Baptism for Babies and Children
Initiation into the Catholic Church begins through baptism, and this is administered to the children of Catholics in infancy. It is the beginning of a lifelong life of faith, and is the greatest joy that we can have as human beings. Baptism isn’t a ‘rite of passage’ but a living Sacrament, through which a child enters into a relationship with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and becomes a member of the Church of Christ. Baptism should not be entered into lightly. It isn’t just a good event as a prelude to a party for family and friends!
If you would like to have your child baptised in one of the churches of our Parish, please read the following guidelines. If you wish to go ahead and enquire, then please fill in the Baptism Enquiry Form if you are able (please click on the link) and bring it to the Parish Priest’s Open House session (availability can be checked on the bi-weekly parish bulletin available on the homepage). Attendance in person by, preferably, both parents at the Open House is essential. Arrangements cannot be made by grandparents or other relatives on the parents’ behalf.
We do not take ‘bookings’ for baptisms over the phone. Coming to the see the Parish Priest at the Open House does not guarantee that the baptism will take place. The Parish Priest has to have a moral certainty that the parents will fulfil their obligations in regard to the Catholic upbringing of the child before celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism.
At least one natural (biological) parent of the child must be Catholic. (In the case of adopted children, at least one adoptive parent must be Catholic). They should be a practising Catholic, fulfilling the obligation to attend the Sunday celebration of Mass regularly.
The child should be resident within the boundaries of the parishes of Biddulph, Goldenhill or Packmoor. If you are in doubt about which parish you live in, then please enquire at Parish Office. If you are not resident within the parishes, you may still enquire about baptism in our churches, but only if you regularly attend one of our churches. We do not celebrate the baptism of children whose parents simply want to return to a church which their family or they themselves were historically attached to.
In order to have your child baptised, you need to be able to convince the Parish Priest that you will bring your child up in the practice of the Catholic Faith. You will also have to promise this solemmly at the Baptism itself. Practice of the Faith includes regular attendance at Holy Mass on Sundays, teaching them the Catholic Faith (this is best done by sending the child to one of our excellent Catholic schools) and making the commitment to have children prepared for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Communion and Confirmation in due course.