Sacrament of Baptism

Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mak (character) of his belonging to Christ (Catechism 1272).

"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, 1213).

The Sacrament of Baptism is the first sacrament we celebrate. Through this Sacrament, we become members of the Church, adopted sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father as we die to sin and rise to new life in Christ. If you have a child that is under the age of six (6) years old and would like to have your child baptized, please contact the Rectory at (814) 899-5342.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

FOR CHILDREN RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM:
Baptisms may be celebrated during the Sunday Mass. To schedule a Baptism, please contact the Parish Office to arrange a date. A Pre-Baptismal Class is required for all parents preparing for the baptism of their child. These sessions are held semi-annually on a Sunday afternoon, in the early fall and in the late winter. Similar sessions are held at Catholic parishes throughout the diocese and parents or guardians may choose to attend a Baptismal Preparation session at another parish if it better fits their schedule. God parents are also highly encouraged to attend these sessions. Our hope is that this preparatory class will help parents to more fully understand the nature and purpose of the sacrament and the responsibility they are undertaking by having their child baptized. The class also allows parents to meet with other parents who will journey with them and their child, thus building up our parish and the Church. To register for the Pre-Baptismal Class, call the Parish Office at 814-899-5342.

If you have a priest or deacon who is a close friend or relative, they are most welcome to celebrate the baptism of your child. You can make such arrangements when you contact the Parish Office.

CHILDREN OVER THE AGE OF 7:
The Church considers children over the age of seven as being of catechetical age (i.e., they are capable of receiving instruction on the sacraments and their faith). As such, they are prepared for baptism through the parish school or parish Religious Education Program. If you have a child over the age of seven who you wish to have baptized, please contact the Director of Lifelong Faith Formation at 814-899-6132 to make the necessary arrangements.

FOR ADULTS RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM:
An unbaptized adult becomes a Catholic through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). These individuals journey with a sponsor and RCIA team members over a period of time: inquiry, instruction, sharing faith and life experiences, conversion. Participants meet weekly on a regular basis. Parish members serve as team members on the journey of faith. If you or someone you know are interested in being baptized, please contact the Parish Office at 814-899-5342.

GODPARENTS:

"For the grace of Baptism to unfold, the parents' help is important. So too is the role of the godfather and godmother, who must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptized - child or adult - on the road of Christian life" (Catechism 1255).

Godparents are charged with the responsibility of assisting with the development and safeguarding of the grace given at Baptism. Due to the importance of their role, godparents must obtain a letter of eligibility from their parishes to certify that they meet the Church's requirements for this role. This letter must be submitted to Our Lady of Mercy Church two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled Baptism date. The Church's requirements for a godparent are listed below for your information:

• A child must have at least one eligible godparent; he or she may have two godparents, in which case one is a man and the other is a woman.
• The godparent must not be a parent of the one to be baptized.
• The godparent must be:
  • At least sixteen years of age;
  • A fully-initiated Catholic; that is, he or she has received Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion;
  • A practicing Catholic; that is, he or she attends Mass every Sunday and holyday, receives the sacraments regularly, and, if married, is married in the Church.
  • Along with an eligible godparent, a baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic Christian church or ecclesial community (i.e., Episcopal, Protestant, evangelical, etc.) may be admitted as a Christian witness to the baptism.

(Code of Canon Law, c. 874; cf. Catechism, 1255)

FAQ ABOUT BAPTISM

If I want to arrange to have my baby baptized, how would I start?
Arranging for the baptism of a child begins with the involvement of the parent or guardian in the faith life of the parish community. If you are not a registered member of a Catholic parish, find a parish you want to make your spiritual home. Register in that parish and become active.

If you are already a registered member of the parish, make sure that your own faith life is being nourished and growing and that you are an active part of the community into which your child will be baptized.

Registered and active members of a catholic parish can begin the process of formally arranging for the baptism of their child by calling their parish office.

Members of the faith family at Our Lady of Mercy can call 899-5342. The parish secretary, will be glad to answer initial questions, and when appropriate, direct you to other staff members who can provide further support.

