There is something beautiful about a beginning. Even before a baby is born, the whole family is at work preparing. There must be a crib and clothing. If there are older children in the family, they too must be prepared for the arrival of their new brother or sister. There is a name to be chosen and serious considerations of new routines. You want to be sure that everything is ready for the new life that will come to your family.
You realize the responsibility you have of raising your child. This infant will be totally dependent upon you for food, for language, for early education. The child will learn and grow by example. The responsibility is great, but you accept it in love: the first great act of love for your child.
You will be the source of the child’s notions of right and wrong, of how it feels to be loved and to love. “How, how peaceful!” you have heard said of a tiny baby. And it’s true: innocent and peaceful, still untouched by a world not always so innocent and peaceful. You realize that children will be affected for better or worse by the world into which they are born. And you wish you could somehow spare your child from the tension, greed and hatred that are part of the world.
At baptism, with the support of godparents and of the whole church, your child enters a community of people living to overcome the greed and hatred that are part of our humanity. This community lives its life set against our sinful directions, against “original sin” itself. At the celebration of baptism, you pledge yourselves to rearing this child in the way of Christ and against the sinful inclinations of humanity.
The decision to have your baby baptized must come only after serious reflection. Why? Because baptism does not end once the liturgy is over. Nor is baptism something which pertains to the child alone: you are involved. To ask for Baptism for your child for the purpose of registration in our Catholic school is not sufficient reason for the Sacrament to be celebrated.
Bringing your child to the baptismal font expresses your commitment to raise the child in the Christian faith. This faith needs to be awakened, strengthened and developed as the child matures. To present your child for baptism is to accept responsibility for the growth of that faith expressed when the Christian church baptizes and you will be asked questions explicitly to this responsibility at the very beginning of the ceremony.
Parents who ask that their child be baptized into Christ have the most significant part to play in passing on the Christian life to their offspring. It is through them that the child will come to know the love of God. It is through them that the child will learn to be beyond the family circle and become involved in the larger community in which he/she lives. Through the parents, the child will acquire an awareness of being a living and active member of the church.
Christian parents do not force their faith upon a child but lovingly profess their own belief in one Lord. Parents should baptize their child not because it is the custom, but because they sincerely desire the Christian life for their child. Parents who value their own faith and baptism will want to share the life of Christ which they have inherited and one way of doing this is by regular attendance at Sunday Mass from a young age. Later, the child’s faith will be based on what he/she has learned and experienced in the home and community from the very first days of life.
Because the responsibility of Christian parents is such a serious one, and often difficult, it is very understandable that they should invite family and friends to assist in the responsibility of raising a child in the Christian life. It is the godparents who most explicitly assumes the responsibility with the parents and will be ready to help the parents raise their child in the knowledge of the Lord.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baptismal Preparation:
Because the Church is concerned that parents and godparents understand the nature and responsibilities of Baptism, preparation is required. Members of the parish are asked to pick up an information pamphlet at the door of the church or read the Guideline online in the upper right and then call the Parish Office to receive a Baptismal package with registration forms or download the forms online and bring them to the Office. You may then schedule the preparation before or after the birth of your child.
If you have already taken our Baptismal preparation for a previous child, you will be asked to review the preparation with our Team members.
If your child has reached the age of 7 (age of reason) then a different preparation will be undertaken as outlined in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Please call the Parish Office for information.