Norms for Infant Baptism

As a community of faith, All Saints Parish has the responsibility of ensuring that infants and children younger than 7 years old be baptized into the Catholic Church will be raised in the faith.  The following norms for infant baptism have been adopted after consultation with the Pastoral Council.  Parents are encouraged to review the requirements for requesting baptism and to have their child baptized within a reasonable time after birth.                       

Parental Requirements

Parish Membership

For a child to be baptized in the Catholic Church, his/her Catholic parent(s) must be registered and practicing member(s) of All Saints Parish, regularly participating in Sunday worship in our parish, and supporting the parish through gifts of time, talent, and treasure.  Such a commitment provides reasonable assurance that the child to be baptized will be raised in the faith.

Preparation Session

To ensure that parents are aware of the meaning of baptism in Christian life and the commitments they are making, they are expected to participate in a program of instruction and preparation.  This session is held on the 1st Monday of every month at 7:00 pm in the Music Room.  This is also an important opportunity to meet and get to know other new parents and parish members.

Godparents, while not required to participate, are welcome.  To ensure a productive session for all in the space available, the number of participants is limited to 10 couples per session.

Pre-registration is required.  Please call the Parish Office to register.

Godparents

In choosing a Godparent or sponsor for your child, parents are asked to seriously consider the following.  The sponsor’s role is to assist parents in passing on the faith in which the child is baptized.  Therefore, parents should choose someone who will take the role seriously and who will be a good role-model for the child.  Parents should speak personally with the sponsor about the meaning of this role and their expectations.

Church law sets minimum requirements: A sponsor must be at least sixteen years old.  He/she must be a fully initiated, practicing Catholic who has been baptized, received first communion, and been confirmed.  If parents choose two people to be sponsors, both may not be of the same sex.  Although non-Catholics may not serve as sponsors, they may be witnesses in addition to a sponsor, and must be themselves practicing the Christian faith.

Adult Initiation

If an adult wants to join the Catholic Church, he or she is invited to participate in the Catechumenate during which the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is celebrated.  In general, this process focuses on the individual’s faith formation through Scripture, catechesis, prayer, worship, and community life.

Various stages in the process are marked by liturgical celebrations in church at the Sunday Eucharist.  As the All Saints Community witnesses these rites, it gives support and strength to those seeking conversion as well as renewing its own spiritual being.  The process of initiation culminates at the Easter Vigil when an individual is baptized or makes a profession of faith, is confirmed and receives communion for the first time in the Catholic Church.  Occasionally, previously baptized Christians may make their profession of faith at other times during the year, such as on the feast of All Saints.

To register for the Cathechumenate process or for any questions, please contact any of the parish priests or call the Parish Office.