"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." - Matthew 28:18-20
Baptism is a Sacrament. In our Catholic Faith, the Sacraments have a tremendous importance. We believe that Jesus Christ instituted the seven Sacraments as the means by which He would share His life with us.
The technical term for the divine life of Jesus Christ dwelling in us is “sanctifying grace.” The Sacraments are actions (or “outward signs”) through which we are actually and really united to Jesus Christ, and through which He shares His life with us. Baptism must always be the first Sacrament one receives, and so is the gateway to the whole life of grace.
As great a gift as Baptism is, it is only the first moment of the Christian life. Consider this parallel: a child who has been given the gift of (natural) life must continue to be fed in order to survive. Likewise, a child who has been baptized must be brought up in the practice of the Faith in order for the life of Jesus that has been received to survive and flourish.
Baptism assumes a well-founded hope that you will bring your child up in the practice of the Faith. This means that when you ask to have a child baptized, you should be resolved to:
teach your child to pray
teach your child by word and example to lead a virtuous life
attend Mass on Sundays, making this a part of your child’s life
teach your child the Catholic faith.
At least one parent should be willing to make this commitment. Ideally, of course, both parents would be fully committed to this effort.
A sponsor/godparent is asked to make a commitment to help the parents raise their child in the practice of the Catholic Faith.
This can best be done by:
giving good example in living the Faith
encouraging the child in virtue and religious practice
praying for the child.
Sponsors/Godparents do not take on any specific responsibility to provide physical care for the child in the case of the death or disability of the parents.
Since a godparent is “sponsoring” a child for membership in the Catholic Church, he or she must be a practicing Catholic who has received the three Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation). A sponsor should normally be at least 16 years of age, as a confirmed person would usually be.
An essential aspect of being a practicing Catholic is living in accord with the Catholic understanding of marriage. Therefore, if a sponsor/godparent is married he or she must be in a validly recognized Catholic marriage. If a sponsor/godparent is not married, he or she must not be living with his or her significant other.
Sponsors may be asked to provide a recent copy of their baptismal certificate to serve as proof of receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Marriage, if applicable. Sponsors who are members of another parish are additionally asked to provide proof of membership via a signed letter by the pastor accompanied by a parish seal.
Only one sponsor is required. There may be (and usually are) two sponsors; in this case, there must be one male and one female.
Since one must be a full member of the Catholic Church to sponsor another person to be received into the communion of the Catholic Church, only Catholics can be sponsors/godparents. However, if a child being baptized has only one sponsor/godparent, a non-catholic Christian may serve as an additional witness of the Baptism and be recorded as such.
At St. Norbert Parish, parents of children to be baptized are asked to attend a baptismal preparation session. Call or email Fr. Jerry to schedule the session.
Because Sunday is the day of the Lord’s Resurrection, it is the preferred day for Baptism. At St. Norbert Parish, Baptisms generally take place immediately after one of the Sunday masses or Saturday Vigil Mass. If weekends are not an option, a Baptism could be celebrated during the weekday.
It is customary (but not obligatory) that the child to be baptized wears white garments for the ceremony. Everything else required for the ceremony is supplied by the parish.
Everyone is welcome to attend the Mass and the Baptism. If you have non-catholic relatives or friends who would prefer not to attend the Mass, they are most welcome to come after Mass for the Baptism.
Baptism is one of the greatest gifts that Christ has given us, and one of the greatest gifts that parents can give to their children. Through Baptism, a person is united to the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; or, to put it another way, what Jesus did for us by dying and rising is applied to the person baptized.
When someone is baptized, the risen life of the Lord Jesus begins to live in that person’s soul. This person begins the adventure of the Christian life, in which he or she is called to become like Jesus Himself. It is our union with the Lord Jesus, which begins with Baptism, that gives us the hope of heaven.
Baptism then is far more than a "naming ceremony" or even just a blessing for a new child. It should be the highest priority of every Christian parent to see that children are baptized very early in their lives. Because of the importance of Baptism, this Sacrament is approached with great reverence and care in the Church.
Parents should call or email Fr. Jerry to schedule a baptism and the baptismal preparation session.
Children should be baptized within the first weeks after birth. You are enthusiastically encouraged to arrange a date for the Baptism and to schedule a baptismal preparation session before the child is born!
It is highly desirable that either the first or middle name of the child be that of a saint or of other Christian significance. You are only obliged to avoid names that are “foreign to a Christian mentality.”
Yes. We will do everything we can to accommodate such family considerations.
There is seldom more than one child being baptized after any particular Mass, so the ceremonies are usually individual.
No. Your child already belongs to your human family. In Baptism, the child is being baptized into the community of the Church. The Baptism should take place in our parish church.
Generally, yes. Every Catholic should be a registered member of the local parish where he or she regularly attends Mass, and that parish is the place where the members of your family should normally receive the Sacraments. If you are not currently registered, but regularly come to Mass at one of our parish (or are beginning to do so), you will be encouraged to register at St. Norbert Parish.
There is occasionally a situation in which parents who live far from Roxbury want to have a child baptized here because the majority of their relatives live here. This is permitted, but the parents must (1) be registered members of their own local parish; (2) complete the baptismal preparation required by their home parish, and (3) obtain the permission of their pastor for the Baptism to occur here.
Yes. A child may be baptized so long as there is a well-founded hope that he or she will be brought up in the practice of the Faith. This is present so long as one parent is willing to practice the Catholic Faith and share it with the child. A child is not penalized for having been born out of wedlock.
If the parents of a child are living together without benefit of marriage or in a civil marriage not recognized by the Church, they would be encouraged to regularize their situation so that they can fully practice the Faith they are called to share with their child.
Questions about specific situations should be discussed with Fr. Jerry. If the parents are willing to do what they can, there is never an insurmountable obstacle to the Baptism of a child.
Parents have the responsibility to raise their children in the Catholic Faith. In order to do so, at least one parent should be Catholic.
If you are not currently Catholic but wish to enter the Church yourself in conjunction with the Baptism of your child, that is certainly possible. This process would involve prayer, instruction and sharing in the life of the Catholic community over several months at least. The most appropriate conclusion to this process is for the family to be baptized together. Please contact Fr. Jerry for further details.
First, only one sponsor is required, and that sponsor may be of either gender.
Secondly, although it is preferable that sponsors be present for the Baptism, this is not required. One or both sponsors may be represented by proxy (someone present at the Baptism who speaks for the absent sponsor). There are no special requirements for proxies (they need not be Catholic, for example).
Finally, it is not required that godparents be relatives of the parents. If you are a part of the life of our parish, you have come to know friends here who could be very fine sponsors for your child.
No. The Church does not want the responsibility of sponsors to be diluted. The maximum number of sponsors is two; and if there are two, one must be male and one female.
No. In order to sponsor someone to become a member of the Catholic Church, one must be a Catholic oneself.
However, if a child being baptized has only one sponsor, a non-catholic Christian may serve as an additional witness of the Baptism and be recorded as such. The rules about gender do not apply to a witness; so, for example, a child may have a female sponsor and a female witness. Nor is there any requirement that a witness be an active member of his or her denomination.
Yes – but anyone with an official role in the Baptism (parent, sponsor or witness) should give their attention to that responsibility and not serve as a photographer during the ceremony itself.
No. Since it is presumed that the parents belong to the parish and are regularly supporting the Church according to their ability, there is no fee for Baptism. The priest or deacon performing the Baptism is often given a monetary gift as a token of appreciation, but this is at the discretion of the family. If the parents do live elsewhere and are celebrating the Baptism here for the convenience of the family, a donation to the parish would be very appropriate.