Baptism

Diocese Sacramental guidelines (English)

Diocese Sacramental guidelines (Spanish)

Infant

Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord’s will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism. The essential rite of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water or pouring water on his head, while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you (Mt 28:19-20).

Parents requesting baptism for their infant children must be registered members of the parish and they should designate godparents for their children, who meet the qualifications listed below. Parents and godparents are required to prepare for the baptism of children. See page 6 for Baptism Preparation class.

So that the baptism may be properly recorded, parents are required to submit the birth certificate of the infant to be baptized.

Dates for baptism are scheduled through Elsa Camizzi, Sacramental Coordinator. When possible, baptism is celebrated during the parish Sunday Mass, to more clearly reflect the nature of Baptism as a Sacrament of Christian Initiation. All required paperwork must be completed before a date will be scheduled.

Requirements for Godparents

Because the Sacrament of Baptism initiates the one baptized into the Church, the Catholic Church requires certain basic conditions for Catholic baptisms, including the presence of a sponsor or “godparent” (Canon Law uses the term “sponsor”; the Rite of Baptism refers to the sponsors as “godparents”).

Although only one godparent is required for a lawful baptism, the general custom is for a child to have both a godmother and godfather. Because the godparents make a solemn promise during the Baptism to assist the parents in raising the child in the Faith in which he or she is being baptized, the Church requires that they have certain qualifications to carry out their commitment:

Godparents must be at least sixteen years of age, although an exception can be granted by the diocesan bishop or pastor.

They must be practicing Catholics, who have received the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Communion and Confirmation, leading a life of Faith that is consistent with the law of the church.

Godparents must not be restricted in any way from full Communion with the Catholic Church.

Because the godparents at baptism are not merely relatives or friends of the family but are also representatives of the Community of Faith, they must belong to the faith community in which the child is baptized. For this reason, Catholics cannot be godparents at baptism outside the Catholic Church, nor can non-Catholic Christians be godparents at a Catholic Baptism.

According to the Code of Canon Law and The Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism, a baptized person of another faith tradition can serve as a witness to a Catholic baptism, but only together with a Catholic godparent.

Baptism of Adults, Adolescents, and Children of Catechetical Age

An adult who intends to receive the Sacrament of Baptism is prepared through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), which is a process of gradual formation in all aspects of the Catholic Faith.

Children ages 7 and older, as well as adolescents, follow the same process as adults, adapted for their age group, as they are already capable of participating in preparation for the sacraments.Those who are prepared through the RCIA ordinarily receive the Sacrament of Baptism, along with Confirmation and First Holy Communion, at the Easter Vigil.