Baptism is our birth as Christians. Through it, we are cleansed of original sin, incorporated into the Body of Christ that is the Church, and it is the beginning in us of the new life Christ imparts through his death and resurrection. It is the role of the father and mother, accompanied by the godparents, to present the child to the Church for baptism. These guidelines are offered to you to help make the preparation for your child's baptism a time for spiritual growth and the ceremony a joyful celebration. Registered members of the parish may have their child baptized in St. Mary's Church. 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, the marriage must be a valid Catholic marriage. It is through baptism that one enters the Church. Godparents or sponsors represent the Church community. Therefore, it is necessary that one godparent be an active member of the community. A baptized Christian may serve as a witness to the ceremony.
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.
Godparents
Each child must have at least one but may have two godparents or sponsors, one male, and one female. Baptism is the gateway to the sacramental life of the Church. The baptismal register of each parish records the sacramental life of each person. During the future years of your child, at times it will be necessary to provide a new certificate of baptism in preparation for other sacraments. This certificate can be obtained by contacting the Church of St. Mary. The parish in which the sacraments of Confirmation, Marriage, and Holy Orders, are received will send a notification to the Church of St. Mary to be entered in the baptismal register here.
Godparent Requirements
Preparation Session
Parents are required to attend an hour-long preparation session. The session is arranged by contacting one of the parish priests and is scheduled at your mutual convenience. You do not need to wait until the child is born to attend the session. The date and time of the baptism are scheduled during the preparation session. The session will focus on the meaning of the Sacrament of Baptism, the responsibilities of the parents and godparents in teaching the faith of the Church to the child, and the celebration of the rite. If the child is between the ages of 7 and 14 years, it will be necessary to arrange a brief interview of the child with the priest who will be conducting the baptism. This interview is to ascertain the child's sufficient awareness and knowledge of the Sacrament. At the session, the birth certificate should be presented.
Baptism Guideline / Checklist
Preparation Session and Requirements
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 and how the faith of the Church will be communicated and lived out in the life of the child. If Catholics have not been practicing their faith, this is an opportunity to rediscover and renew their commitment to the Church. It is an invitation to deepen their knowledge of the faith and to actively live that faith.
Baptism Preparation requirements
Minister of the Sacrament
Ordinarily, one of the parish priests 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 celebrate the baptism. Visiting priests or deacons should contact the pastor to obtain the necessary permission from the parish to conduct the baptism.
Scheduling the date and time
Expectant parents should call the Church office to make the necessary arrangements and to participate in our baptismal preparation program.
The Baptismal Class
Baptism Class – February, June, September & November (1st Thursday)
Baptism Rite - 2nd Sunday following 8:30 Mass
Baptism Registration Form
Baptismal Certificates
Roman Catholics who attend Mass at St. Mary's but who have no formal relationship with the parish community may speak to one of the priests about establishing a relationship with the intention of celebrating their child's baptism here. Former members of this parish and members of other parishes must speak with both their present pastor and to one of the priests at St. Mary's if they wish to have their child baptized here.
Punctuality
For the convenience of all involved, everyone should be on time for the ceremony. There is no need to rush through your celebration on such an important day. Also, we ask you to please be aware that other parish liturgies may follow yours and it will be necessary to begin those celebrations on time.
Rites for a Child Baptized in an Emergency
If a child was baptized in danger of death, the Rite of Bring a Baptized Child to the Church may be celebrated. This rite celebrates all the additional ceremonies of the baptism rite including the reception and welcoming of the child, anointing, clothing with the white garment, presentation of the candle, and blessings.
Celebration of the Rite
All the sacraments, including Baptism, are celebrated as a community in which the Catholic faithful gather in prayer and to listen to the Scriptures.
The dates for Baptism Class:
6:30pm September 5, 2024
6:30pm November 7, 2024
6:30pm February 6, 2025
6:30pm June 5, 2025
Baptism Rite
September 8, 2024 January 12, 2025 May 11, 2025
October 13, 2024 February 9, 2025 June 8, 2025
November 10, 2024 March 9, 2025 July 13, 2025
December 8, 2024 April 13, 2025 August 10, 2025
Some things to consider for the ceremony:
It is customary to have the baby dressed in white for the ceremony. After the pouring of the water, there is a reference to the white garment. St. Paul speaks of the newly baptized as having "put on Christ." The white garment symbolizes that the newly baptized have "put on Christ." There is an anointing that takes place before the pouring of the water. This anointing is done on the top of the chest area of the child. Please make sure that the baby's clothes are loose enough to provide access to this area for this anointing. The mother holds the baby for the pouring of the water during the ceremony. After the pouring of the water, a small candle is lighted from the Easter candle and passed on to the godfather (or to the Catholic godparent). The candle will be provided by the Church and should be kept by the family as a reminder for the child of his or her baptism. If desired, families may provide their own candle. If the baptismal outfit includes a hat for the baby, please make sure it is removed before, the ceremony. If there are elements that families have traditionally used for baptism (e.g., a special vessel for the pouring of the water, etc.), you are most welcome to bring these to the ceremony for use.
Families who desire to have a child baptized in another parish (Church) should contact a priest in the parish where the baptism will take place and one of the parish priests at St. Mary's Church. Because sacramental preparation is primarily the responsibility of the parish to which you belong, St. Mary's Parish will be very happy to assist our parishioners who desire to have a child baptized in another parish. The priests will work with family and the other parish to provide the necessary preparation in the most convenient way.
the parents and godparents actively participate in the rite.
Contact: Mrs. Robin Landry Thornton 281-787-3920
Baptism Preparation Fact Sheet