BAPTISM
Baptism
Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. (John 3:5)
For those seeking to receive the Sacrament of Baptism:
- Required Documents - All Documents must be provided to schedule the Baptism Class and Baptism.
- Birth Certificate of the person being Baptized. Baptism Certificate will match the name on the Birth Certificate.
- Sponsor/Godparent's Confirmation Certificate. We do not need the Sponsor/Godparent's Baptism Certificate because if they are Confirmed, they are Baptized.
- Sponsor/Godparent's Marriage Certificate (if Married). The Certificate must indicate the marriage was officiated by a Catholic Priest; this shows they have completed the three Sacraments of Initiation.
- Sponsor/Godparent's First Communion Certificate (if Single). If the Sponsor/Godparent is a single person, then we need their First Communion certificate to indicate they have completed the three Sacraments of Initiation.
- Children 7 and under - Parents must be Registered Parishioners and attend Baptism Preparation Classes prior to their child's Baptism.
- Children 8 - 17 - Child must enroll in and complete the RCIA program for children, a one year program that will prepare them to receive Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil Mass.
- Adults
- Must enroll in and Complete the RCIA program, a one year program that will prepare them to receive Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation.
When are the Classes held for Infant/Young Child Baptism?
Class information is given at the time of Registration. Please come to the Office to register and receive Class information.
When are Infant/Young Child Baptisms held?
Saturdays 9AM in English
Saturdays 10AM in Spanish
The third Sunday of every month at the 9AM Mass (English) and 1PM Mass (Spanish)
Who can be a Godparent?
Godparents must be
Practicing Catholics who have been fully Initiated into the Church through the Sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation;
are at least 16 years old; and living a life in accordance with the Church.
If they are part of a couple, they must be married in the church, or else be living single.
Need more information or want to register?
Contact Maria (Chuchy) Sanchez for infants and children under 7 years old, or Rebecca Sanders for anyone who will need RCIA classes for children or adults.
What is Baptism?
The sacrament of Baptism ushers us into the divine life, cleanses us from sin, and initiates us as members of the Christian community. It is the foundation for the sacramental life.
At Baptism, the presider prays over the water:
Father, look now with love upon your Church, and unseal for her the fountain of baptism. By the power of the Holy Spirit give to this water the grace of your Son, so that in the sacrament of baptism all those whom you have created in your likeness may be cleansed from sin and rise to a new birth of innocence by water and the Holy Spirit. (Christian Initiation of Adults, #222A)
Freed from Sin
Baptism frees us from the bondage of original and actual sin. Water is poured in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Today, the sacrament of baptism is often performed on infants, shortly after birth. Adult baptisms take place at the Easter Vigil through the restored Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Adults or children who have been baptized in a valid Christian church are not baptized again in the Catholic church. As we say in the Nicene Creed, “I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins…”
The Catechism
teaches:
"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" (CCC 1279).
Baptismal Symbols
- Water – The waters of baptism recall Jesus’ own baptism by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. Water is a symbol of cleansing and renewal as we begin a new life in Christ. We are washed clean of sin.
- Oil – At baptism we are anointed into the life of Christ as “priest, prophet and king.” A cross is traced on the candidate’s forehead as a reminder that we are inheritors of the Kingdom of God.
- Light – The baptismal candle is lit from the Paschal or Easter candle that stands in the church as a sign of Christ’s light in the world. At baptism, we receive the light of Christ and are called forth to share this light with the world.
- White garment – The white garment that is placed upon us at baptism is a symbol of Christ’s victory over death and his glorious resurrection. Likewise, the white garment or pall that is placed over the coffin at the time of death recalls our baptismal promises and reminds us that we are destined for eternal life.
While in ordinary circumstances, sacraments in the Catholic Church are administered validly by a member of the ordained clergy, in an emergency situation, the sacrament of baptism can be administered by anyone.
In case of necessity, any person can baptize provided that he have the intention of doing that which the Church does and provided that he pour water on the candidates head while saying: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (CCC 1284).
