Infant/Child

Baptism

“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit…and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission…”

(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1213)

Prerequisites

Baptisms are celebrated about twice a month in our parish; once in English and Spanish each. The general requirements for a child to be baptized are:

  1. Parents (guardians) are responsible for requesting the Sacrament of Baptism for their infant/child.

  2. The child be younger than seven years old.

  3. Parents be registered parishioners of St. Mary Magdalen/St. John Mission.

  4. Godparents/sponsors be practicing and confirmed Catholics in good standing (e.g., weekly Mass attendance, regular Confession; if they are married, it needs to have been celebrated or con-validated in the Catholic Church).

  5. Both parents and godparents/sponsors must complete formation for the Sacrament — usually, the Baptism Class offered at our parish or another Catholic Church.

Contact Sr. Hanh, P.A. for Vietnamese Ministry for info about Baptism in Vietnamese.

The First Step

To begin preparation for Baptism, complete the registration packet.

The first pages of this document contain detailed information about the requirements for parents and godparents, as well as some background regarding the Sacrament.

The next pages with forms are for the parents to fill out; after that, there is a page of information for godparents/sponsors, as well as a form for them to fill out.

Baptisms are not scheduled until all paperwork is completed.

Baptism Preparation Class

These are for parents and godparents, and may be completed at any Catholic church; at our parish, they are offered once a month in English and Spanish both.

This class is required for both parents and all godparents.

Once Paperwork is Complete…

Once you’ve completed the packet, assembled all necessary paperwork, and attended a class, please schedule a short appointment with the PA for Adult Faith Formation to review the material and confirm the date for your child(ren)’s baptism!

Baptisms will not be scheduled until all paperwork is complete.