The Precepts of the Church
 

• Celebrate Christ's resurrection every Sunday (or Saturday evening) and on holy days of obligation by taking part in Mass and avoiding unnecessary work.
• Lead a sacramental life.  Receive Holy Communion frequently and the sacrament of reconciliation  regularly.  Receive Holy Communion at least once in the least once in the Lent-Easter season. Confess within a year, any serious, or mortal, sin committed.
• Study Catholic teaching throughout life, especially in preparing for the the sacraments.
• Observe the marriage laws of the Catholic Church and give religious training to one's children
• Strengthen and support the church: one's own parish, the worldwide Church and the Holy Father.
• Do penance, including not eating meat and fasting from food on certain days.
• Join in the missionary work of the Church.

The Seven Sacraments

• Baptism
• Reconciliation
• Eucharist
• Confirmation
• Matrimony
• Holy Orders
• Anointing of the Sick

The Liturgical Year

• Advent and Christmastime (Christmas Day until the Sunday after the Epiphany)
• Ordinary Time
• Lent (Ash Wednesday until Holy Saturday)
• Easter time (Easter Sunday until Pentecost)
• Ordinary Time

The Holy Days of Obligation

• Solemnity of Mary -January 1
• Ascension Thursday -40 days after Easter
• The Assumption of Mary -August 15
• All Saints Day -November 1
• The Immaculate Conception -December 8
• Christmas -December 25

Communion Regulations
        To receive Holy Communion a person must:

•        be in the state of grace
•        have the right intention and observe the Communion fast

Communion Fast
You must not eat anything or drink any liquid other than water one hour before the reception of Communion.  Exceptions are/can be made for the sick and elderly as needed.

Regulations for Fast and Abstinence

• To fast means to keep from eating certain foods.
• To abstain means to refrain from eating meat.
• In the United States, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence and all fridays of lent are days of abstinence.
• The obligation to abstain from meat binds all Catholics 14 years of age and older.  The obligation to fast limiting oneself to one full meal and two lighter meals in the course of a day, binds Catholic from the ages of 21 to 59.

Introductory Rites

• Gathering Song
• Greeting
• Penitential Rite
• Gloria
• Opening Prayer

Liturgy of the Word

• First Reading (usually taken from the Old Testament)
• Responsorial
• Second Reading (usually taken from one of the letters of the New Testament)
• Alleluia or Gospel Acclamation
• Gospel (taken from one of the four Gospels and read by a priest or deacon)
• Homily (an explanation of the readings)
• Profession of Faith (Nicene Creed)
• General Intercessions (Prayers of the Faithful)


Liturgy of the Eucharist
 

• Preparation and presentation of gifts
• Prayer over gifts
• Eucharistic Prayer (during this prayer the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus)


Communion Rite
 

• The Lord's Prayer
• Sign of Peace
• Breaking of the Bread
• Reception of Communion
• Prayer after Communion


Concluding Rite
 

• Greeting
• Blessing
• Dismissal

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