Parish Registration

1. Please visit the Join the Parish page to register.

2. Only those families and individuals who are formally registered, attend Mass weekly, and accept a financial obligation to the parish appropriate to their means will be considered active members in good standing. 

3. Families and individuals who reside outside of the parish boundary may register. The parish will accept a spiritual responsibility for those residing outside of its boundary only if such families and individuals attend Mass regularly and accept a financial obligation to the parish appropriate to their means.
 

Request for Baptism

1. Families requesting the Baptism of a child must be active members of the parish in good standing for a minimum of six months.  Baptisms are usually celebrated on Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m. in the Chapel.  First time parents will be required to attend a one-hour Baptism Class before the Baptism can be scheduled.

2. A family who is registered less than six months may have a child baptized. The pastor may ask for a letter from the previous parish. This letter should state that the family was registered and regularly practiced the Faith in the former parish. 

3. Practicing adults from outside the parish whose parents are active parishioners in good standing at Sacred Heart Church may request to have a child baptized. A letter must be presented to the pastor of Sacred Heart Church from the parish where the family attends church. It should state that the family is registered and regularly practices the Faith and that their pastor gives permission for the baptism to take place at Sacred Heart.

4. Sponsors of children to be baptized must have a letter from their pastor (two weeks in advance of the Baptism) stating that they are eligible to stand as a sponsor for Baptism. 

5. A Baptism for a family residing outside of the parish must have the approval of the pastor of Sacred Heart Church and the family must have a letter from their pastor giving permission for the baptism to occur at Sacred Heart. 

6. The Pastor of Sacred Heart Church must approve a visiting priest/deacon for Baptism. If he is from outside of the Archdiocese of Washington, he must submit a letter of suitability at least one month in advance.

First Confession, First Communion, Confirmation

Preparation for the Sacraments for all children of families registered at Sacred Heart is to take place through the parish's religious education and faith formation program. A child must be registered for and participate fully in two years of preparation for First Confession/First Communion (typically 1st and 2nd grade) and for Confirmation (7th and 8th Grade). For accommodation of any learning needs or medical conditions please contact the Director of Religious Education.

Please see the School of Religion page for more information.
 

Request for Marriage

1. An individual requesting to be married at Sacred Heart Church or Chapel must be an active member in good standing for a minimum of six months before the formal six months of instruction can begin. 

2. An individual who is registered less than six months may request to be married at Sacred Heart Church or Chapel when a letter is presented to the pastor of Sacred Heart Church from the previous parish. This letter should state that the individual was registered and regularly practiced the Faith in the former parish. 

3. Practicing adults from outside of the parish whose parents are active parishioners in good standing at Sacred Heart Church may request to be married at Sacred Heart Church or Chapel. A letter must be presented to the pastor of Sacred Heart Church from the parish of the individual. It should state that the individual is registered and regularly practices the Faith. With the approval of the pastor of Sacred Heart Church, the marriage can be placed on the church calendar. 

4. A priest from Sacred Heart Church must approve a visiting priest/deacon to officiate at a marriage before the marriage date can be placed on the church calendar. 

5. If there is not to be a Nuptial Mass, a deacon may be asked by a parish priest to preside at the ceremony. 

6. A parish priest or deacon can place a marriage date on the church calendar up to but no more than eighteen (18) months in advance. No date can be given until the priest or deacon has undertaken a pre-nuptial investigation.
 

Communion Calls

1. Requests for the reception of Holy Communion at home are to be given to a priest. He may assign a deacon or an extraordinary minister to make a regular visit.  Call the Parish Office at 301-262-0704 to coordinate home visits.

2. A priest or deacon will visit each Communion Call in the course of a month.
 

Funerals/Burials

1. Funerals will be arranged for Sacred Heart parishioners. All other requests, including that of former parishioners, will be considered at the discretion of the pastor of Sacred Heart Church. 

2. Burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery requires seven years of active good standing in the parish. All other burials in the parish cemetery will be considered at the discretion of the pastor of Sacred Heart Church. 

3. Cemetery plots are sold only at the time of death. Parishioners in active good standing for a minimum of seven years are entitled to purchase a plot. Any exemption is solely at the discretion of the pastor of Sacred Heart Church.
 

Mass Intentions

1. Mass intentions can be requested in the parish Mass Intention Calendar up to but no more than one year in advance. 

2. Mass intentions will be received on a first come basis; particular dates may not be reserved perpetually for particular individuals. 

3. A family may reserve a particular date for only two Masses within a year's time as the calendar permits. Additional Masses that are requested will be offered at Sacred Heart Church if possible; if it is not possible, they will be sent to the Missions Office of the Archdiocese to be offered by priests working in the missions. 

4. Masses for the recently deceased will be accepted as the calendar permits. 

5. A particular intention will be offered only once in a week's time. 
 

Pastoral Recommendation to Attend St. Pius X Regional School or another Catholic School.

1. A Pastoral Recommendation for a family to be eligible to register their child(ren) to attend St. Pius X Regional School or another Catholic school will be issued to active members in good standing of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. 
   
   

2. A family must be registered, practicing, and contributing financially to the parish for a six-month period to receive a Pastoral Recommendation. Exceptions can be made only at the discretion of the pastor. 

3. The family should be regularly attending Mass at Sacred Heart and be known to the parish priest(s). If the pastor does not know the family by name, he may ask for a meeting before giving the recommendation. 
   
   

4. Children who attend Catholic schools must participate in the parish's religious education and faith formation program and receive sacraments at Sacred Heart. Students in 1st and 2nd grade must be registered and participate for 1st Confession/Communion and students in 7th and 8th grade must be registered and participate for Confirmation. Permission is not given for sacraments to be received elsewhere.
   
   

5. The Pastoral Recommendation may be revoked by the pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church if one or more of the conditions for a Pastoral Recommendation should cease to exist or if a child is not enrolled for a required religious education year.
   
   

6. Parish tuition assistance for students in elementary or middle school is available only to students enrolled at St. Pius X Regional School.

Parish Letter of Good Standing

1. To receive a Parish Letter of Good Standing to act as a godparent for the Sacrament of Baptism or to act as a sponsor for the Sacrament of Confirmation, an individual must be an active member in good standing at Sacred Heart Church. He or she must be registered in the parish for 6 months before a request for a Parish Letter of Good Standing can be fulfilled. Please use the form below to request a letter: