Parish Life In addition to a rich sacramental life, Bl. Michael McGivney Parish also offers a strong parish life. Use the Parish Life menu or read below to explore the many ways you can get involved and deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ, the Church, and our local parish community. Parish Updates Read More Parish Bulletin Read More Get Involved Read More Pastor's Letters Archive Read More Parish Photos Coming Soon! Event Calendar Coming Soon!

Holy Orders "Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate." ​ ( Catechism of the Catholic Church 1536 ) Contact Us What obligations do parents take upon themselves when asking to have their baby baptized? In choosing to have your child baptized in the Catholic Church, you are accepting the responsibility of raising him or her in the practice of the Catholic Faith. The preparation process is conducted under the assumption that at least one of the parents is a believing and practicing Roman Catholic. It is an occasion to reflect on your faith, the faith of the Church, and how you live it out and hand it on in the life of your child. Whether you have been away for a while, or you have a pew at Church that practically has your name on it, your child’s baptism is an opportunity to rediscover and renew your commitment to your Faith in Christ by deeper engagement with the Church. It is as much a chance for a new beginning for you as it is for your child, as you introduce him or her to the full sweep and significance of the Gospel which, if it were all recounted, “the world itself could not contain all the books that would be written”. (John 21:25) For more information, use the 'Contact Us' button above. How do I schedule a date and time? Baptisms and Baptism Preparation are held at various times at our various parish churches. For more information, use the 'Contact Us' button above. Who will administer the Sacrament? Ordinarily, one of the parish priests or deacons will celebrate baptisms in the parish. If a family has a special relationship with a priest or deacon from outside the parish, he is most welcome to come and celebrate the baptism. If you are interested in having a particular priest from the parish baptize your child, feel free to let the Parish Staff know. Visiting priests or deacons must obtain the necessary permission from the parish to conduct the baptism. We will do our best to accommodate your requests. How do I select a Godparent? Each child must have at least one, but may have two godparents or sponsors. If there are two godparents, they must be a godfather and godmother. One godparent must be a practicing and believing Roman Catholic who has received the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Confirmation, be at least 16 years old, and (if married) in a valid Catholic marriage recognized by the Church. Canon Law sets these expectations and expects godparents to be good witnesses of Catholic faith, because it is through baptism that one enters the Church. If someone close to the family is a great example of Christian faith, but is not Catholic, there is the possibility of having such a person act as a witness to the ceremony in a role similar to that of a godparent, but distinct from it. Godparents may be represented by proxies if they are unable to be present for the ceremony. Those serving as proxies must fulfill the same requirements as godparents. Catholics serving as godparents must contact their parish and obtain a sponsor letter or certificate. Please bring the letter or certificate to the baptism. What is the offering cost? Please contact the church you are scheduling the Baptism at to inquire about a Baptism Offering using the "Contact Us" button above. What if I am an adult and would like to receive Baptism? You are invited to find out more about the Roman Catholic Church by participating in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). More information can be found here.

St. Martin de Porres Church Established 1942 St. Martin de Porres Parish grew out of New Haven’s Blessed Martin Center. The idea had originated in 1937 when the pastor of St. Brendan, Father John McLaughlin, organized the Blessed Martin de Porres Confraternity at his parish. The society consisted of black Catholics from the Cape Verde Islands. When growth necessitated moving the meetings from St. Brendan to a former Dixwell Avenue police station in 1942, the official name of Blessed Martin de Porres Center was given. Father Peter L. Gerety, later Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, was appointed pastor. On May 16, 1943, the first Mass was offered at Blessed Martin Center. Bishop Maurice F. McAuliffe presided at the liturgy. The center’s chapel was located in the basement. A mission style church was later added to the building. On June 26, 1949, then Bishop Henry J. O’Brien dedicated the church. In 1955, old St. Mary School was purchased. The building became the new Blessed Martin School under the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. St. Martin School closed in 1988. ​ St. Martin de Porres continues to be home to a thriving Black Catholic community in the heart of New Haven and a beacon of charity in the surrounding neighborhood community.

Parish Photos See below for Parish event and activity photos.

Becoming a Catholic (OCIA) You are invited to find out more about the Roman Catholic Church by participating in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). The OCIA provides doctrinal and spiritual formation for those desiring to enter the Catholic Church. Through prayer, study, and discipleship, it allows each person to learn more about their journey of faith and leads to full participation in the Roman Catholic Church through the celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter. ​ If you or someone you know is interested in becoming Catholic kindly contact the St. Mary Office about our Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) in English, or the St. Francis Office for classes in Spanish. Who can join OCIA? OCIA is for anyone who is not Catholic but is interested in becoming Catholic or in simply learning more about the Catholic faith. It is also for those who were baptized Catholic but who were not raised Catholic and would now like to participate in the life of the Church and receive the other sacraments. If you were raised Catholic and are desirous of receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, please inquire about our Adult Confirmation preparation. What is involved? OCIA participants are asked to: ​ Attend weekly meetings to explore Catholic beliefs and practices, reviewing relevant material beforehand in preparation. Begin attending Mass and developing a life of prayer. Get to know the parish community by participating in the groups, activities, and events that interest them. Meet individually with one of the priests several times during the course of the year to update him on their experience of OCIA and their thoughts about joining the Catholic Church. Participate in the various rituals that mark the stages of the OCIA journey, as they become sure of their desire to enter the Church. If already baptized, provide record of such. Choose a Sponsor to accompany and assist you on your journey into the Church. Choose a patron saint. What is a Sponsor? A Sponsor is a Catholic that supports and mentors an OCIA candidate during the course of OCIA. Sponsors therefore should be faithful Catholics who live out the Gospel in their daily lives. Each OCIA candidate chooses his or her sponsor. If a candidate does not know other Catholics, the parish is happy to provide a sponsor. Further guidance about choosing a sponsor will be given at the beginning of OCIA. When do classes begin? A big part of OCIA is a weekly meeting, which typically begin each September. Special accommodations can be made for those who cannot meet the regular schedule. ​ ​For more information, please contact the St. Mary Office for classes in English or the St. Francis Office for classes in Spanish. Contact Us Testimonials "Joining the church has been the best part of my life during the past year and RCIA* at St. Mary's was a great piece of that experience. Very welcoming and educational!" – Nick 2020 ​ ​“It was truly a journey of faith for me converting from Buddhism to the Catholic faith. My wife who is Catholic inspired me to become Catholic also. There is so much to learn about the Catholic faith, the Catholic Church, and its teachings. Knowing that if I make mistakes in life, the Church will forgive me, and it gives me hope for the future. It’s a most comforting feeling to know and to have. I learned something new at each of the weekly meetings. Have to thank Father Kenney and Father Leo for their time, efforts, teaching and comments to help me understand and learn about our Catholic faith and finally to become a member of the Church.” – Shunichi 2020 “RCIA* is the rite I didn't know I needed but am ever grateful that I experienced, as it afforded me not only a spiritual but intellectual introduction–or rather re-introduction–to a faith I wouldn't otherwise have had the discipline to cultivate. That I was able to explore doctrine and theology in the company of others who were seeking God in a seemingly secular world made this past year all the more meaningful.” ​– Caitlin 2020 ​ * The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) used to be known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

Urbi et Orbi Blessing Urbi et Orbi denotes a papal address and apostolic blessing given by the pope on certain solemn occasions.

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