Baptism Preperation

The Sacrament of Baptism

Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are freed from sin and reborn as children of God (John 3:5).  We become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church, and made sharers in the Church’s mission.  Through the waters of Baptism, sin is forgiven and the new Christian, having died with Christ, rises to new and everlasting life.

Baptism of Adults

Since the beginning of the Church, adults have been welcomed into the church through baptism after a period of instruction,  prayer, and reflection.  For more information about the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, click here.

Baptism of Infants

The practice of infant baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church.  In Acts 16:13, 33 and 18:8, as well as 1 Corinthians 1:16, we find that a person and his whole household were baptized. In all likelihood, this would also involve children, even small ones. St. Paul, in Colossians 2:11-13, makes a connection between Baptism and cirumcision. Circumcision was performed on Jewish boys at the age of 8 days, and was the seal of the covenant God made with Abraham, which applies also to us (Ga 3:14, 29). It ws a sign of repentance and future faith (Rom 4:11). Infants were just as much a part of the covenant as adults (Gn 17:7; Dt 29:9, cf Mt 19:14). Born in the midst of a sinful world and affected by original sin, children are born anew through baptism, are freed from the power of darkness, and are welcomed into the community of the church.

The Sacrament of Baptism for infants is celebrated on selected Sundays, or on Saturday afternoons, depending on the circumstances. No baptisms, unless for an emergency, are celebrated during the Season of Lent.

Parents are required to attend a preparation session prior to the baptism of their child.

Sponsors (godparents)  The role of the Sponsors, often referred to as godparents, is very important.

Here are the requirements for a sponsor:

1. You only need one sponsor, but can have two. One of the godparents must be a baptized and confirmed Catholic. They are known as the official sponsor of the child.
2. If they Catholic sponsor(s) are married, they must be married in the Catholic Church.
3. If they are not members of either St. Francis, Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Thomas or Sacred Heart, they must have a letter of eligibility from their home parish stating they are a practicing Catholic.

Can a non-Catholic Christian participate in the baptism as a godparent? Yes, as long as they are baptized. However, they are known as a Christian witness.

What is the role of the sponsor? It is to be an example of Christian faith for either the adult or child to be baptized. In the case of a child, if something happened to incapacitate the parents in their role as Catholic parents, it is the sponsor’s role to make sure that child is raised in the Catholic faith by actively participating in their faith formation. The sponsor should be present not only during the child’s baptism, but also as sponsors for their First Communion and Confirmation.

In order to register for the class and further preparations, please contact Fr. Greg at 662-453-0623.