Baptism
Infant Baptism Preparation at Saint Patrick Catholic Church
Preparing for Your Child’s Baptism
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 and daughters of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church, and made sharers in her mission.
First-time parents are asked to attend a baptism preparation class prior to scheduling their child’s Baptism. To begin preparation for Infant Baptism at Saint Patrick Catholic Church, please contact our Infant Baptism Preparation Coordinator:
Mitzi Mead — Infant Baptism Preparation
Selecting a Godparent (Sponsor)
Parents should take care in selecting a Godparent (sponsor) who will serve as a role model of the Catholic faith for their child. Only one Godparent is required (male or female); if two are chosen, there must be one male and one female.
According to the Code of Canon Law (Canon 874), to be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:
- Be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister, and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;
- Have completed the sixteenth (16th) year of age;
- Be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;
- Not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;
- Not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.