of every Christian marriage.

Anointing of the Sick

If you are (a) facing major surgery, (b) seriously impaired by sickness, (c) troubled by chronic illness or (d) burdened with the challenges of advancing age, you are invited to join in this sacrament. Seriously sick children may also be anointed if they have sufficient use of reason to be strengthened by this sacrament. The sacrament consists of the laying on of hands and an anointing. If you would like to be anointed please contact the Parish Office at 414-762-6810.

Holy Orders

Have you thought about being a priest? Priests always seem to be there when we come to pray with the community on Sundays and holidays. They are with us at those significant moments in our lives, e.g. Baptism, marriage, sickness, death. It is hard to imagine Catholics without priests.

Priests come from families and parish communities to serve the Church. We know that God has called individuals to priesthood in the past and trust that God will continue to call individuals in the present. If you have ever thought that God is calling you, please contact Fr. Joe to talk about it at the Parish Office.

You can also contact the Vocation Office for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee at www.thinkpriest.org, 414-747-6437, vocations@sfs.edu