Sacraments

Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word." (CCC 1213)

Infant/children baptisms are scheduled on Sundays at 1:00p.m. 

First-time parents are expected to attend a baptismal preparation class before the baptism of their child. We recommend the godparents attend the class as well.  The class is held the first Thursday of every month from 7:00pm-8:00pm in the Parish Center.   Please RSVP for the class by calling the parish office at (502) 583-4448.

If the parents are not registered at St. Louis Bertrand, then they need to have a letter of permission sent to us from their pastor.

At least one of the godparents must be a practicing Catholic. Godparents need to have a sponsor letter sent to St. Louis Bertrand letting us know that they are in good standing with their parish.

For adults desiring baptism please contact the parish office or one of the priests.

"Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion." (CCC1422)

The Sacrament of Penance (Confession) are offered at these times at the church or by appointment.

Monday - Saturday
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Wednesday
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm

For a good preparation for confession (examination of conscience), Click Here

"The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord's own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist." (CCC 1322)

For First Communion inquiries please contact the parish office.
 

Schedule for the celebration of the Eucharist (Mass):

Sundays
4:15 pm (Vigil); 7:00, 9:00, &10:30 am
12:00 noon, & 5:15pm

Monday - Saturday
7:00 am & 12:00 noon
Rosary 11:40 am

"By the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed." (CCC 1285)

For inquiries regarding the Sacrament of Confirmation please contact the parish office.

For adults desiring to be Confirmed or full communion with the Catholic Church see our "Becoming Catholic" page.

"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament." (CCC 1601)

The Priests and staff at St. Louis Bertrand are happy to help you prepare for your wedding. Please call the parish office at (502) 583-4448 for more information. Click on the link below for the wedding guidelines and policies at St. Louis Bertrand.

St. Louis Bertrand Wedding Guidelines and Policies

This video resource walks you through the Rite of Marriage. It also answers several FAQs about Catholic weddings.

• Saying I Do – What Happens at a Catholic Wedding

"By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. and indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ." (CCC 1499)

Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is administered to those who are sick and elderly. Please contact the parish office (502) 583 4448 to schedule an appointment or a visit from a priest.

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. (CCC 1536)

If you have inquiries regarding vocations to Holy Orders or religious life the friars at St. Louis Bertrand are happy to help.

• Archdiocese of Louisville vocation click here
• Vocation to the Dominican Order (Order of Preachers) click here

The Friars and the staff of St. Louis Bertrand offer our deepest condolences at the passing of your loved one. We are here to accompany you during this difficult time.

These guidelines will help you navigate the process of preparing for a funeral Mass at St. Louis Bertrand.  You are welcome to contact any of the priests for counsel or guidance.

1.  Setting a date for the funeral

In order to keep things simple, all logistical arrangements are handled through the funeral home.  Please contact a funeral home right away, and as part of their service to you, they will schedule the funeral liturgy with us here at the parish. 

We typically offer funeral Masses weekday mornings at 9:30 am.

You may request that a particular priest be the celebrant (schedule permitting).

Once the funeral date and time have been set, the priest will contact you regarding the details of the funeral liturgy.

2.  Liturgical requirements

A funeral Mass typically includes a reading from the Old Testament, a New Testament reading from one of the epistles, and a Gospel passage.  You may ask the priest to choose the Mass readings, or if you prefer, you can select them yourself from among the readings: 

• Old Testament Readings for Funerals
• New Testament Readings for Funerals
• Gospel Readings for Funerals

Additionally, you'll need one or two lectors, for the Old and New Testament readings.  You can select family members or friends to read, or if you prefer, one of the parish's ministers can proclaim the readings instead.

We provide an organist and a cantor; click here for more information about the music of a funeral Mass.

There is no eulogy (a speech or reminiscence about the deceased) during the funeral Mass, but we encourage such memorializing at the wake and/or the burial or reception afterward.

Similarly, there is no visitation of the body in church before the funeral Mass begins; the wake, on the day beforehand, is the time provided for these farewells.

After the liturgy the priest or the deacon will go to the cemetery for the burial ceremony (if the burial is taking place on the same day).

If you like, the parish will print up a small number of worship aids for the funeral Mass.

3.  On cremation

Msgr. Joseph Champlain, in his funeral-planning booklet entitled Through Death to Life, offers these remarks about cremation:

"The Catholic Church holds the bodies of its deceased members in the highest regard.  Great reverence is due the human body ... Burial continues to be the Church's preference, and our funeral rites for the most part assume the presence of the body ... When cremation is chosen, the Order of Christian Funerals urges that the body be present in church for the funeral when at all possible, with cremation taking place afterward ... Cremated remains are to be treated with the same respect as is given to the human body. They should be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. The Church does not permit scattering of cremated remains nor the keeping of these in homes."

If you're considering cremation, be sure to discuss it thoroughly with both priest and funeral home.