St. Joseph's Church

THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO schedule A BAPTISM

Thank-you on wanting to have your child baptized in the Catholic Church. In choosing to be a Catholic parent you are accepting a religious vocation for the Church teaches today that parents are the primary educators in the ways of faith. Faith is handed on by parents by attending Mass as a family. It is also handed on by living, teaching, and celebrating the faith in the home as the “domestic church”. If you have not been attending Mass on a regular basis it is time to return.

The sacrament of baptism is celebrated once a month in each parish. Fr Fred Babiczuk celebrates it the Second Sunday of the month at St. Michael, and Deacon Paul Levesque celebrates it on the fourth Sunday of the month at St. Joseph.

Ordinarily, the parents of the child to be baptized should be members of either Parish. If you are not and live in the area, you are invited to register and become active in our parish family. If you live elsewhere and wish to have your child baptized here, we need is a letter of permission from your home parish mailed to the Parish office.

The first step in getting a child baptized is to fill out the on-line baptismal  application form BY CLICKING HERE. It is a google form.

The next step is to schedule an appointment with Fr. Babiczuk. BOTH PARENTS need to attend this meeting unless only one parent will not be involved in the raising of the child. He has office hours on Saturday morning and on Tuesday nights. If these times fit into your schedule, you can schedule an appointment with him on-line by CLICKING HERE. No need to call. If you are not available during these office hours, you will need to call Shanna Lubold in the office to set an appointment.

Do not pick a sponsor till after the appointment with Fr. Fred. One of the main points of discussion in the meeting is the qualifications to be a sponsor. (See message below on the qualifications of sponsor)

The third step is to attend Baptismal Preparation. Both parents and sponsors need to attend. These Sessions are held at St. Michael’s Church on the fourth Thursday of the month at 6:30pm unless it is a holiday. You can contact Shanna in the office to register for the class or you can register on-line by clicking here. Do not schedule this class till after sponsors have received their sponsor forms from their Parishes. The dates for these session for the rest of 2025 f are June 26, July 24, August 28, September 25, October 23, November 20 (4th Thursday is Thanksgiving) , December 18 (4th Thursday is Christmas)

You can set a date for the baptism after you have attended the Preparation class. If fact, the date can be set at the end of the class.

GODPARENTS/SPONSORS

You will need to select at least one qualified godparent or sponsor. There are normally two godparents, one man and one woman. If you have two, they have to be male and female. Godparents need to be at least 16 years of age, confirmed and, if currently married, married according to the laws of the Church. They have to obtain a “sponsor’s certificate” from the church they currently are registered with.

It is possible to have one “Catholic Sponsor” and one “Christian Witness”. A Christian witness is a person who is baptized in another Christian denomination. 

Why all these rules? What can’t I have anyone I want to be a Godfather or Godmother? In the Church being a Sponsor for baptism is not just a honorable title. Sponsors are mentors in the ways of the catholic faith. How can someone be a mentor for the faith if they are not practicing the faith?

How to get a sponsor form

If you belong to one of these two parishes the process to get a sponsor form is first you speak with Shanna in the office. She will see if you are registered, and then partially fill out the form. You can pick-up the form after Mass in whatever Church you are attending that weekend. Ask her for Fr. Fred Mass schedule. Forms are only given out in Church before or after mass. If you are not qualified to get a form, then Shanna will ask you to speak with Fr. Fred.

DONATIONS for baptism

There is no fee for a baptism. If you would like to make a donation to the Church, place it in an envelope with the child’s name on it and give it to the priest or deacon on the day of the baptism.

BAPTISMAL CEREMONY

The ceremony is a joyous occasion in which children are initiated into the Catholic faith. It begins with a welcoming rite in which the parents publicly name their child and, along with the priest or deacon, trace the sign of the cross on the child’s forehead. This is followed by a reading from scripture, a renunciation of sin and profession of faith by the parents and godparents, the blessing of the water and the actual baptism. The child is anointed with chrism and then clothed in a white garment. Someone from the family (such as parent or godparent) lights the child’s candle from the Easter candle. 

Sign of the Cross: The sign of the cross is the mark of Christians because Jesus Christ died on the cross. Parents and godparents trace it on the child’s forehead to show that the child belongs to Christ, who now offers his help and grace to face and overcome the sufferings of life.

Water: This is for cleansing and is a sign that our sins are washed away. Baptism cleanses us of original sin with which we are all born and, in adults of every sin committed prior to baptism. Water is also necessary for life and so is a sign, too, that the life of the risen Christ is ours.

Oils: Oil of baptism is olive oil rubbed on the breast of the child to strengthen and prepare for the fight ahead. Oil of chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balsam and is rubbed on the crown of the head. It is a sign of sealing with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The profession of Faith which you make on behalf of your child at baptism will later be confirmed personally by your child in the sacrament of confirmation when oil of chrism will be used again.

White Garment: This garment is a relic of the new clothes worn by Christians after baptism. It is a sign of innocence and the new life of resurrection.

Candles: These symbolize Christ – the Light of the World. The baptismal candle is lit from the paschal candle, which stands near the altar at Easter as sign of the risen Christ. The baptismal candle reminds us that the light of Christ has entered the child’s life; and it’s flame symbolizes the flame of faith which will burn through the life of your child.

Certificate of Baptism: Your child’s baptism will be recorded in the parish Baptismal Register. In the years ahead proof of baptism may be obtained in the form of a certificate issued on the basis of this registration. Your child’s Confirmation, Marriage or Ordination will also be noted alongside this entry in the register.