 The Sacrament of Baptism is the first of our seven sacraments. It is through Baptism that the stain of original sin, and any other sin, is wiped away and we become new members of the Body of Christ and the Catholic Church. We extend a special welcome to you if you are trying to find out more about Baptism for yourself, or for your child.
If you are an adult who is seeking more information on how to become a member of the Catholic Church, please check out The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). There you will find good information on what that process is and also contact information for the person who can tell you more about it.
If you are visiting our site because you recently became a parent, or your child is a little older; we offer our congratulations! We know what a busy and exciting time this is for your family, and we want to assist you in raising your child in the faith.
Now, you want to know how you go about getting your child baptized. Below are some frequently asked questions to get you started. If your question or situation does not fit neatly into these answers, don’t panic. Life happens! Please call the parish office at 419-625-7465 or email Deacon Jeff Claar or Deacon Bill Burch with your questions, or what is on your mind.
The celebration of all our sacraments are community events
and our community is our parish where we live. If you are
a Catholic parent living with the boundaries of St. Mary’s,
you have the right to have your child baptized here. If
you live in another city, but for family or other reasons
would like to have your child baptized here, that is a
possibility with approval. Please talk to your priest or
deacon about your situation.
You may choose to have your child baptized during any
scheduled weekend Mass, or you may join the community Baptism
outside of Mass on the third Sunday of the month at 1:30 p.m.
For serious pastoral reasons, your child could be baptized
at another time with the approval of the priest or deacon.
Here at St. Mary’s, we require that all first-time
parents attend an orientation class before scheduling the
Baptism of their child. At this class, you will learn all
about the sacrament itself, have your questions answered,
and learn successful ways we can help you to incorporate
the faith into your family life. This is a one-time class
that lasts between sixty and ninety minutes, and both parents
are to attend. The class is held on the first Monday of
each month at 7:00 p.m. If this time is impossible due to
your work schedules, please contact the parish office for
your options.
Every person being baptized, whether a child or an adult,
must have a sponsor. The sponsors in Baptism have traditionally
been called godparents. The minimum requirement is one
sponsor, but usually when infants are baptized, they have
two, one of each gender. Canon law permits only one godparent
of each gender – a godmother and a godfather.
To be a sponsor, you must:
• Be at least 16 years or older
• Have received Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation
• Be an active Catholic and be registered at a
Catholic parish
• Not be the parent of the one being baptized
• Show evidence of being a registered, active member
of a parish, if needed
If you wish, along with the Catholic sponsor, one godparent
can be a baptized Protestant Christian in good standing.
They would be known as a Christian witness.
This situation, by itself, is not a sufficient reason
to delay the baptism of your child. You will be asked to
attend the parent class and will then meet with the priest
or deacon to discuss your responsibilities to raise your
child in the faith as single parents.
Jesus gave us His Sacraments to confer Grace upon us.
It is this Grace that strengthens us to live according
to His commandments. And this includes all of His sacraments.
We support your decision to commit to each other in a civil
marriage and would like to discuss the benefits to you
and your relationship of inviting God into your life together
by having your marriage “blessed” in the Church.
Every situation is a little different, so please discuss
this with your priest or deacon.
There is no cost to have your child baptized. Donations
made to the Church are always accepted. It is acceptable
to show your appreciation to the priest or deacon with
a card or small honorarium. This should always be according
to your means; and $50 should be the maximum.
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