Baptism
Jesus answered: Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
– John 3:3-5
Baptism at Sacred Heart Catholic Church
We are so excited that you have taken this step to baptize your child into God's family. Please find all of the information on how baptism works in the Catholic Church at our parish specifically on this webpage.
"By Baptism we become members of the Church, the Body of Christ."
The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters...Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin - Original and actual - and begin to live a new life with God.
In Baptism, the Holy Spirit moves us to answer Christ's call to holiness. In Baptism, we are asked to walk by the light of Christ and to trust in his wisdom. We are invited to submit our hearts to Christ with ever deeper love." - USCCB
I've decided to baptize my child
Learning about baptism and what it means to be baptized into God's family is a ministry that the Church traditionally directs to adults. This means that when you come to baptize your child, you will learn what that baptism means, as the parent of the child. If you have an older child whom you intend to baptize, the baptism preparation will be given directly to them.
The Catholic Church calls infant baptism the baptism of any child under age 7. If you desire to baptize a child age 7 or over please enroll them in the RCIA adapted for children.
"Catechesis for Baptism is directed primarily to adults: that is, catechumens including children who have reached the age of reason-as well as the parents and godparents of infants who are to be baptized. All those preparing for Baptism, including parents and godparents who are preparing for the Baptism of an infant or child, need the prayerful support and apostolic witness of the people of the local community of faith - the parish. This preparation is an especially important opportunity for the Church to encourage the parents and godparents of infants to reexamine the meaning of the Christian message in their own lives." (National Directory for Catechesis)
What do I do next?
Parents and Godparents are required to attend the preparation course. Preparation is offered through Sacred Heart as an informational session (orientation) and a pre-baptismal class. Orientation night is open for anyone interested in attending and is typically held on the first Wednesday of the month. After attending orientation, there will be a registration link shared for the pre-baptismal preparation class. We have combined two sessions into one date to provide convenience to those attending. We strongly encourage families to attend these sessions as early as possible to avoid dissatisfaction in choosing an available baptism date. Dates are pre-determined by the parish.
If you wish to baptize your child, parents must first attend a baptism orientation. The orientation dates will be advertised through Sunday bulletins, mass screens, social media. We currently offer English baptism orientations every other month, while Spanish are offered every month.
At the orientation session, you will be given guidelines for baptizing your child and any special circumstances may be discussed during this time as well. Please bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate. We may also require the potential Godparents confirmation and/or marriage date and parish information. Godparents must be 16 years of age.
Steps to Follow for Baptism
Be on the lookout for the next orientation date
Does RCIA sound familiar to you? If so, you might know that it stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults!
So what is the RCIA for children?
Usually parents come to the parish seeking to baptize their children just to find out that their children don’t qualify for regular baptism classes because they’re over the age of seven! To baptize children who have reached the age of 7 or older requires the RCIA. It might seem counterintuitive to put children into a process whose name contains the word “adult,” but according to the canon laws regulating the Catholic Church, children who have reached the age of 7 have the same sacramental rights as adults.
The norms established for the Christian Initiation of Children Who Have Reached Catechetical Age are outlined in Part II, Chapter 1 of the official Church document Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA #252330). It states the following about the RCIA for children:
“This form of the rite of Christian initiation is intended for children not baptized as infants, who have attained the use of reason and are of catechetical age. They seek Christian initiation either at the direction of their parents or guardians or, with parental permission, on their own initiative. Such children are capable of receiving and nurturing a personal faith and of recognizing an obligation of conscience.” (RCIA #252)
The initiation of children of catechetical age is a process based on their personal conversion. There is also a RCIA for adults over the age of 18, but their preparation and classes are separated from those your children will receive.
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
Ever heard of the OCIA before? Perhaps someone said it so fast you thought it was one word. Maybe it means nothing to you!
OCIA stands for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is the process by which adults are welcomed into the Catholic Church and prepared to receive the Sacraments of Initiation. Modeled on the conversion experiences of those who became Christians in the earliest centuries of the Church, OCIA is intended for adults who have never been baptized, those baptized in other Christian communities, and baptized Catholics who have not yet received all of the sacraments of initiation.
OCIA follows an open-enrollment model. This means that, unlike some parish programs that have a fixed start and end date, individuals are welcome to begin the inquiry process at any time during the year. Whether you are simply curious about the Catholic faith, considering becoming Catholic, or seeking to complete your sacramental initiation, we are here to accompany you on your journey.
Our goal is to help you encounter Jesus Christ, grow in faith, and discover the beauty of the Catholic Church. We invite you to reach out and begin the conversation.
For more information, please see How to Become Catholic
