As soon as you know that you want your child to be dedicated to God, contact the church office. You'll need to provide information such as the date of birth, the child's name , the names of the parents, and the names of godparents or sponsors. Each church may ask for additional data, according to their customs. Let the pastor or administrative person know how many people you expect to be present so arrangements can be made if necessary. This may involve seating during the church service and who will stand with the child during the baptism.
Most churches allow and even encourage guests to attend the ceremony. You may extend formal, email, or verbal invitations. It's always a good idea to provide instructions to anyone who is not familiar with your church's customs, and be willing to answer questions.
You may consider some of the ritual to be common sense or routine, but to someone who has never been to your place of worship, it may all seem foreign. Giving them a few tips can prevent an embarrassing or uncomfortable situation. Don't be late. In fact, it's a good idea for the family of the child about to be baptized or christened to arrive at the church a few minutes early so everyone can sit together.
In some cases, the church will have reserved seating, so discuss this with the clergy member in advance. Baptism, christening, and dedication ceremonies serve as an introduction of the child to the church and follow the sacraments as ordered by God. This is a solemn but joyous occasion that follows the church's customs, so make sure you understand what is expected of you. You may receive an invitation in any number of formats. A formal invitation will often ask for you to RSVP.
Even if you are invited by phone, let the host family know whether or not you will be there. They need to know how many people will be sitting with them during the church service or mass. At least one godparent must be Catholic. Those who wish to sponsor a baptism must request baptismal forms from the parish office. These forms verify that the sponsor has met the requirements for acting as a sponsor, which in addition to the instruction requirements are as follows:.
If the requirements for certificates are met, the certificates then should be presented to the baptism coordinator for the parish. Wanda Thibodeaux is a freelance writer and editor based in Eagan, Minn.
She has been published in both print and Web publications and has written on everything from fly fishing to parenting. A non-Catholic could not fulfill this requirement. A non-baptized person may not serve as a godparent or as a Christian witness.
Godparents are often from out-of-town. If the godparent is unable to be present on the day of the Baptism, he or she can be represented by proxy. A proxy can be a family member, a friend or a parishioner who will stand in for the official godparent on the day of the baptism.
However, even in such cases, the actual godparent must still meet the above requirements including taking a godparent preparation class. Yes, any godparent must generally take a Baptism Preparation Class. Adults who have not yet received the Sacrament of Baptism must go through instruction in the Catholic Faith in order to receive Baptism.
These classes ordinarily begin around September of each year and end at the Easter Vigil when the adult is baptized, receives our Lord's true Body and Blood in Holy Communion, and receives the Sacrament of Confirmation.
We will make copies of this document and review any other requirements necessary for the Baptism at that time. Older Children 1st and 2nd graders only Please call , Ext. Children in 1st and 2nd grade will be required to attend a Baptismal Class specially designed for children their age.
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