Holy Communion, also called the Eucharist, is the body and blood of Jesus which Catholics receive during Mass. The Eucharist is NOT a symbol of Jesus’s body and blood. It is literally his body, blood, soul, and divinity. In other words, the Eucharist is Jesus in his entirety. This has always been taught by the Catholic Church. It is only in the past 500 years that some Christians called Protestants have denied the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Those who have been baptized Catholic as infants are eligible to receive Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time around the age of seven. Anyone who was not baptized Catholic will need to go through further formation in order to be eligible to receive Communion.

If you or your child wishes to receive First Communion, please contact Mary Toscano at (210) 226-5024 or religiouseducation@stphilipofjesus.org.

Confirmation increases the strength and the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us. It is meant to transform us into soldiers for Christ. Catholics usually receive Confirmation as teenagers, but adults can still be confirmed.

If you or your child wishes to receive Confirmation, please contact Mary Toscano at (210) 226-5024 or religiouseducation@stphilipofjesus.org.

At SPJ, confessions are every Saturday from 3:30pm to 4:30pm in the church.

 All of us do things that, deep down, we know are wrong. We also fail many times to do the good that God is calling us to do. These failures are called sins. Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins, but in order to receive the full forgiveness and healing that Jesus offers we need to confess our sins to a priest.

If you cannot come to confession on the scheduled day and time, you can also schedule another time with Fr. Sean. The easiest way to do this is to leave a message for him at the office (210-226-5024).

You do not have to confess at your own parish if you are too embarrassed to tell your sins to a priest who knows you. It is perfectly alright to go to another parish for confession. Most parishes advertise their Confession times on their websites.

“Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:14-15).

This type of prayer and anointing with oil is exactly what the Catholic Church offers in the sacrament called the Anointing of the Sick. This sacrament offers healing, peace, and forgiveness to those who are seriously ill. It is especially appropriate near the end of one’s life.

If you or a loved one needs to be anointed, contact the parish office at (210) 226-5024 or officemanager@stphilipofjesus.org.

The Catholic understanding of marriage is very different from what most people think marriage is. It cannot be described briefly. This is why Fr. Sean has written an article on the nature of marriage. He encourages everyone to read it.

[Insert PDF download link]

If you wish to get married at St. Philip of Jesus, then Fr. Sean would love to meet with you. Please contact the parish office at (210) 226-5024 or officemanager@stphilipofjesus.org. 

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is different from all the other sacraments because only men can receive it and because it has three levels.

If a man receives the sacrament once, he becomes a deacon.
If a man receives the sacrament twice, he becomes a priest.
If a man receives the sacrament three times, he becomes a bishop.

 DEACONS

Deacons are married men who are also clergy. They receive the sacrament of Holy Orders like priests do. This means they are ordained, no longer lay people.

The English word “deacon” comes from the Greek word diakonos which means servant or minister.

Deacons have several roles at a parish:

During Mass:  Deacons proclaim the Gospel, preach homilies, prepare the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and distribute Holy Communion.

Outside of Mass:  Deacons celebrate baptisms, witness weddings, lead Rosaries/Wakes for the deceased as well as the prayers at the cemetery, expose and repose the Blessed Sacrament for Eucharist Adoration, bring Holy Communion to the homebound, and teach the faith.

If you are a married man between the ages of 35 and 59 and you are open to the possibility of becoming a deacon, please talk to Fr. Sean or one of our deacons:

Deacon Gilbert de la Portilla
Deacon Héctor Sandoval
Deacon José Sanchez (retired)

 PRIESTS

Priests do a lot in the Catholic Church. They celebrate the sacraments, lead worship, teach the faith, counsel people, govern parishes, and much more.

The English word “priest” comes from the Greek word presbyteros which means elder. Elders are leaders in their communities.

The priesthood is usually only open to young men who are not married and have no children.

If you think God might be calling you to become a priest, please talk to Fr. Sean. You can contact him at the office by calling (210) 226-5024 or emailing officemanager@stphilipofjesus.org.

BISHOPS

 Bishops have far more authority in the Church than priests. Priests promise obedience to their bishops. Bishops are the successors of the twelve apostles. It is their responsibility to govern the church and to hand on the faith in its entirety.

The English word “bishop” comes from the Greek word episkopos which means overseer. Most bishops lead or help to lead a diocese, which is a geographic region the size of several counties. There are about 450 bishops serving in the United States.

The Archdiocese of San Antonio has one main bishop (Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS) and two helper bishops (Bishop Michael Boulette and Bishop Gary Janak).

If you think you are called to be a bishop, then you would have to be a priest first for many years and then be chosen by the pope to become a bishop.

Catholics do not believe that death is the end of our existence. Our soul continues on even after the body falls apart.

In the secular world, it is believed that a funeral is for the living. This is not true in the Catholic Church. Funerals are for the deceased. It is true that funerals are helpful to the living, but the primary purpose of celebrating a funeral Mass is to offer that Mass for the soul of the deceased person.

Followers of Jesus who still have the stains of sin on their soul when they die cannot enter heaven immediately. They have to be washed. This process of purification is called Purgatory. Since heaven is a perfect place, only perfectly pure people can enter there.

The purpose of the funeral Mass is to ask God the Father to forgive the sins and purify the soul of the deceased person, not because he or she is worthy, but because Jesus is worthy. Jesus died for the salvation of that person. At a funeral, we are reminding the Father of what his Son did for us.

If you wish a funeral to be celebrated for your loved one at St. Philip of Jesus, please tell the funeral home to contact the parish at (210) 226-5024.

Historically, the purpose of a quinceañera was to celebrate a girl’s transition into womanhood. After her quinceañera celebration, her parents allowed young men to court her for marriage.

Nowadays, most parents are not comfortable with their 15-year-old daughter getting married. But the quinceañera celebration is still a recognition that their daughter is no longer a child.

If you would like to schedule a quinceañera for your daughter, please contact Mary Toscano at (210) 226-5024 or religiouseducation@stphilipofjesus.org