FREQUENTLY

ASKED QUESTIONS

Parish Boundaries & Tithing

  • Our physical boundaries are Festival Ranch in N. Buckeye, east to Grand Avenue and Litchfield Road, running south to Waddell Road. However, many of our parishioners come from outside the physical boundary line, including those who live in Waddell, Vistancia, Verrado, and elsewhere.

  • Our boundary lines are simply a geographical marker of our parish’s territory, ensuring that every member of our community receives pastoral care, spiritual guidance, and access to the Holy Mass. This also helps us establish which parish is accountable for sacramental responsibilities within a certain area (e.g. attending to emergency anointings at hospitals and care facilities within our boundaries). The geographical markers also help you connect with, serve with, and spiritually blossom with other Catholics in your immediate neighborhood. Of course, those who feel at home in our parish, even if they reside outside the geographical markers, are welcome here and will receive pastoral care, regardless of location.

  • No problem! We’re happy to have you as active, participating members of our community, no matter how close or far you may be.

  • Being active in our parish community means you attend Masses regularly, you support the spiritual works of our parish, and you support the financial needs of the parish.

  • We typically track active members via the collection basket, whether that’s through envelopes or online giving through ParishSOFT.

  • It’s easy to think about it that way! We do rely on tithing to continue providing spiritual formation opportunities, community building opportunities, and more. You can give cash but we won’t be able to provide a tax document for charitable giving and we won’t be able to provide an accurate reflection of your participation in the parish, should the need for that documentation arise.

  • Tithing is the act of offering one-tenth of your income, usually in support of your local parish. The word “tithe” actually means “a tenth part.” We base the practice of tithing off of the biblical principle of offering to God our “first fruits” as a sign of our trust and obedience to His Laws.

    Unlike a business selling a product or service, or government entities who function off of tax dollars, Catholic Churches are able to provide a spiritual community thanks to the charity of our parishioners and community members.

  • Thank you for your financial support of our parish! It simply means we aren’t able to provide tax documentation for your charitable contributions. It also means we will have a difficult time providing documentation to another parish that you are active members of our parish. If you’d prefer to continue giving cash, why not clip a piece of paper with your name and address on it when the baskets are passed? This shows your active participation!

  • Good question! It matters to us because we care about your soul and the souls of your family members, which are our pastor’s responsibility. It helps us know how and where to allocate resources, and is for sacramental purposes.

  • Remember when we said we may need to provide documentation proving your active participation in a parish? Let’s say your nephew from Texas wants you to be his sponsor. The parish where he will be confirmed needs a letter stating that you are in good standing at your parish (you attend the sacraments, are an active member, etc) and we can only provide that letter if we can confirm that you are an active parishioner.

  • Make sure you’ve formally registered with the parish! Some folks have been attending to the Sacraments at St. Clare for 20 years and assume this means they are formally registered, which may not be the case. Even if you attend Mass regularly, double check with the office that we have you in our parishioner database. When filling out your registration form, you can determine which type of tithing you prefer: envelopes or online through ParishSOFT.

    You can register online or update your records here.

Parish Communication

  • We communicate directly with parishioners via Flocknote, social media, our website, weekly bulletin, weekend announcements, and telephone calls.

  • Flocknote is an email-based tool that we use to communicate with you (our flock) in a quick, efficient way. We can reach our members in just a few moments via email or text message.

  • We want to let you know how we communicate with the community. You can sign up yourself here or you can ask the parish office to help you sign up.

  • We send out a weekly Mid-Week Update on Wednesday afternoons to share the upcoming events of the parish. When applicable, we’ll send out novenas. We also occasionally send out urgent updates, like closures, “need-to-know” information, and reminders for Holy Days of Obligation. Small group leaders and Ministry leaders can also use Flocknote to communicate with members of their ministry.

    Join our Flocknote here.

  • You can either read the Flocknotes in your email inbox or you can sign in to the online portal here and read past messages you may have missed.

  • All links to our social media platforms can be found here.

  • Yes, we do! Follow these instructions to download:

    1. Access the parish app by clicking here.

    2. Follow the on-screen prompt to add the app to your phone’s home screen

    Please note: our app is not available through the App Store or Google Play. It is only available through the link above.

