The Sacrament of Baptism
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Welcome! We welcome your family on this joyous occasion of the celebration of your child’s baptism! We look forward to assisting your family in preparing for the baptism of your child. The baptism preparation session at St. John of God is designed to provide the formation and information needed to fully understand the Sacrament of Baptism and your role as a Catholic parent/godparent.
We hope here to provide you with some basic information about the preparation process and requirements. It will outline the parish’s approach to infant baptism. If you have some questions about Baptism in the Catholic Church in general, please watch this video which gives an introduction to the Church's teaching on the sacrament. |
What are the requirements for parents presenting a child for baptism?
-At least one parent must be a practicing Catholic, who is committed to raising the child in the Catholic faith. A parent that is not Catholic has to express a willingness to help create a home where a child will receive an environment to grow in faith as taught by the Catholic Church.
-The family asking for their child to be baptized at St. John of God has to be a registered member of the Parish. If not, you can print and fill out the registration form at home by clicking here. Printed forms are also found on the two bulletin boards. You can bring the completed form to the Parish Office during business hours (Mon-Fri. from 8:30am-3:00pm), or give it to Fr. Jason after Mass. Either way be certain to introduce yourself to Fr. Jason Brilhante.
-At least one parent must be a practicing Catholic, who is committed to raising the child in the Catholic faith. A parent that is not Catholic has to express a willingness to help create a home where a child will receive an environment to grow in faith as taught by the Catholic Church.
-The family asking for their child to be baptized at St. John of God has to be a registered member of the Parish. If not, you can print and fill out the registration form at home by clicking here. Printed forms are also found on the two bulletin boards. You can bring the completed form to the Parish Office during business hours (Mon-Fri. from 8:30am-3:00pm), or give it to Fr. Jason after Mass. Either way be certain to introduce yourself to Fr. Jason Brilhante.
What are the requirements for godparents/sponsors?
It is important to realize that in the Catholic Church a Sponsor/Godparent is just not an honorary title that we bestow on close friends. This is how it is viewed in our culture, but not in the Catholic Church. The Church looks upon a godparent/sponsor as an important vocation. Godparents are members of the Christian community who, by their lives and their faith, set a good example for the child whose initiation into this community they are sponsoring. They should be able to stay in communication with the child as he or she is growing up. To put it in contemporary terms they are mentors in the ways of the Catholic faith.
Based upon this theology of what it means to be a godparent/sponsor the following are the requirements
-Usually a child has two godparents, but only one is necessary. If there are two, they can not be of the sex.
-Godparents must be at least 16 years of age, practicing Catholics, and have celebrated the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation themselves. If they are Catholic and married, they must be married in the catholic Church. They can not be the parents of the child to be baptized, but can be the grandparents.
-It is possible for a non-Catholic Christian to be a Christian witness as long as one godparent is Catholic. A catholic who has left the faith can not be a Christian witness.
-Finding a godparent in some circumstances may be difficult. In such situation, we ask that parents speak to either the pastor or the baptismal team member who will be more than willing to assist in any way possible.
-If Godparent(s) cannot be present for your child’s baptism, you may choose others to stand in as proxies for the Baptism ceremony. Only the names of the chosen (actual) godparents will appear on the Baptism certificate.
It is important to realize that in the Catholic Church a Sponsor/Godparent is just not an honorary title that we bestow on close friends. This is how it is viewed in our culture, but not in the Catholic Church. The Church looks upon a godparent/sponsor as an important vocation. Godparents are members of the Christian community who, by their lives and their faith, set a good example for the child whose initiation into this community they are sponsoring. They should be able to stay in communication with the child as he or she is growing up. To put it in contemporary terms they are mentors in the ways of the Catholic faith.
Based upon this theology of what it means to be a godparent/sponsor the following are the requirements
-Usually a child has two godparents, but only one is necessary. If there are two, they can not be of the sex.
-Godparents must be at least 16 years of age, practicing Catholics, and have celebrated the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation themselves. If they are Catholic and married, they must be married in the catholic Church. They can not be the parents of the child to be baptized, but can be the grandparents.
-It is possible for a non-Catholic Christian to be a Christian witness as long as one godparent is Catholic. A catholic who has left the faith can not be a Christian witness.
-Finding a godparent in some circumstances may be difficult. In such situation, we ask that parents speak to either the pastor or the baptismal team member who will be more than willing to assist in any way possible.
-If Godparent(s) cannot be present for your child’s baptism, you may choose others to stand in as proxies for the Baptism ceremony. Only the names of the chosen (actual) godparents will appear on the Baptism certificate.
When and where is the Baptism celebrated?
The Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated on Sunday immediately following the 10:30am Mass. Parents and godparents are asked to attend the 10:30am Mass. We would encourage you to invite your guests to attend the Mass as well.
We celebrate baptism immediately after the Mass to stress the connection between baptism and Eucharist as sacrament of Initiation.
A second reason that we celebrate Baptism immediately after Mass is that baptism as a sacrament of Initiation is a communal event. Your child is not just being initiated into the universal or Catholic Church, but also becoming a member of St. John of God Parish. In having the parents/godparents and baby attend the Mass which is celebrated before the baptism this communal dimension of baptism is also emphasized. We will of course have the worshiping community pray for the babies to be baptized during the Mass.
The Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated on Sunday immediately following the 10:30am Mass. Parents and godparents are asked to attend the 10:30am Mass. We would encourage you to invite your guests to attend the Mass as well.
We celebrate baptism immediately after the Mass to stress the connection between baptism and Eucharist as sacrament of Initiation.
A second reason that we celebrate Baptism immediately after Mass is that baptism as a sacrament of Initiation is a communal event. Your child is not just being initiated into the universal or Catholic Church, but also becoming a member of St. John of God Parish. In having the parents/godparents and baby attend the Mass which is celebrated before the baptism this communal dimension of baptism is also emphasized. We will of course have the worshiping community pray for the babies to be baptized during the Mass.
How to begin the process?
The first step is to call the rectory and make an appointment with Fr. Jason Brilhante. Part of the purpose of this meeting is for you and Fr. Jason to begin to get to know one another, but also to raise the question of where you have been in your faith life. It is unfortunate but many Catholics drift away from the faith after Confirmation, or practice the faith occasionally. The baptism of a child is an invitation to begin to practice the faith with greater vigor which is necessary to fulfill the vocation of being a Christian parent.
Please bring the baby to the meeting with Fr. Jason Brilhante. No need to get a sitter. If this is your first time to the rectory, please use the front door on Brayton Av. Both parents need to be present at this meeting.
It is best not to ask anyone to be a sponsor before this meeting because we will discuss the requirements and vocation of being a Godparent/sponsor.
At this time we will also discuss the Parish baptismal Preparation Program.
The first step is to call the rectory and make an appointment with Fr. Jason Brilhante. Part of the purpose of this meeting is for you and Fr. Jason to begin to get to know one another, but also to raise the question of where you have been in your faith life. It is unfortunate but many Catholics drift away from the faith after Confirmation, or practice the faith occasionally. The baptism of a child is an invitation to begin to practice the faith with greater vigor which is necessary to fulfill the vocation of being a Christian parent.
Please bring the baby to the meeting with Fr. Jason Brilhante. No need to get a sitter. If this is your first time to the rectory, please use the front door on Brayton Av. Both parents need to be present at this meeting.
It is best not to ask anyone to be a sponsor before this meeting because we will discuss the requirements and vocation of being a Godparent/sponsor.
At this time we will also discuss the Parish baptismal Preparation Program.
Baptismal Preparation
Our Parish baptismal Preparation Program is held on the first Sunday of the month following the 10:30am Mass in the Parish center. Baptismal Preparation is designed for both parents and godparents, and not just parents. Please attend the 10:30am Mass, and gather in the foyer outside of the Parish hall after Mass.
Baptismal Preparation is conducted by a team consisting of Fr. Jason, and parents from the Parish. The presence of Catholic parents on the team is essential since they have had the experience of being catholic parents.
The Baptismal Preparation session is about an hour in length. We will begin in a classroom, and finish upstairs in the Church.
To be a Christian parent is one of the most important vocations in the Church. It is to have the responsibility of handing on faith to a new generation. The purpose of Baptismal Preparation is not just to prepare you for the celebration of Baptism, but also to introduce you to the life long vocation of being a catholic parent. If parents have been away from the faith, this is a good time to reflect upon how this has happened, and the importance of returning to the faith to better fulfill your vocation as a Catholic Christian parent.
A second purpose of baptismal preparation is to reflect upon how we practice the vocation to be a Christian parent. In this regard the parents who are part of the team will describe how they live their vocation to be a Christian parent.
A third purpose of Baptismal Preparation is to review the meaning of the sacrament of baptism as a sacrament of initiation.
We will end in the Church with a brief rehearsal, and review practical matters of being baptized at St. John of God: i.e. can photos be taken during the ceremony, etc.
Our Parish baptismal Preparation Program is held on the first Sunday of the month following the 10:30am Mass in the Parish center. Baptismal Preparation is designed for both parents and godparents, and not just parents. Please attend the 10:30am Mass, and gather in the foyer outside of the Parish hall after Mass.
Baptismal Preparation is conducted by a team consisting of Fr. Jason, and parents from the Parish. The presence of Catholic parents on the team is essential since they have had the experience of being catholic parents.
The Baptismal Preparation session is about an hour in length. We will begin in a classroom, and finish upstairs in the Church.
To be a Christian parent is one of the most important vocations in the Church. It is to have the responsibility of handing on faith to a new generation. The purpose of Baptismal Preparation is not just to prepare you for the celebration of Baptism, but also to introduce you to the life long vocation of being a catholic parent. If parents have been away from the faith, this is a good time to reflect upon how this has happened, and the importance of returning to the faith to better fulfill your vocation as a Catholic Christian parent.
A second purpose of baptismal preparation is to reflect upon how we practice the vocation to be a Christian parent. In this regard the parents who are part of the team will describe how they live their vocation to be a Christian parent.
A third purpose of Baptismal Preparation is to review the meaning of the sacrament of baptism as a sacrament of initiation.
We will end in the Church with a brief rehearsal, and review practical matters of being baptized at St. John of God: i.e. can photos be taken during the ceremony, etc.