Infant Baptism

Infant Baptism (infants and children under the age of 7) is the normative way to begin the initiation of children into the Church.

 Parents should:

• Contact their parish as soon as possible after the birth of their child;
• Bring the child’s birth certificate.
• Parents are required to attend the Baptismal preparation presentation.

Godparents:
Only one Godparent is required for Baptism. The Godparent (sponsor):

• Be designated by the parents or the one who takes their place.
• Have completed the 16th year.
• Be a practicing Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the sacrament of the Eucharist, and leads a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken.
• If married, is in a valid Catholic marriage.
• Not bound by any canonical penalty.
• Not be the mother of the father of the one to be baptized.
• Complete the Baptism Sponsor Covenant form.



children over 7 years old

• Must enroll in St. Mary's Faith Formation program
• Please contact Fr. Ramon prior to enrollment to get a plan started.

Adult Baptism

Adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church enter into the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). Their formation prepares them to receive all three initiation sacraments at the Easter Vigil. Rather than compressing the stages of conversion into a single ritual associated with the moment of baptism, the OCIA process is supported by four periods of instruction and the celebration of three liturgical rites. The OCIA process ideally extends through a complete liturgical year to allow sufficient time for instruction in the truths of the faith and Christian life.

Adults baptized in another faith tradition are also part of the OCIA process.

Adults baptized Catholic but who have not received instruction are also part of the OCIA process.

OCIA participants are required to have one godparent/sponsor. The requirements for the godparent/sponsor are the same as listed in the Infant Baptism section of the Code of Particular Law. A Godparent/ Sponsor covenant form should also be completed. Contact your local parish to inquire about OCIA formation opportunities.

Why Do Catholics Baptize Babies?

Answer: For adults who want to be baptized, the celebration only takes place after a long, guided, and thoughtful process through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. This is also true for many Protestant Christians, who are baptized later in life, often after a personal, transforming religious experience. So, it seems fair to ask why our Catholic tradition includes infant baptism. After all, if we make adults who want to become Catholic wait months and even years as they grow in their understanding of Christ and his teachings, why should babies — who “do nothing” — be baptized?

Our custom of infant baptism dates back to the earliest days of the Church, when St. Paul baptized entire households, including, we presume, children (see Acts 16:15, 33; 18:8). That had become common practice by the second century. When Christianity was legalized 200 years later, infant baptism became the normal practice throughout the Church.

We recognize that in Baptism, we are given the grace to overcome original sin — the human tendency to choose ourselves and our own wills over God — and to become members of the Church. This is the gift we give to infants in Baptism.

In its essence, the baptism of infants also reminds us adult Christians that the gift of salvation and membership in the Church (i.e., the Body of Christ) is God’s initiative. It is freely offered to us, regardless of where we might be in life’s journey. Salvation isn’t something we earn. Instead, we see that Baptism is the beginning of a lifelong process of growing into the kind of disciples that Jesus wants us to be.

To learn more, see the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” (no. 1250-1252 and 1262-1270).

©LPi

To get the baptism process started please call the church office to set up an appt. with Fr. Ramon.