St Catherine's parish warmly welcomes you the parents. We realize how important your child's baptism is. We hope it will be an experience of renewal for your whole family's Christian faith. We know that parents are the primary teachers in the ways of the faith. We want to help. The information here is what you will need for your child’s baptism in our parish. Thank you in advance for reading it.
Checklist
Here is a step-by-step checklist for parents in order to have their child baptized:
Decide who will be your child's Godparents
Please read the “Godparents?” section.
This is a life-time commitment and cannot be changed after baptism.
Cost
$100 per child if a registered parishioner (Non-Refundable)
$150 per child if non-registered (Non-Refundable)
$300 for a Private Baptism (Upon availability of Church & Priest) ($150 is Non-Refundable, if canceled)
Arrange an Interview with one of our priests:
During which you will fill out all necessary paperwork and be signed up for the preparation class.
Both parents should be present.
Bring your child's Birth Certificate.
Attend a Baptismal Preparation Class
Offered on the 2nd or 4th Monday of the month.
Both parents should be present.
Godparents are required to attend.
Please do not bring very small children to class.
Celebrate on baptismal day
The parish provides candles for baptism, but you may bring your own.
Your child should be dressed in white.
Baptisms are at 2pm on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month.
Please arrive 15 minutes early.
Godparents
A Godparent together with the parents has the responsibility to present an infant for baptism and to help the baptized person lead a Christian life.
There is to be only one male godparent or one female godparent or one of each.
A Godparent must
have the ability and intention of fulfilling the responsibility of a godparent;
have completed the sixteenth year of age;
be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has received first Holy Communion,
and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the godparent’s responsibility;
not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
A baptized person belonging to a non-Catholic ecclesial community (e.g. a Protestant) can be a witness together with a Catholic Godparent.