Sacraments and Rites
Sacraments and Rites
Guidance and Resources for the Sacraments
St Anthony’s Catholic Parish welcomes and supports all those who wish to participate in the sacraments and rites of the Catholic Church:
For information and resources, please see the information under ‘Sacraments and Rites’ on the website of the National Liturgical Council.
For general information on the sacraments of the Catholic Church, please visit: https://www.catholic.au/s/article/The-Sacraments-of-the-Church
Further information can also be found on the website of the Archdiocese of Brisbane under ‘Sacraments & Rites’: https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/gods-word/
Baptism
You do not need to be a current parishioner at St Anthony’s to have your child baptised here: all are welcome. Please note however that only a parent or principal carer is permitted to arrange a baptism.
If you would like to have your child baptised at St Anthony’s, you are warmly invited to contact the Parish Office: please send an email in the first instance, with your name/s and contact details, the name and date of birth of your child, and a selection of potential dates for the baptism (the final date will depend on the availability of the parish priest).
Baptisms typically take place during Mass so that your child is welcomed into the Catholic Church by the community.
After a date is settled, you will be asked to complete a Baptism Registration Form. A member of the Parish’s Baptism Team will then be in touch to discuss the ceremony.
Please note that St Anthony’s Parish requests that at least one godparent be of the Catholic faith.
For adults who wish to be baptised in the Catholic Church, please see RCIA below.
Sacramental Program - First Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Communion
St Anthony’s offers an annual Sacramental Program for children who have been baptised.
The program operates under the guidance of the Parish Priest and prepares children for the sacraments in the following sequence: First Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion (First Eucharist).
The program at St Anthony’s is open to children of any school who are nine years of age or above (typically in Year Four in the Queensland school system). Meetings are usually held after school over a period of several months.
The 2026 program will run during Terms One, Two and Three. An initial meeting for participants and their parents or principal carers will take place in February 2026. If you would like to enrol your child or children for the 2026 intake, please contact the Parish Office.
Please be aware that there is a nominal enrolment fee for the Sacramental Program: this contributes to the cost of resources, including the Becoming Catholic Sacramental Series used to guide candidates though the program.
For adults who wish to receive these sacraments for the first time, please see RCIA below.
Eucharist (Communion)
Communion at St Anthony’s is offered during four weekly Masses.
If you or someone you know is unable to attend Mass and would like to receive Communion at home – whether on a regular basis or as a one-off visit – please contact the Parish Office.
Communion is also offered at the two local Aged Care residences served by St Anthony’s.
Times are as follows (please note these are subject to change):
Reconciliation Sacrament of (Penance)
St Anthony’s offers two forms of reconciliation: First Rite (Individual Reconciliation), which takes place between an individual and a priest in a dedicated space within the church, and Second Rite (Communal Reconciliation), which is a communal ceremony followed by the opportunity for individual confession and reconciliation.
Individual Reconciliation (First Rite)
Individual reconciliation (First Rite) is offered on Saturday afternoons before Mass, (please see the current schedule here, or by appointment. Reconciliation takes place in the Vestry, the large room with a glass wall situated at the back of the church.
Communal Reconciliation (Second Rite)
Communal Reconciliation (Second Rite) is offered twice a year, once during Lent, and once during Advent. Times are advertised in advance in the weekly newsletter.
Communal Reconciliation is also offered twice a year at Bolton Clarke Westhaven and OzCare Glenvale. Times are advertised in advance in the weekly newsletter.
For those unable to attend the above services, a home visit may be arranged: please contact the Parish Office.
A brief guide to Reconciliation, including all necessary responses and prayers, can be found here.
Holy Orders (Ordination)
Those who feel they may have a calling to ordained ministry are invited to visit the Vocations Website of the Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba.
Further resources are available here. These websites outline the discernment process and the formation journey toward ordained ministry.
Matrimony
St Anthony’s Parish welcomes enquiries from couples wishing to be married in its beautiful church and/or by the Parish Priest. Please note that couples need not be parishioners at St Anthony’s: all are welcome.
Although the church can seat over 300, its unique interior layout also makes it ideal for smaller ceremonies.
Couples are asked to please contact the Parish Office as soon as possible to discuss a potential wedding date.
If you have a location other than St Anthony’s in mind, please be aware that additional notice may be required to ensure the celebrant’s availability and ability to travel, and to ensure the relevant permissions are obtained.
Once a date has been confirmed, the Parish Office will send you a number of forms that need to be completed in a meeting with the celebrant prior to the wedding.
For those marrying in the church at St Anthony’s, assistance is available from the Parish’s Marriage Team. The Parish Office can also assist with the organisation of music and booklets.
Answers to some frequently asked questions about matrimony in the Catholic Church can be found here.
Anointing of the Sick
This sacrament is available to all those in need, including those whose health is impaired by age or illness.
At St Anthony’s, the sacrament takes place at Mass twice a year – once during Lent and once during Advent – with times advertised in advance in the weekly newsletter.
Anointing of the Sick also takes place twice a year at Bolton Clarke Westhaven and Ozcare Glenvale. Times are again advertised in advance in the weekly newsletter.
The sacrament can in addition be arranged on request in hospitals, aged care residences, or at home: please contact the Parish Office to organise a visit.
Funeral Rites
St Anthony’s Parish is honoured to support individuals and families in planning the funeral of a loved one. Please contact the Parish Office as soon as you are able, or ask the Funeral Directors to do so on your behalf.
A funeral can be held at St Anthony’s church, or you may ask one of the Parish priests to conduct a service elsewhere. Please note that the Parish Community Centre may also be available for gatherings after a funeral.
A funeral service held at St Anthony’s usually takes the form of a Funeral Liturgy, comprising either a Requiem Mass or a briefer Prayer Service, and the blessing known as the final commendation.
A priest can also conduct the rite of Committal, which is held in a cemetery or crematorium chapel and marks the conclusion of the funeral rites, committing the body to its final resting place.
For funerals taking place at St Anthony’s, a dedicated Funeral Team is on call to assist and support families through the process of organising the service. Working in conjunction with the Parish Office, the team can assist with the preparation of the Funeral Liturgy, as well as with music and booklets.
The Funeral Team can also assist with pre-planning a funeral for yourself or a loved one: please contact the Parish Office to arrange an appointment.
Rite of Chrisitan Initiation of Adults
Adults who wish to enter into membership of the Catholic Church are invited to undertake what is known as the process Christian Initiation, leading to the reception of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. The process is also open to those who have been baptised into another Christian community.
If you are an adult who is interested in learning more about the Rite of Christian Initiation, please contact the Parish Office to organise a time for you to meet with a priest.
For further information, please see here.
Support for First Nations Communities
The Murri Ministry of the Archdiocese of Brisbane is available to assist members of First Nations Communities across South East Queensland in preparing for the sacraments.