Baptism

The sacrament of Baptism is the sacrament that washes us free from Original Sin, and by which we become the adopted sons and daughters of God and members of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church.

Baptism is the gateway to all the other sacraments. The Church says it is of such importance that children should be baptized in the first weeks after birth.

Baptisms are celebrated on the second Sunday of each month at 2:00 pm. (In July and August, baptisms are celebrated at 12:30 pm.) Please call the rectory and speak with the parish secretary to arrange for a Baptism. A required Baptism preparation class for parents meets on the first Monday of the month at 8:00 pm in the lower church.

To have your child baptized at St. Mary's, parents must be registered members of the parish, or have a connection with the parish (for example, having been baptized or married here).

Godparents, or sponsors, must be Catholics over the age of sixteen who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation, and who practice their faith at least by regular attendance at Sunday Mass in their respective parishes. If there are two godparents one must be a man and the other a woman. Those who are ineligible to serve as Godparents include: Catholics who are divorced and remarried outside the Catholic Church; Catholics who have left the Church or joined another religious community; Catholics who do not regularly at least attend Sunday Mass. Godparents must obtain from their parish priest a Sponsor's Certificate that attests to their regular practice of the Catholic faith.

The Catholic Church permits a baptized Christian (i.e., a Protestant) to serve as a "Christian Witness." In this case there will be only one godparent, who must be Catholic. The godparent and Christian witness must also be of opposite sexes.

The Catholic Church does not permit non-baptized people (for example, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, atheists) to be godparents, because they cannot make the required profession of faith in Jesus Christ.