BAPTISM
The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters. ...Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin – Original and actual – and begin to live a new life with God.
In Baptism, the Holy Spirit moves us to answer Christ's call to holiness. In Baptism, we are asked to walk by the light of Christ and to trust in his wisdom. We are invited to submit our hearts to Christ with ever deeper love.
For more information on the Sacrament of Baptism, click here.
*No Baptisms are to be preformed during Lent*
Requirements
- Baptismal Request Form must be filled out and sent to stgerard@diobr.org
- Parents of candidate must meet (at least once) with the pastor or associate pastor
- Child must be no older than 6 years of age (children 7-17 are required to attend classes, contact church office for more details)
- There must be at least one Godparent
Godparent Eligability
- There are usually two Godparents, but only one is required. As per Canon Law, only one Catholic godparent can be male and one female.
- If you'd like for a non-Catholic Christian to participate in the rite of Baptism, they can be a "Christian Witness". The role of a Christian Witness is the same as a Godparent, but it does not replace the need of the initial Godparent.
Godparents play a vital role in the faith of a child. The godparent(s) represents the Catholic Church at Baptism and serves as a role model throughout the child’s life by living a fully Christian life. A godparent is a fully initiated Catholic who is in good standing with the church and is over the age of 16. Any Catholic godparent must be Baptized Catholic, Confirmed in the Catholic faith, and if ever married, married in the Sacrament of Marriage in a Catholic Church or has had a convalidation. Once someone has been Baptized Catholic, they must adhere to all of these Catholic godparent eligibility requirements.
Click here for the baptismal registration form.
Once you've completed the form, please email it to stgerard@diobr.org