Baptism and New Life
Congratulations! We are happy with you at the birth of your child and welcome your new baby. A new life born into the human family and into our world should always be a joyful and happy event. It should be an event that changes lives for the better. A new life gives hope, promise and expectation for a future that will become a better place because of this new life. We share these dreams with you, but we want to do more. We want to do everything possible to make them come true.
If the world is to become a better place because a new person has been born into it, you, as parents, have a large responsibility. But, you are not alone. We, the Christian Community, into which you have asked to have your child baptized, share that responsibility. We take that responsibility seriously. We believe that it is only when people come together in a spirit of love and begin to care for each other that the faith really comes alive. We have all received the gift of life from God who is love (1 John 4:16). God sent Jesus, the Son, to bring us to the fullness of that life (John 10:10) which we receive in baptism.
Sharing the life of this Christian Community is what you have asked for your child. At Baptism, you are saying “yes” for your child to God’s invitation to belong to a Christian Community. We, as part of that family, also say “yes” to the acceptance of a new member. We all accept the responsibility for a new life.
DATES AND TIMES FOR BAPTISM
ARRANGING FOR A BAPTISM AT ST. MARY’S – ST. PETER’S
A word about Godparents:
In the selection of persons chosen to be Godparents for your child, it is necessary to state that they should both be practicing Catholics. As they have to profess the Faith and promise to assist the parents in raising the child as a Catholic, it is only logical that they, themselves, believe what they are publicly promising. Being a Godparent is a spiritual responsibility not merely a social honor. Godparents must obtain a letter from their pastor stating that they are indeed practicing Catholics and qualified to be Catholic godparents. While one Godparent can be replaced by a Baptized member of another Christian religion (in which case he or she is called a “Christian Witness”), it is not permitted that a former Catholic serve as a Christian Witness nor that a Godparent be a non-Christian. Only two godparents (one male and one female) can act as such in the ceremony and are listed in the baptism register.