Baptism

• We share in your excitement in the anticipation of welcoming your child into our community of faith.  We hope you will find our baptismal preparation to be an opportunity for growth in your faith as well.  Parents are the primary teachers of their children in the ways of faith.  As your parish, we will provide support in raising your child in the practice of the faith through continued religious and spiritual formation.
  
  To prepare for the Baptism of your child, we will need information about you, your child, and the godparents.  The name you give your child should include the name of a saint that you hope your child will emulate.  Godparents should be baptized Catholics who have been confirmed and are a good sacramental role model by regularly attending church.  If they are married (either to one another or to another person), their marriage should have been celebrated in the Catholic Church. These are requirements of the Catholic Church and are followed in our parish.
  
  Attached are documents to be downloaded, completed, and brought to the rectory.  [If you are not able to download the documents, you may call the rectory, and the documents will be sent to you.  Once we have all of the documents, we will contact the parents for a meeting at the family home or at the rectory with the pastor or one of the deacons.  After that meeting, the parents and godparents will be advised of the date and time of the next Baptismal Seminar.  The seminar generally occurs on a Friday night two weeks before the date of the Baptism.  Baptisms are celebrated after 11:00 a.m. Mass on designated Sundays, except during Lent, unless there are special circumstances.  
  
  Letter to Parents
  Family Information and Parental Testimonial
  I Want My Child Baptized Because:
  What Do You Expect of Baptism?
  Godparent (one for each godparent)
  Census Form
  Copy of your child's birth certificate
  
  Parents and godparents who cannot attend the Baptismal Seminar in
  St. Christopher Parish may attend a seminar in another Catholic parish and have that parish send a letter confirming such attendance.  Also, if the parents are from another parish, a letter of permission from the pastor of your home parish must be sent to St. Christopher Church.
  
  Parents and godparents for children being baptized in another parish are welcome to attend a Baptismal Seminar at St. Christopher Parish.  A certificate of attendance will be sent to the parish where the Baptism will occur.
  
  A child must have only one godfather and one godmother.  Though traditional in some cultures, “honorary” godparents are not named in the records of the Baptism of the child.
  
  Except for serious circumstances, private Baptisms are not permitted.  For more information and questions about Baptism, please contact Mr. Richard St. Amant, Director of Religious Education, at 756-2115 or via e-mail.