Restored Order of the Sacraments 

 

In his addendum to his 2024 Pastoral Letter , Bishop Konderla announced that the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, which includes our parish, will be moving to Restored Order of the Sacraments. 

Sacramental preparation and reception will follow this pattern: 

1. Baptism. Administered in infancy. 

 

1. First Reconciliation: Also called Penance or Confession, is necessary for the forgiveness of sins and must be completed before a child’s First Holy Communion. Preparation for First Reconciliation is done in second grade. 

 

1. Confirmation: Unites us more firmly with God the Father, Christ and his Church, strengthens the Gifts of the Holy Spirit originally received in Baptism and helps us spread and defend the faith through words and actions as Jesus’ disciples. While many are familiar with Confirmation being received in Middle School or High School the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1307) states "the age of discretion" is the reference point for receiving Confirmation. 

 

CCC 1308  "Although Confirmation is sometimes called the "sacrament of Christian maturity," we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural growth, nor forget that the baptismal grace is a grace of free, unmerited election and does not need "ratification" to become effective. St. Thomas reminds us of this: 

Age of body does not determine age of soul. Even in childhood man can attain spiritual maturity: as the book of Wisdom says: "For old age is not honored for length of time, or measured by number of years." Many children, through the strength of the Holy Spirit they have received, have bravely fought for Christ even to the shedding of their blood." 

 

1. Holy Communion: Also called Holy Eucharist, the reception of Jesus's body and blood, is the source and summit of the Christian life and completes Christian initiation. "The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch." CCC 132. 

After Baptism, the sacraments of Confirmation and First Communion complete a child’s initiation into the Catholic Church and they will be received together in the third grade during the same Mass presiding the Bishop. 

 

Sacrament preparation classes meet every Sunday from 8:30-9:45am, following the Owasso Public Schools' Calendar. Parents are expected to remain involved in Family Catechesis as the programs support each other. 

All students needing sacraments must be registered parishioners of St. Henry and are expected to attend Sunday mass on a regular basis. A $50 Registration fee per student is assessed to help support our faith formation programs and materials. If not baptized at St. Henry a Baptismal Certificate must be provided prior to reception of any sacrament. 

OCIA: Journey with the Catholic Faith is offered for adults who have never received the sacrament of Confirmation. Please contact the parish office for more information about OCIA: Journey with the Catholic Faith. Classes meet Thursday evenings at 6:45pm in the Parish Hall September-May. 

Contact Diana in the parish office for any questions (918) 272-3710