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Sacramental Preparation

BAPTISM
Baptism of infants and young children are scheduled at Our Lady of Grace on the first Sunday of the month at 3 PM or at any Sunday Mass.  At St. Joseph, they are scheduled during the 10 AM Mass in Spanish or the 12 PM Mass in English.  Parents must be registered and active parishioners and should contact the parish at least two months in advance to set a date and register for the preparation session.  At least one godparent must submit to us a completed sponsor form from his/her parish in order for the parents to schedule the baptism date and register for the preparation session.

Adults for Baptism can contact the Parish Center to register for RCIA.

FIRST COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION
Preparation for children entering Kindergarten through 8th grade is offered on Sunday mornings at each church.  For more information, please click here.

Adults are prepared through RCIA and can register by contacting the Parish Center.

MATRIMONY: Performing a Wedding and Preparing for a Marriage
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. This celebration of the Mass unites us as Catholics. From this and within it, we celebrate sacramental Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, Ordination and, once a year, the Anointing of the Sick. On occasion, we have a Wedding at a parish Mass. We believe it is important for a person preparing to marry in Our Lady of Grace or St. Joseph to worship regularly for a period of time. It is important to cultivate community and become a part of the parish. From this involvement comes the desire to marry here when a parishioner is ready.

We will not accept a wedding for people who register just to get married here. We expect that you will register as parishioners and that you will worship on a regular basis for a period of six months before we even set a date for a wedding.  So that we may know that you are in regular attendance at Mass, kindly use offering envelopes noting your name or online giving -- it is not the level of your generosity but rather your presence at Mass that we would like to confirm. Once you satisfy this requirement, we can set a date one year in advance from that time. We are not a typical parish. We have people who move to Hoboken from all over the country and even the world. Some people decide to marry in their home parish or elsewhere, and we will not give permission to anyone who has not worshipped on a regular basis for six months.  We find that some people think that selecting a church is like picking a reception venue. 

We have found the most fulfilling weddings of couples or individuals who have made this their parish and come to church regularly, get involved and support the church in a variety of ways through time, talent and treasure. We will not be forced by anyone to set a date for a marriage. If that is what you are looking for, please go elsewhere.  We also feel an obligation to people who live in Hoboken. There are scores of churches within miles of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph. It’s not the beauty of the church that should attract you but the desire to build community in this lovely church and make your faith grow.

And that takes us to the last point: a wedding is one day, a marriage is a lifetime. Too many couples and families focus on wedding planners, reception venues, photography, videography and all the overblown and expensive aspects of weddings in this day and age. Without the spiritual and sacramental components, a wedding does not automatically become a marriage. Please share this message with your friends. We pray for all who search. Plan your wedding but make it a true marriage that is steeped in Catholic tradition and the community of faith.

ANOINTING OF THE SICK
Once a year, a communal celebration of Anointing is offered in Church. Individual requests can be made at any time.