Baptism
Welcoming your child into the family of God and the life of the Church.
About this sacrament
Baptism is the first sacrament of Christian initiation. Through the waters of Baptism, original sin is washed away, the soul is filled with sanctifying grace, and the one baptized is reborn as a child of God and made a member of the Church, the Body of Christ. For an infant, the faith of the parents and godparents stands in for the child until he or she can profess it personally, and the whole family pledges to raise the child in the practice of the Catholic faith.
Before you begin
- The family should be registered, practicing parishioners of Immaculate Conception.
- Parents — and ideally the godparents — attend a baptism preparation class offered by the parish.
- At least one godparent must be a fully initiated, practicing Catholic (baptized, confirmed, and having received the Eucharist) at least sixteen years of age.
- A godparent who is married must be married in the Church.