St. Mary's Catholic Church

09/07/2026

09/07/2026

WHAT IS A SACRAMENTAL?

✝️ Sacramentals are sacred signs established by the Church that help prepare us to receive God’s grace and grow in faith. They are visible reminders that point our hearts toward God and encourage us to live a life centered on Christ.

✝️ Unlike the seven sacraments, sacramentals do not directly give sanctifying grace by themselves. Instead, they dispose us to receive grace, strengthen our devotion, and help us respond to God’s presence in our daily lives.

✝️ Sacramentals include blessed objects, prayers, and actions used by the Church to bless people, places, and things. They remind Catholics of their faith and help bring the sacred into everyday moments.

✝️ Examples of sacramentals include holy water, blessed medals, the Rosary, crucifixes, scapulars, blessed ashes, palms from Palm Sunday, and other objects dedicated for prayer and devotion.

✝️ Holy water reminds us of our Baptism and our commitment to follow Christ. The Sign of the Cross, often made with holy water, recalls our identity as children of God and our faith in the Holy Trinity.

✝️ Sacramentals also help Catholics develop a deeper prayer life. They encourage reflection, devotion, and a greater awareness of God’s love and protection throughout the journey of faith.

✝️ The purpose of sacramentals is not superstition or magic. Their true meaning comes from faith in God and the prayer of the Church. They are meant to lead us closer to Jesus and help us live according to the Gospel.

✝️ Through sacramentals, the Church reminds us that every part of our lives can be offered to God. They help sanctify ordinary moments and keep our hearts focused on Christ.

Great Amen Catholica 🙏🏼

09/07/2026

8 CATHOLIC PRACTICES BEFORE GOING TO BED

✝️ As the day comes to an end, Catholics are encouraged to turn their hearts toward God through prayer, gratitude, reflection, and trust. Night prayer is a beautiful way to place our worries, successes, failures, and loved ones into God’s hands before resting. The Church’s tradition of night prayer, including Compline, reminds believers to seek peace in God before sleep.

✝️ 1. Make the Sign of the Cross
Begin your night by making the Sign of the Cross and remembering that your life belongs to God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This simple prayer places you under God’s presence and reminds you of the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

✝️ 2. Thank God for the Blessings of the Day
Before asking for anything, take a moment to thank God. Remember the gifts you received: life, family, food, protection, opportunities, and even the lessons learned from difficulties. A grateful heart recognizes God’s care in both small and great moments.

✝️ 3. Examine Your Conscience
Catholics are encouraged to reflect on their day by asking: “Did my words, thoughts, and actions show love for God and others?” This examination is not meant to create fear, but to help us grow in holiness, recognize our weaknesses, and seek God’s mercy.

✝️ 4. Ask God for Forgiveness
After reflecting on the day, ask God for forgiveness for the moments when you failed to love, forgive, or follow His teachings. Catholics believe that God is merciful and always invites His children to return to Him with a sincere heart.

✝️ 5. Pray the Our Father
The Our Father is the prayer that Jesus Himself taught His disciples. Saying this prayer before sleep helps Catholics surrender their needs to God, ask for daily guidance, forgive others, and seek protection from evil.

✝️ 6. Entrust Yourself and Your Loved Ones to Mary
Many Catholics seek Mary’s maternal intercession before sleep, asking her to pray for them and guide them closer to Jesus. Prayers such as the Hail Mary or other Marian devotions express confidence in Mary’s role as the Mother of Jesus and a loving spiritual mother to believers.

✝️ 7. Pray for Others
Night prayer is also a moment to remember others before God. Pray for your family, friends, those who are suffering, the sick, the lonely, and those who need God’s help. Christian prayer is not only about ourselves but also about loving our neighbors.

✝️ 8. Rest in God’s Peace
After prayer, place your fears and worries into God’s hands. Sleep becomes an act of trust, knowing that God watches over His children. The Catholic tradition of night prayer asks God to protect us as we sleep and grant us peaceful rest.

✝️ A peaceful night begins with a peaceful heart. When we end each day with God, we learn to live with greater gratitude, humility, and faith. Let your final thoughts before sleep be thoughts of prayer, hope, and trust in God’s loving care.

Great Amen Catholica 🙏🏼

09/05/2026

🙏 Weekend Mass Schedule: Saturday at 6:00 PM | Sunday at 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM.
⛪ Come join us in prayer and celebration! We look forward to seeing you! ❤️

09/04/2026

The Three Hail Marys for the Holy Souls in Purgatory is a beautiful act of intercession through the Blessed Virgin Mary. The prayers remember souls to whom we owe charity or justice, especially the abandoned and forgotten souls for whom no one prays, and those nearing the end of their purification. Through Mary’s intercession and the merits of the Passion of Jesus and the saints, we ask that these souls receive relief, mercy, and ultimately the joy of entering heaven to praise God eternally.

09/03/2026

🎉❤️ Happy 49th Wedding Anniversary, Deacon Pete Trevino and Rose Marie Trevino! 💐🎊

Thank you for all that you do for our parish and for your dedicated service to our Religious Education program. May God continue to bless you with many more years of love, happiness, good health, and joy! 🙏❤️

Congratulations and God bless you both! 🎉💐