BAPTISM

This sacrament is the very first step your child will take in a lifelong journey of love and togetherness with Jesus, our Lord. It is an exciting journey because God gives us His Holy Spirit who empowers us to become more and more like Jesus every day!

Baptism also makes us part of an extended and loving family – the Church – which is the Body of Christ. Through Baptism, God purifies us from sin and sets us on course for a wonderfully vibrant life that can positively impact others!

Do you wish to have your child baptised?

Here are some guidelines to help you embark on this wonderful journey of faith.

  • As parents, you are responsible for bringing your child to the sacrament of Baptism.
  • Your consent is desired; or at least one of you, or someone legally standing in your place.
  • Your child may have one or up to four godparents (also called sponsors). The godparent must have the ability and the intention to fulfill the role, be at least 16 years of age, and be a confirmed Roman Catholic who will be a good role model for your child.

Baptismal preparation in our Parish would include:

  • Attending a preparation night for parents held at the parish where you get to have a discussion about the sacrament, your faith and spirituality and learn about the rituals and symbols associated with baptism.
  • Introducing yourself to our Parish Priest (if you do not already know him personally).
  • Opening yourself up to joining the community of our parish.
  • Registering yourselves – if you are not registered parishioners, and getting involved in the community, and Sunday Eucharistic services.
  • Participation in some manner of faith formation as preparation for this important Sacrament. Contact our Parish office for details of the preparation program. Your commitment and openness to this preparation will help develop your child’s faith-life as s/he matures.

All this applies to Baptism of an infant or a young child. If your child has reached the age of reason (Grade 2 or 7 years), you and your child will receive different preparation.

Baptism is a 3 step process.

  • The Preparation Night.
  • The Rite of Welcome.
  • The actual Baptism, which is celebrated on Sundays at 12.30 pm.

Common FAQs

Here are some guidelines to help embark on this wonderful journey of faith.

  1. I live in a different parish from the one in which I want my child to be baptised. What must I do?
    You would need a letter of permission from your home parish giving us permission to baptise your child at OLHC. This permission is required because once your child is baptised, an extract of baptism gets sent to your home parish for their records.
  2. How many God Parents can I have for my child?
    At our parish we permit up to 4 GPs of which at least one needs to be a baptised catholic over the age of 16.
  3. Is baptism ministered during the Eucharist celebration or separately?
    We celebrate baptism at 12.30pm on a Sunday as a separate ceremony. There could be up to 6 children being baptised on the day but each child gets baptised individually.

Did you know?

The Baptism ceremony consists of:
The Anointing: The priest anoints your baby with oil on the forehead and on the chest, relating to past centuries when athletes used to rub oil into their bodies before events, to strengthen them and make their skin supple. It symbolises strengthening for the struggles of life ahead by being sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 
Pouring of Water: The priest pours water over your baby’s head, baptizing him/her in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Water is a sign of cleansing, symbolically washing the person of all sin. It is also a sign of life as without water nothing can grow. Therefore, Baptism is a sign of the new spiritual life into which the baptised person is entering.
Lighting of the Candle: This is a sign of a new life being lit. The Baptismal candle is usually lit from the Easter Candle, which symbolises the light of Christ.
White Garment: Your child is given a white garment as a sign of being clothed in Christ. White is also a symbol of purity and innocence.

Please call the Parish Office on 9704 7935 if you have queries about this sacrament or want to understand more.

Catholic Resources

baptism-cath-res

Why, exactly, do Catholics have the practice of baptizing infants? What is the purpose of baptism and who can celebrate this sacred sacrament? Here’s an interesting video.