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Baptism
Parish Requirements to have a
Baby Baptized
Parents and Family Life – THE DOMESTIC CHURCH
The role of the parents in the faith life of the child is to bring to
reality the promises made at baptism. The sacramental life of the
Church is what defines us as Catholic. The Eucharist is at the core of
our sacramental life. At a minimum this requires Catholics to
participate in Sunday Eucharist each week. This precept is outlined in
the Holy Scriptures, in the Ten Commandments, and in the law of the
Roman Catholic Church. Without weekly celebration of the Eucharist the
central truth of our faith is not experienced or lived out with any
commitment or intent. Those who do not attend mass on a regular basis
have no experience with the wider faith community in which to base
their desire for the sacraments or their commitment to that faith
community. These are of central importance in the preparation of
children for any sacrament. The role of the family is that of Domestic
Church. You are the first teachers in the ways of faith for your child.
Commitment to the parish, participation in community coupled with the
training you do at home helps to foster a child’s
relationship with God.
The local parish of St. John the Baptist, under the leadership of
Archbishop Hanus, expects that:
1. Parent(s) must be registered members of the local faith community.
2. Catholic parents must be practicing Catholics who attend liturgy
each week in the parish.
3. Parent(s) are to attend parish sponsored baptism preparation class
prior to the reception of the sacrament. Baptism classes are held in
March and October each year, please plan ahead.
4. If you have taken preparation class before we may ask that you
retake the session if: 1) you are not attending mass on a regular
basis. 2) You are new to the parish 3) for any reason the Pastoral
Administrator and Sacramental Priest may request.
Godparents
The role of Godparent is more than honorary. The role is one of
Christian witness. Therefore the choice that you make should be
determined by the role that these people will play in the faith
formation of your child. The persons that you ask to be Godparents are
to be ones that live a Catholic lifestyle that witness a love for the
Church and Her sacramental life. Church law requires that at least one
sponsor is a practicing Catholic. Anyone who is not a Catholic may be
recognized as a Christian witness but not as a Catholic godparent.
Church law only requires one godparent. If you choose to have two
godparents, there is to be a godmother and a godfather. There should
not be two of the same gender to act as godparents. The godparent must
be a minimum of sixteen (16) years old and a fully initiated Catholic
(baptized and confirmed) who participates in the weekly liturgy of the
Eucharist in his/her parish. The godparent must be a practicing
Catholic who is not barred by ecclesiastical law from being a
godparent, i.e. If the Catholic godparent is married they must be in a
valid marriage (recognized by the Catholic Church) to act as a
baptismal sponsor. Documentation of the godparents’ status is
required from the Catholic godparent(s) parish that they in fact can
fulfill this role. A form signed by the pastor/pastoral administrator
indicating that the person is able to fulfill this role is required.
The Celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism
The celebration of the sacrament of Baptism takes place during one of
the regular weekend masses. We ask that parents please schedule
baptisms a month in advance of the date they are requesting. Baptisms
are not scheduled during the seasons of Lent or Advent. Emergency
baptism is always handled immediately. Please contact the Sue
Schettler, Parish Life Coordinator, about preparation and scheduling of
the baptism.
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