The Sacrament of Baptism

The sacrament of Baptism is the first of the seven sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin, reborn as children of God, become members of the Body of Christ, and are initiated as Chrisitians and incorporated into the Church. Being baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit confers grace upon the baptized. As Christians we spend our life unfolding this baptismal grace in how we live and follow God in our life. Baptism is the beginning of our Christian vocation that calls us to conform our life to Christ and live the sacramental life of the Church.

Baptism Preparation Process 

Baptismal Preparation Process (Infants to Age 4) - Children who are four years of age and younger may be baptized at various times throughout the year, except during the season of Lent.  This type of baptism is referred to as "Infant Baptism."  The child not having reached the age of reason, is presented by the Catholic parent(s) for Baptism and takes on the responsibility of raising the child in the Catholic faith.  The parents publicly renounce sin and profess their faith, as they will share their faith and love of God with their child.

Requirements for Parents & Sponsors (godparents)

For an infant to be baptized licitly, it is necessary that there is a well-founded hope that the child will be brought up in the Catholic faith. Therefore, there are requirements that both the parents and godparents must meet. 

Parents - 

• For an infant to be baptized licitly (Canon 868):
  • The parents or at least one of them or the person who has custodial care must consent
  • There must be a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic faith; if such hope is altogether lacking, the baptism is to be delayed according to the prescripts of particular law after the parents have been advised about the reason.

In practice this means, at least one parent must be a practicing Catholic and be willing to raise the child in the Catholic faith. Since there must be a founded hope that the child will be raised in the faith it is of utmost importance that the parent(s) are actively practicing their faith. This means they are attending mass weekly, receiving the sacraments, and be in, or working towards, full sacramental communion. Sometimes, a Catholic will not have married in the sacrament of matrimony.  If this is the case, we can assist you in making your marriage sacramental (con validation) and returning to full sacramental communion. [Please note, a Non-Catholic parent is not obligated to participate in the preparation or Rite of Baptism for their child but is welcome to do so.]

Sponsors (aka godparents) - 

• Insofar as possible, an infant to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who together with the parents presents the infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it (Can. 872). 
• There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each (Can. 873) 
• To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must (Can. 874):
  • 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;
  • Be sixteen years of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;
  • 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 may participate together with a Catholic sponsor as a witness of the baptism.

In practice this means, a godparent should be someone who will be part of the child’s life and is willing to accept the responsibility of supporting his/her godchild in learning and living the Catholic faith by way of example. Normally there is a godfather and a godmother. However, you may also choose to have only one godparent.  The godparent(s) should be at least 16 years of age, baptized and have received First Communion and Confirmation. If a godparent is married they must also have been married in the Catholic Church or have had their marriage blessed by the Church. He/she must be practicing their faith actively.  As long as one godparent meets these requirements, another person who is not a practicing Catholic, but is a baptized Christian may serve as a “Christian Witness”. Also, if you desire someone to be a godparent and they cannot be present, a proxy may stand-in for them.

Baptism Preparation Class 

The Catholic Church asks that the parent(s) and godparent(s) of the infants that are preparing for the sacrament of Baptism take a class so that they can better understand the sacrament and promises made on the day of baptism. Therefore, it is mandatory for both parents and godparents to attend and participate fully in the class  or provide a certificate of completion from a similar class in another parish within the last two years.

Baptismal preparation classes are usually the Thursday prior to the scheduled baptism at 7pm. Classes are held at the parish auditorium which is located next to the main church building. We hope that by the end of this course, you will have a greater understanding about baptism, and more readily engage in your important role in the celebration of the sacrament.

Celebration of the Rite of Baptism 

Baptisms at St.Frances typically take place at 9am on the first Saturday of the month in Spanish and on the third Saturday of the month in English.

On the day of your child's baptism the Parents, Godparents and Child need to arrive fifteen minutes prior to the start time to check in with the Deacon or Priest. On that day you'll need two special items that are used in the ritual of the baptism and symbolize our relationship to Christ. They are available at most Catholic stores or online. 

• Baptismal Garment (all white) - The white garment serves as a symbol of the child’s new life in Christ and membership in the Church.
• Baptismal Candle - The lighted candle is a symbol of the risen Christ. The act of receiving that candle signifies that this new Christian participates in the life of Christ.

Birth Certificate & Sacramental Offering 

A county clerk’s copy of the child’s birth certificate must be submitted at the time of registration. Please note that hospital certificates are not accepted as they are not considered a legal document. If you do not have a birth certificate contact the county of birth to obtain an official birth certificate. 

The $60/child sacramental offering is also due at the time of registration. We accept cash, checks, and online payments through Zelle and Paypal. Please make all checks payable to St. Frances of Rome Church and in the memo of the check write your child’s name and  “Baptism.” For online payments include your child’s name and “Baptism” in the comments section. 

Registration Process

If you would like your child baptized, please follow the steps below. 

• Step 1: Review the St. Frances of Rome Baptism Guidelines
• Step 2: Complete the Baptism Registration Form 
  • Online Baptism Registration Form
• Step 3: Choose your baptism date, submit a copy of the birth certificate and the $60/child sacramental offering
  • The $60 sacramental offering can be given in person by cash or check at the Parish Center or online via PayPal or Zelle. When submitting online please be sure to include your child's name and baptism in the comment section. Once you receive your confirmation email forward it to Jesus Rodriguez.
• Step 4: Submit the Baptism Sponsor Registration Form
• Step 5: Parents & Godparents Attend the Baptismal Preparation Class
• Step 6: Celebrate the Baptism! 

Baptismal Preparation Process - Children & Adults

Once a person reaches the age of reason, it is very important they embrace their faith, knowledge, and love of God as their own as they prepare for their baptism.  They will present themselves and journey with others toward the Easter Vigil where these baptisms takeplace in the most important and biggest celebration of the year.  The Easter Vigil is the celebration of the resurrection of Christ and is especially marked with the waters of baptism. The preparation programs for this type of baptism are the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and adapted for children.  Click here to learn more about this process.
 
The Rite of Christian Initiation welcomes children ages 5 (in school) and older and adults inquiring about the Catholic faith.  In fact, the first segment of this process is for inquiry purposes only, so one need to make a commitment to become Catholic.  Come and ask questions, share with others that are learning about the faith.  Discern if God is calling you into to communion in His Church.