baptism
Baptism
“Then Jesus approached (the eleven Apostles) and said to them, ‘All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age’.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
“Every baptized person should consider that it is in the womb of the Church where he is transformed from a child of Adam to a child of God.”
– St. Vincent Ferrer
We rejoice with the angels and saints at the gift of new life. Even more importantly we seek to lead all to participate in eternal life with our Heavenly Father beginning with the sacrament of Baptism. In baptism, we are cleansed of sins, united to Christ and His Church and gain access to heaven. Do not delay bringing this wondrous grace to your child or receiving it yourself.
Requirements for Baptisms at Sacred Heart R.C. Church:
– Be a registered member of our parish, or have a letter of delegation from your parish giving us authority to baptize your child.
– Participate in our Baptismal Prep Class–call Father Mullins for an appointment. (610) 826-2335
– Provide a copy of the child’s birth certificate
– If the child is 7 years of age or older, the child must go through the Rite of Christian Initiation (see Religious Education)
– Select a godparent who meets all the requirements and can provide a “Letter of Eligibility” from their pastor testifying that they meet all the requirements.
– A minimum of $25 donation is requested.
– Once each of the above has been achieved, then a date can be set for the baptism.
Godparents & Letters of Eligibility:
Godparents are called to lead the child to God, by their own example, and to teach the faith, to correct when the child goes astray, and to pray continually for the child’s salvation. It is a great honor to be chosen as a godparent, but one should not accept this role lightly because it is a great responsibility. To care for the child’s soul and to ensure the child has a good guide to lead them to our Lord, the Catholic Church has imposed various requirements for those to serve as godparents:
– Must be an Active Catholic participating in Sunday Mass every week.
– Must regularly contribute to the parish to support its mission.
-If living with a partner, must be married together through the Catholic Church.
– Must be at least 16 years old.
– Must have received the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation).
– Must not be in serious sin.
– If you have children, one should raise them in the Catholic faith (Baptized and if age 7 or older should be in Catholic School or in a parish religious education program)
In addition, our parish requires that anyone from our parish seeking to be a godparent must be a registered member for at least four months and should be using envelopes to consistently support our church.
