“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1213
Baptisms at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) Church
Requirements for having your child baptized:
Your child must be no older than 6 years of age. If he or she is older than 6, he or she will need to be prepared to receive the sacrament and attend CCD classes.
At least one parent (or legal guardian) must consent to the baptism. That parent (or legal guardian) must be a baptized Catholic.
There must be a commitment to raising the child in the Catholic Church, following its guidance and laws, including going to Mass every Sunday.
It is necessary to provide a copy of your child’s birth certificate.
You and the godparents must attend a baptismal class unless you have been to one in the past 5 years. If you’ve attended a class elsewhere, we need a letter from the church where you attended the class.
Requirements of the godparents:
You may have 1 or 2 godparents. If they are two, they must be 1 female and 1 male. The parents of the child cannot be godparents.
Godparents must be at least 16 years older and have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, and Confirmation. They need to be single, living a chaste life, or married to a Catholic priest. They need to be good practicing Catholics in good standing with the Church.
Godparents need to provide the “Sponsorship Certificate” from the church where they are registered parishioners.
They need to attend the baptism preparation class. If they want to take classes at another Catholic Church, they must provide a letter stating they took the class.
If there is only 1 Catholic Godparent, there may be 1 non-Catholic Christian witness. A non-Catholic is a witness to the baptism. Their names will be on the baptismal certificate, with a notation. Christian witnesses must also be baptized.
Scheduling the Baptism:
Baptisms are scheduled on the first Sunday of the month during the 10:00 AM Mass in English or 12:00 PM Mass in Spanish.
Donation: There is a $75 dollars donation for the church for each child being baptized. This offering must be brought to the office along with the completed registration form and a copy of the birth certificate.
Baptismal Record and Certificate: At the end of the Baptismal ceremony, the parents are given a baptism certificate.
Su hijo no debe tener más de 6 años. Si tiene más de 6 años, deberá estar preparado para recibir el sacramento y asistir a clases de CCD.
Al menos uno de los padres (o tutor legal) debe dar su consentimiento al bautismo. Ese padre (o tutor legal) debe ser un católico bautizado.
Debe haber un compromiso de criar al niño en la Iglesia Católica, siguiendo sus directrices y leyes, incluyendo asistir a Misa todos los domingos.
Es necesario aportar copia del acta de nacimiento de su hijo.
Usted y los padrinos deben asistir a una clase bautismal a menos que haya asistido a una en los últimos 5 años. Si asistió a una clase en otro lugar, necesitamos una carta de la iglesia donde asistió a la clase.
Requisitos de los padrinos:
Puede tener 1 o 2 padrinos. Si son dos, deberán ser 1 hombre y 1 mujer. Los padres del niño no pueden ser padrinos.
Los padrinos deben tener al menos 16 años más y haber recibido los Sacramentos del Bautismo, Sagrada Comunión y Confirmación. Deben ser solteros, vivir una vida casta o estar casados con un sacerdote católico. Deben ser buenos católicos practicantes y estar al día con la Iglesia.
Los padrinos deben presentar el “Certificado de Patrocinio” de la iglesia donde son feligreses registrados.
Necesitan asistir a la clase de preparación para el bautismo. Si desean tomar clases en otra Iglesia Católica, deberán presentar una carta indicando que tomaron la clase.
Si solo hay 1 Padrino Católico, podrá haber 1 testigo cristiano no católico. Un no católico es testigo del bautismo. Sus nombres estarán en el certificado de bautismo, con una anotación. Los testigos cristianos también deben ser bautizados.
Programación del bautismo:
Los bautismos están programados el primer domingo del mes durante la Misa de las 10:00 a. m. en inglés o la Misa de las 12:00 p. m. en español.
Donación: Hay una donación de $75 dólares para la iglesia por cada niño que se bautiza. Esta ofrenda debe llevarse a la oficina junto con el formulario de registro completo y una copia del certificado de nacimiento.
Acta y Certificado de Bautismo: Al finalizar la ceremonia de Bautismo, se entrega a los padres un certificado de Bautismo.
“The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ.”