  • Good question! The parish app and Flocknotes do not reflect all information of what’s going on in our parish! We also publish our worship aid for weekend Masses in the bulletin, along with Mass intentions for the week, Gospel reflections, and more.

Becoming Catholic

  • You join our Becoming Catholic Initiation Process (O.C.I.A. - Order of Christian Initiation for Adults), which is a year-round process for adults discerning whether or not they would like to formally become a part of the Roman Catholic Church community.

  • OCIA is for non-Catholics who are considering joining the Catholic Church and would like to learn more about the Catholic faith, those who have decided they want to join the Catholic Church through baptism (catechumen) or profession of faith (candidate), or those who were baptized Catholic as infants but never received Religious Education, Confirmation, or First Eucharist.

  • Eventually, you may want to choose to complete the process. Initially, many are just seeking to learn more about the Catholic Church before making the commitment to become Catholic. A commitment will not be necessary until the inquirer is ready.

  • By joining the Becoming Catholic Initiation Ministry process, you are asked to make a two-fold promise:

    1. to be committed to the process itself;

    2. to possess an open heart and mind that is accessible to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

    Throughout the process, there are weekly sessions, various rites (special services/celebrations), and Mass attendance. As such, we are asking you to commit to the complete process.

  • We will need your religious background information and obtain a copy of your baptismal record or certificate, if it exists. Furthermore, an initial meeting with the Ministry Coordinator is necessary. During the meeting, specific questions will be asked that will help us acquire a clear understanding of your background; we will also provide assurance that the Initiation Process is explained and understood. Also, the information gleaned from the meeting will help us get to know you so we can assist you through the process, especially where it concerns marital history, which will determine the need for an annulment or for convalidation.

  • While we know that life can intrude during this process, it is absolutely essential that you make every attempt to be present for all sessions and other scheduled activities. If, for some reason, you cannot be present, please contact the Ministry Coordinator in advance so that you have an opportunity to make up what you will have missed.

  • No! There is only one Baptism; therefore, candidates will not be required to be baptized. However, there are some religious baptisms not recognized by the Catholic Church and a Catholic baptism would then be necessary.

  • Contact the church where you were baptized since nearly all churches document their baptismal records. Your parents may have a copy of the baptism certificate. If the church does not exist anymore, or the record is irretrievable, then there are other means of obtaining this information, if necessary.

Returning to the Faith

  • Join our Becoming Catholic Initiation process to receive your Sacraments of Initiation! Learn more about Becoming Catholic here.

  • The state of your soul is of great importance to us! Attending to the sacraments (Holy Eucharist, Confession, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass) is part of our joyful obligation as Catholics! If you’re interested in returning to the Faith, we encourage you to first attend to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. For information on how to make a good confession or making a good confession after a long period away, visit our Reconciliation page here.

  • We completely understand that you may be feeling anxious, nervous, or perhaps even shameful when thinking about going to Confession. Just remember that the priest is there to help guide you in reparation of what has been broken and recovering the grace of friendship with God. He is not there to pass judgment about your sins! The Sacrament of Reconciliation helps us stay close to this truth: we cannot live without God or His abundant mercy. Attending to the Sacrament of Reconciliation ensures that our sins have been absolved before attending to the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

  • Congratulations on taking this step toward reconciling with God and His abundant mercy! Check out our page on preparing for confession here.

Sacramental Preparation for Children

  • Yes, parents must be registered at the parish. If you wish to participate in our Family Faith Formation but are registered at a different parish, we will need written permission from your pastor.

  • Children older than the age of 7 who desire to become Catholic and receive baptism must participate in the Order of Christian Initiation for Children/Teens (OCIC/T) process. We have classes for children who are not baptized. When filling out your registration paperwork for classes, we will ask what sacraments your child has received and assign them to the appropriate class. If your child is in OCIC/T and will be baptized, we do require a copy of their birth certificate to proceed.

  • We have classes for Kindergarten through 12th grade. If your child is already 18, we will help determine if the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults process is right for them. When registering, we will ask what sacraments your child has received and assign them to the appropriate class.

  • Please contact the Director of Evangelization for more information here. In some cases, they may need to make a “Profession of Faith,” stating that the child believes in and understands the teachings of the Catholic Church.

