Baptism

The Sacrament of Baptism for infants is celebrated (during Mass) several times a year.  At least one parent of the child must be a registered member of our parish.  Please call for information if you have a child to be Baptized.

Adults wishing to be baptized must participate in The Order of Christian Initiation (RCIA, see below).

First Eucharist and Confirmation

CMU students and adults who are parishioners who would like to receive one or both of these sacraments must be baptized already.  Those who wish to receive both of these sacraments should participate in our RCIA program.  Call the parish, 733-3931, to be placed on the class list.

Students who have already received First Communion and wish to receive the sacrament of Confirmation may join our Confirmation Class which will be held during the spring semester.  Call the parish office, 773-3931, to be placed on the class list.

Marriage

Preparation for marriage in any Catholic Church must begin at least six months prior to the wedding date, and the actual preparation program for the sacrament must be approved by the priest or minister who will preside at the wedding.

Here at St. Mary's we offer preparation to any engaged parishioner even if you are not getting married here.  Our preparation program involves an initial meeting with Fr. Will, the FOCCUS inventory and discussion with Sponsor Couple, NFP (Natural Family Planning) classes, Theology of the Body lecture series and discussion, one day retreat (date to be announced), and a final meeting with Fr. Will.  The combined cost for the preparation program is $75, which does not include the NFP class manual.  Please contact us as soon as you are engaged to begin this process.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A)

This is a process to prepare persons for full membership in the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.  Baptized Catholics who would like to receive First Communion are also required to attend R.C.I.A. to receive that sacrament and the sacrament of Confirmation.  Anyone affiliated with CMU who is interested in learning more about the Catholic faith is welcome.

Initiates will meet a number of times with the pastor or an associate pastor during their preparation, and will be required to participate in some of the educational programs the parish offers.  An introductory meeting will be held in September.  Classes will continue through the Easter Season.  Call the office for more information or to put your name on the class list (773-3931).

The Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation) are usually celebrated at the Easter Vigil.

College Credit on the Internet

The Diocese of Saginaw, in partnership with the University of Dayton, is sponsoring courses for adults in the diocese to help them learn more about the Catholic Faith.  Courses offered are Catholic Beliefs; Church History; Jesus; Sacraments; Scripture; Introduction to the Old Testament; Media and Moral Imagination.  Courses are available for credit or audit.  For more information from the University of Dayton, click on their virtual learning site, Faith Formation.

ReachOut

Our student group that plans social events for Catholic students (like sledding, Euchre Tournaments, etc.) and relays information to campus about special services (like Ash Wednesday) is ReachOut.  They also plan events to learn about the faith (like last Spring's presentations on the "Our Father"), and service trips (like the Fall Service Trip) that anyone is welcome to attend.  Give the parish a call if you're interested in joining!

Corpus Christi

Theology of the Body Discussion Group

This group meets weekly during the semester.  Our bodies say something about who God is.  It's a great opportunity to learn more about the "why" behind the church's teachings on sexuality.  For more information, e-mail our Pastoral Associate, Jeremy Priest at priestermeister@gmail.com.

ENDOW

ENDOW stands for Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women.  This group of CMU women meets when a group forms to study the role of Catholic women in today's church.  Newcomers are welcome. To find out how to join a group that is assembling, please e-mail priestermeister@gmail.com

For an overview of the Program, go to ENDOW