What is Baptism?
The Sacrament of Baptism is a Sacrament of welcoming into the Church. As the first of three official Sacraments of Initiation, Baptism is a person’s first step in the Christian life, inviting him or her into the family of the Church and providing an entry into a new life in the Spirit of God. To be baptized is to be received, enlightened, washed, and renewed in the love of our Lord.
The action of baptism is actually pretty straightforward. Water is poured over the head of the one being baptized as the priest or deacon declares, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” It’s a simple action but one with incredible effects, as the newly baptized person is claimed for Christ, joyfully received by the community of faith, strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and freed from the stain of Original Sin. It truly is a wonderful way to be welcomed.
Baptisms at Our Churches
Are you interested in getting someone in your family baptized? That’s fantastic. Congratulations! The first step you can take is to call the Parish Office. One of our secretaries will be able to explain to you the steps you’ll need to take to complete baptismal preparation and the possibilities for dates and times.
CLICK HERE to find Parish Office information so that you can contact us and begin the process of scheduling this beautiful Sacrament for your family.
Godparents
During the Order of Baptism, the priest or deacon turns to the parents and Godparents and states,
On your part, you must make it your constant care to bring him/her up in the practice of the faith. See that the divine life which God gives him/her is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in his/her heart.
What a beautiful gift it is to have that role in a person’s life, and what a blessed opportunity to ask someone to be the Godparents of your child. Being such a sacred and important role, it is required in the Catholic Church that a Godparent fulfill certain requirements. Those requirements can be found on this Sponsor/Godparent Affirmation Form.
While many families choose to have two Godparents (one male and one female) for their child, only one Catholic Godparent is required for your child to be baptized. If you have questions about who can be your child’s Godparent, please don’t hesitate to contact the Parish Office to learn more.
Not A Baby? Not A Problem
Most baptisms in the Catholic Church are of babies, but that’s not the only way for someone to get baptized. We also welcome anyone who is interested in joining our Church and becoming a member of our family of faith. Depending on your age and past religious experience, there are different routes that can be taken either toward being baptized or possibly being fully initiated into the Church through all three of our Sacraments of Initiation. This is often done through the beautiful process called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). For information about these possibilities, you can CLICK HERE to learn about the OCIA process and contact our OCIA Coordinator, Eileen Dignazio.