Baptism

“Go therefore and and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirt”

— Matthew 28:19

Baptism is the first Sacrament of Initiation into the Catholic Faith. The sacrament was instituted when Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. With Baptism, Catholics begin their life long journey of growing closer to God who is all good and all loving. For a fuller understanding of what it means to be a Baptized Catholic please see “What We Believe”. The following are paths to the reception of Baptism for you or your child.

Infant Baptism (0-3 years old)

If you are interested in bringing your child to the Waters of Baptism, we want to begin by congratulating you on the birth of your child. We also want to thank you for your desire to share our faith with your family. Arrangements for the date and time of the Baptism can be made by calling the Rectory during normal business hours. Fr. Larry will contact the parent(s) who are requesting baptism for their first child, or anyone who requests time together, with a variety of convenient times to meet. Once again, congratulations on this very exciting time in your life.

Young Child Baptism (3-6 years old)

If you are interested in bringing your child to the Waters of Baptism, we want to begin by congratulating you on making this important decision on behalf of your child. Your desire to share our faith with your family is a great gift to your family and to our community. In a desire to insure that we are meeting your needs, Fr. Larry would like the opportunity to spend time with you before the celebration takes place. Arrangements for the date and time of the Baptism can be made by calling the Rectory during normal business hours. Fr. Larry will contact the parent(s) of those who are requesting a baptism for their child, with a variety of convenient times for you to meet with them. Thank you for your willingness to explore the Catholic Faith for your child more fully.

Child Baptism (7- 15)

“And Jesus said, let the children come to me” Matthew 19:14. If you are interested in bringing your child to the Waters of Baptism, we want to begin by congratulating you on making this important decision in conjunction with your child. Your desire to share our faith with your family is a great gift to your family and to our community. From the perspective of the Catholic Church, the age of reason is seven years old, and therefore your child’s active participation in preparation to receive the sacrament is required. The path to this preparation will be determined by you, Fr. Larry, and our coordinators of Religious Education, Mrs. Kelly Sullivan and Mrs. Donna Murphy. Fr. Larry will contact the parent(s) of those considering baptism for their child, with a variety of convenient times for you to meet with them and either Mrs. Sullivan or Mrs. Murphy.

Adult Baptism

The Baptism of adults normally take place in the context of the RCIA program, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The program traditionally takes place over a period of months starting in September and ending with the Easter Vigil. It is our goal to make this program as beneficial and helpful to the participants as possible. We do have mutually agreed upon requirements that are discussed at an initial meeting, but our goal is to bring people to the Waters of Baptism and so we are committed to walking this journey with you. Please contact the rectory to discuss the process and the individually tailored program that will work best for you.