  • In order to properly accompany you and your child on their faith journey, you and your child must participate in our 3-year, Family Faith Formation program. When we gather on Wednesdays or Sundays for catechesis, we will first gather together (parents/grandparents/guardians and children), learn together, and then the children will be dismissed to their classes while the parents stay together and continue their own formation. We will reunite at the end of classes for prayer and dismissal.

  • The Diocese of Phoenix confers sacraments in the “restored order,” which means that Confirmation and First Communion are typically given in 3rd grade. We still provide classes for children older than 3rd grade who still need to receive the Sacraments of Initiation.

  • We will need a letter from the director of the program at your previous parish to determine their eligibility and preparedness to receive the sacraments. Our Family Faith Formation program has moved to a 3-year program, so this letter is vital to determine where in the 3-year process your child may be. Please contact Nanci Lukasik-Smith, Director of Evangelization, for more information.

  • You’ll need to complete the registration form, a copy of their baptism certificate if baptized, and a copy of their birth certificate if they have not yet been baptized.

  • Sometimes a custody agreement may impact our ability to form the child in the faith. If there is any type of custody agreement, no contact order, or other family court documentation, please let us know.

  • Yes. Catholics are joyfully obligated to go to Sunday Mass (or Saturday night Mass) and all Holy Days of Obligation. Since it is our goal to accompany your child on their faith journey, they must see a good, faithful example of what it means to live the faith and attend the sacraments.

  • In order to be fully prepared to receive the sacraments, your child must attend classes and Mass. Please contact the Director of Evangelization and Formation for more information on the attendance policy.

  • We discern the readiness of a child to receive the sacraments as a team. If there are any concerns regarding the child’s readiness, we will contact you to determine the best path forward.

  • We do not have childcare. We happily welcome your other children to join us.

  • Please reach out to the Catechetical Coordinator to inform us of any illnesses.

  • Yes, of course! Our Evangelization and Formation team is uniquely equipped to support your child’s and family’s journey of faith. At least two of our parish staff are the parents of children with disabilities and, as such, bring a unique awareness of the different support needs of our students to the program and parish community. Please contact our Director of Evangelization and Formation to discuss any accommodations your child may need.

Sacrament Forms & Other Paperwork

  • Congratulations! For infants or children under the age of 7, we need a birth certificate, as well as signed and sealed forms for one valid Godparent. For older children, please contact our Director of Evangelization.

  • We will need a copy of their baptismal certificate and they will need to participate in our Family Faith Formation classes.

  • Our Director of Evangelization can help determine the eligibility of their baptism.

  • Any practicing catholic who is 16 or older is eligible to be a godparent or sponsor.

  • In the first FAQ section, we discussed the importance of being a registered, contributing member of a parish, which is how we determine that someone is a practicing Catholic. Specifically, an active, practicing Catholic is someone who:

    • has received all their sacraments

    • if married, is married in the Catholic Church

    • if single, is living a life of chastity and not cohabitating

    • is actively attending to the Sacraments

    • follows the precepts of the Church

  • Unfortunately, we must have one Godparent who is Catholic. If you’d like to choose a Christian Witness, you may do that, but you must choose one active, practicing Catholic as a Godparent. This is to ensure that your child has additional spiritual support on their faith journey. If there are marriage issues, they may still be a Godparent or Sponsor, if you wish to wait for those issues to be resolved. Sponsors must be Catholic.

  • They need to get registered! Every residence within a parish’s geographical boundary belongs to that parish. They can also register at a different parish, if they wish. Remind them to check the parish’s policies on how long they must be an active, participating parishioner before the parish will sign off on a Godparent or Sponsor form. They will also need copies of all their Sacramental records.

  • This is usually because they aren’t showing that they are an active, participating parishioner or the parish doesn’t have their Sacramental Records. This can usually be resolved by contacting their office. Sometimes, the parish may have other concerns. In which case, they can submit the form to our office along with copies of their Sacramental records and our Director of Evangelization can determine their eligibility.

  • Congratulations! It’s usually very easy - contact your Church of Baptism. The Catholic Church is in every country, on every continent. We have become effective at tracking the Sacraments over the last 2,000 years! If everything has been done properly, you should be able to contact your Church of Baptism and receive a copy of your baptismal certificate with notations of all other Sacraments received. If the parish has been closed, has lost its documents in a fire or clerical error, please contact our Director of Evangelization about how to prove that you have received all necessary sacraments.