If I want to arrange to have my baby baptized, when would I start?
Because parents/guardians and godparents are expected to attend a special preparation session, which we conduct semi-annually here at Our Lady of Mercy, you will need to give yourself a bit of time. More importantly, celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism with your child is a significant moment in his or her life and the life of the entire family. This is not something you will want to rush into. You will want to carefully select godparents, ensure that family and friends can share the day and prepare your own hearts. So, as soon as you are aware that you desire to celebrate this sacrament with your child, whether it is during your pregnancy or any time after birth, begin to plan by calling your parish. Members of Our Lady of Mercy can call our parish office at 899-5342.

If I want to have my baby baptized at Our Lady of Mercy, who do I call?
Call the parish office at 899-5342.

Does a person have to be a member of the parish in order to have their child baptized at this church?
It is normal to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism in the parish community in which the parents or guardians are active members. The community with which you share this ritual moment of welcome should be the community that surrounds this child with loving faith and consistent witness in the unfolding years. During the ritual, those gathered are asked to pledge their ongoing support of this child and these parents as they grow in their response to Christ. Only a community who will come to know this maturing child through regular contact can fulfill this pledge. This is why the Sacrament is commonly celebrated during the Sunday liturgy.

Do parents and or godparents have to attend special classes before having their child baptized?
Parents or guardians are expected to attend a special session as part of their preparation for this Sacrament. These sessions are held semi-annually on a Sunday afternoon, once in September and once in March. Similar sessions are held at Catholic parishes throughout the diocese and parents or guardians may choose to attend a Baptismal Preparation session at another parish if it better fits their schedule. God parents are also highly encouraged to attend these sessions.

Who can serve as a godparent? Do you have to have two godparents, one male and one female?
A godparent must be a Confirmed, practicing Catholic in good standing. In other words, in order to fulfill this very important ministry of supporting the developing faith life of a child, an individual must be a full member of the Catholic Church themselves, having themselves celebrated the Catholic Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Furthermore, they must be actively living out their Catholic faith, registered and active in a Catholic parish and living by the teachings of the Catholic Church. A godparent must be at least 16 years of age.

Although it has become customary to invite two people, one of each gender, to serve as godmother and godfather, this is not required. Only one baptismal sponsor is needed and that person can be of either gender, (not necessarily that of the child).

The person I would like to be godparent to my child is a good Christian, very active in their Protestant church, but they are not Catholic. Can I ask this person to be godparent?
The person described would be welcome to be part of your child’s Baptism. However, the title of “godparent” refers specifically to an active Catholic as described in the question above. A baptized, faith-filled, Protestant actively living out the Gospel is given the title “Christian Witness”. Although you may invite someone to accept the role of Christian Witness at your child’s Baptism, you will also need at least one Catholic godparent who can witness to the unique way that our Christian tradition embodies Christian discipleship.

If a baptized Protestant can serve as a godparent, then can I invite a non-practicing Catholic to assume this role? If I can, this would eliminate the hassle of having to get a “sponsor certificate” from some parish.
Christian Witness is a title reserved for a baptized, faith-filled Protestant who serves to sponsor this child into the life of Christian discipleship. Godparent is a title reserved for Catholics, who by their active life of fidelity to the Gospel and the Church, can witness to Christian discipleship. So, a Catholic is never a Christian Witness. Whether godparent or Christian Witness, this person is accepting responsibility to support this child on his or her journey of faith. Only someone who is actively practicing and growing in their own faith can begin to fulfill such an awesome ministry.

Does a child have to be baptized by a certain age?
No, Faith is a very personal and very important element of family life. The decision to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism with a child should be made when parents are willing to accept the tremendous responsibilities of fostering the life of Christian discipleship in their child.

If my child is more than a year old, can I still have my child baptized?
Absolutely, there is no limit to the age at which a person can celebrate Baptism. Whether a person is one month or 100 years old, they are welcomed to the new life in Christ, the cleansing waters of the font, the family of Christ gathered in joyful gratitude..

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The journey of Christian discipleship is an awesome undertaking. The road is full of surprises. You travel in the company of fantastic people of faith. The Guide has never lead anyone astray and has been known to carry those who weary. And the destination is out of this world. Come and join us on this journey of Christian discipleship.

To learn more about celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism with your child, call the parish office at 899-5342.

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