matrimony
Engaged couples, congratulations on your engagement. What an exciting and wonderful time in your lives. Please contact the parish at least six months before your expected wedding date to provide adequate time to do the marriage preparation and paperwork.
If you plan to have your wedding at Newman-Holy Spirit, please fill out a Wedding Request Form and turn it in at the front desk or e-mail it to Fr. Xavier (xavierop@calnewman.org ). For further information, check out our Wedding Brochure.
If you plan to have your wedding elsewhere and need assistance with marriage preparation and paperwork, please fill out the Request for Assistance with Marriage Preparation or Paperwork and turn it in at the front desk or e-mail it to Fr. Xavier (xavierop@calnewman.org ). Fr. Xavier or Fr. Pius will then contact you and work with you. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Fr. Xavier.
For information on a marriage preparation workshop provided by the Oakland diocese, check out the diocesan website. For information on a one-day workshop in SF, check out Old St. Mary’s Marriage Preparation. For information on Natural Family Planning (NFP) Classes, check out the diocesan website, or for resources on NFP, check out MyParishNFP.org
Music at My Wedding
After couples have met with a priest and decided upon a wedding date, we currently have two musicians providing music that you can contact: Colleen Lenord or Rob Grant To get a sense of their different styles, check out Colleen at the 10 am Mass and Rob at the 9 pm Mass. You can also check out Rob’s website.
Wedding Coordination
Please also work with our sacristan, Marilyn, who will advise you on matters related to flowers, banners, candles, and the like. She will give you a tour of the church and the rooms we use for the bridal party.
Marriage Preparation
Newman Hall-Holy Spirit Parish offers a marriage preparation program to support you as you plan for your married life together. The program offers you, the engaged couple, an invaluable opportunity to reflect on your coming married life and to develop skills which will enhance your relationship. While marriage in the Catholic tradition is centered in Christ and the Catholic community of faith, we welcome and value those who bring a different religious tradition to the marriage relationship.
Please contact Fr. Xavier to get started with the process.
baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism is the sacrament that brings one into the life of the Church and access to other sacraments. We celebrate baptism for infants throughout the year except during the Season of Lent, when the parish is preparing for either the renewal of baptismal promises or baptism.
Please complete and drop off a Baptism Request Form at the front desk and one of the priests will contact you.
If you have been asked to be a Godparent, please fill out and drop off the Godparent Preparation Request Form at the front desk, and we will assist you with your preparation.
If you are an adult seeking baptism, you will want to participate in the RCIA, where the parish accompanies you in a process to deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. Please contact our RCIA Director, Fr. Xavier (xavierop@calnewman), or make an appointment at Fr. Xavier’s Appointments.
If you have a child 7 or older seeking baptism, that child will also want to participate in an RCIA program adapted for children. Please contact Fr. Xavier.
confession (RECONCILIATION)
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at Newman on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and by appointment.
To make an appointment:
Fr. Xavier’s Appointments
Fr. Pius
When CAL classes are in session during the Fall and Spring Semesters, the sacrament of reconciliation is also available on Thursday nights from 8-9 pm.
During Advent and Lent, we offer a communal celebration of reconciliation, followed by individual confession.
Children's Religious Education and Sacramental Preparation
Children and teens prepare for their First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Teen Confirmation through our Sunday Religious Education program.
For more information, please send an email to us at faithformation@calnewman.org
To register for a class, please complete this registration form and bring it to the front desk. Thank you!
Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation is typically the sacrament received after First Communion. It is the third sacrament of initiation in the Catholic Church. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is "sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit" and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ.” In the Sacrament of Baptism, the Holy Spirit is welcomed into new life, and can bring fruits upon our spirit as it washes away Original Sin. Confirmation, however, strengthens the individual’s relationship with Christ, and is when the gifts of the Holy Spirit and officially enter the person and work more fruitfully in the person’s life.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit include: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord
Some links to articles with information on how students can prepare for Confirmation: Here
TEEN Confirmation
Teen Confirmation: Open to any teenager/adolescent ages 13-17 who has not celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation, but has already been baptized, completed the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and has received First Communion.
Teen Confirmation is a 2-year program. At Newman Hall, classes take place weekly starting mid-September through mid-May, following the school year calendar. There is no class during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Easter celebrations. (Day of the week is determined annually based on what works best for students.)
Registration for new students is currently open for the 2025-2026 school year. Please click here to register your child: Registration Form
For questions, comments, or concerns, please email the Teen Confirmation Coordinator:
Camilla San Juan sugarcookiecamilla@gmail.com
Confirmation Requirements
Miss no more than 3 classes per school year, 10 hours of community service per school year, knowledge of prayers, and having a sponsor and a chosen patron saint.
Required prayers: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Guardian Angel, Oh my Jesus, Nicene Creed, Salve Regina.
College students or other adults interested in volunteering or helping teach Teen Confirmation can fill the Volunteer Form. Must be fingerprinted in order to work with minors, if not yet fingerprinted but would like to start helping out, please reach out to Camila!
Adult Confirmation
Catholic but never Confirmed?
The Sacrament will be celebrated at Newman in Spring of 2025. Preparation classes will begin in the Spring.
For more info, contact Fr. Xavier
Funeral Services
If you have lost a loved one, you have our deepest condolences. Please contact us if you would like a pastoral visit or conversation, or if you would like to have a Funeral Mass at Holy Spirit-Newman Hall. The three common services are a Vigil Service (wake), the Funeral Mass or Funeral Liturgy, and the Gravesite Committal Service. Come by our office to pick up a Funeral Brochure for more information.
Click here for ideas on funeral readings.
Funeral Forms to let us know whom to contact and how.
Overview of Funeral Elements and Processes
EXPLORING CATHOLICISM
Are you interested in exploring and/or joining the Catholic Church? Consider joining Exploring Catholicism. It is our Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) process that takes you through the basics of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in the Catholic faith. This program is for those who wish to be baptized, for Christians wishing to become Roman Catholics, for Catholic wishing to be confirmed, as for anyone who wants a refresher or who are are simply curious. The Newman community normally celebrates adult baptisms and reception into the Catholic Church (First Communion and Confirmation) at the Easter Vigil. For more information, please email Fr. Xavier
Click here for Syllabus 2025-2026