Preparing for the
Sacrament of Baptism
The Christian community welcomes you as you look towards the Sacrament of
Baptism. We want to do the very best for you as parents and ensure that the
church fulfils its duty to make this Baptism a truly spiritual time.
In the past, some parents have had their children baptised and unfortunately
they are never part of our worshipping or parish community. In ages past,
there was the belief that provided a child was baptised, whatever else
happened, they had a passport to heaven. This makes magic of the sacrament,
which it is not. It is the churches duty to ensure that the Sacrament of
Baptism is understood and celebrated fully
.The Pre-Baptism Course
Why a Course?
Today most Parishes have some form of pre-baptism course. The purpose of
this course is to give parents an opportunity to understand and share with
each other the meaning of this sacrament. Baptism is far more concerned
about the world we live in rather than heaven. It is about becoming part of
a believing and caring community. It is the beginning of a relationship with
God and those who believe in Jesus his Son.
We are conscious that it is not easy for parents with a young baby to attend
these courses but it is our experience that the majority of parents who make
the effort thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to discover more of their faith,
understand the Sacrament more and also meet other couples who are preparing
their children for Baptism.
The Content.
The course involves one session every week for three weeks. Each session
lasts just over an hour and is hosted by a married couple from our parish. A
priest or deacon usually attend each session.
There is written material supplied for each evening, but the course relies
heavily on the input of the parents. The course is designed for both parents
and takes into account that not all the parents will be Catholics. Our
experience has been that all Christians and those of no religious background
will receive some benefit from each session. Parents of one-parent families
will be most welcome.
Parents who cannot attend the course should make their reasons known to the
Parish Priest. Likewise, parents who miss some of the sessions will be
requested to make them up on another course.
Time to attend.
It is strongly recommended by the parents who designed this course that it
should be completed before the baby arrives. Please contact the Parish
Office to arrange an appointment with the Parish Priest who will meet you,
let you know when the course is starting and issue an application form.
Godparents and Sponsors
The actual number of Godparents is at the discretion of the parents. There
must be at least one but usually there are two for each child. Godparents
must have received the Sacrament of Confirmation and be practising
Catholics. Prospective Godparents must apply to their own parish priest for
a Letter of Practice. This Letter of Practice should be sent at least three
weeks before the date of baptism to the Parish Priest at Clevedon.
In addition to Godparents a couple may wish to have sponsors for their
child. These need not be Catholic but should be people of faith who are
willing and open to supporting the parents in their faith.
Baptism Prayer Partners
Our parish community is committed to helping all parents in bringing up
their children in the ways of faith. When a request is made for Baptism, a
senior member of our parish will be asked to pray for the child and support
whenever possible.
The Baptism Service
Date and Time.
One of the great emphases of the Sacrament today is the community aspect.
For this reason we celebrate the administration of this sacrament on the
first Sunday of every month. Parents who have attended the course together
often favour the idea of having their children baptised at the same time.
We realise that there may be good reasons why some parents would like to
have their child baptised on another day. In such cases as these we would
ask the parents to mention this to the Parish Priest. Some parents may wish
to have their child baptised at a Sunday Mass. This is possible since again
it emphasises the community dimension of baptism. The time of the Mass would
be at one of the public Masses.
Easter Vigil.
This is the ceremony of the Church’s Year which highlights baptism. Any
parent who would like to have their child baptised at the Vigil, please get
in touch with the Parish Priest.
It is advisable to register your child at the local Catholic School as soon
as possible.
Click on links to see other Sacrament pages:
