Baptism of Young Children and Infants    

Dear Parents:

               We are happy to welcome you and your family to the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism at Holy Rosary Parish. The Sacrament of Baptism is such a great gift, not only for the newly baptized, but for their entire family and the parish community. During the Sacrament of Baptism, the parents, godparents and entire congregation are called upon to remember our own baptismal vows and the grace with which we have been blessed.  We also vow to support the faith journey of the baptized to help them realize their full, God-given potential.

                 Knowing that a child cannot grow in faith without the strength and guidance of their family and community, we have broadened the focus of our baptism preparation program to include the whole family. (Please recognize that this is a change from our previous Infant Baptism preparation procedures.) While church and school are important for children, the greatest source of faith formation is family life. 

                 We are inviting parents/guardians to model for their children what it means to grow in faith and grace by experiencing the fullness of sacramental life for themselves. We encourage families seeking baptism of their children to have one or both parents who are fully initiated into the Catholic faith having received the Sacraments of Baptism, 1st Eucharist, Confirmation, (RCIA), and Matrimony, and/or the "regularization" or convalidation of marriage. Prior to Sacramental preparation:  If neither parent is fully initiated Catholic and/or you have another obstacle to your family's faith formation, we ask you to enroll in our pre-sacramental preparation program.  After you have completed that program we will automatically enroll you into the Baptism Sacramental Preparation Classes. 

               There is no greater way for families to support their children’s faith journey than to live a full and faithful life as a family. There is no greater way for Holy Rosary Parish to support children, than to strengthen their families through faith. We are deeply committed to being a source of support, beauty, and faith for you and your children for generations to come.
   

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Please see information related to your child's baptism:

Children birth up to age 7
Children ages 7 and older



Faith Formation links:

Parent Baptism Classes
Pope Benedict XVI on Baptism
Rooted: Young Adults
Nursery at  Mass
Video: Why we Baptize Infants
 

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Baptism of Young Children Under the Age of 4

Children's Ministry Team: Deyette Swegle
 

We celebrate baptisms of young children during Sunday Mass. (Except during Advent & Lent.)

Since Vatican II has directed Catholics to celebrate the Sacraments and Liturgy with “full, active and conscious” participation, we ask that first-time parents/guardians participate first in an initial meeting with Pastoral Assistant and then two 2-hour Baptism Preparation Sessions to update their understanding of baptism, embrace the important responsibilities of Christian parenting, and to learn more about the many ways our parish supports families.

To schedule an initial meeting or to get more information please fill out the form by clicking here. Someone will contact you regarding pre-sacramental or sacramental preparation and setting a date for your child's baptism.
 

Baptism Sacramental Prep Class 1 (Monday evening) is for parents only, you may bring your baby to this classes.

Baptism Sacramental Prep Class 2  (Saturday morning) is for parents and godparents, you may bring your baby to this class.

Godparent only Class (Saturday morning- held in conjunction with Baptism Prep 2) 
click here for more information

Classes are held in the School in room 7B (which faces the street between the parish and the school).

To register for classes please fill out the registration form at the bottom of this page or contact Deyette. EMAIL
 

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Commonly Asked Questions
 

What do you ask of God's Church?  Baptism.

What does God's Church ask of You? 
 

1. Application:  If you are interested beginning the Baptism preparation process please provide the requested family information online or stop by the Parish Office during regular business hours to fill out a form.     Please note: For families that do not have at least one fully-initiated Catholic parent (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation) and/or their marriage needs to be "regularized" (convalidation), etc. Please begin the process of sacramental preparation for parent's Sacraments at the same time as you enroll for your child's baptism preparation.
2. Birth Certificate:  Please provide a copy of your child's birthcertificate.  Please either scan and email Deyette EMAIL or drop off to the parish office.
3. Initial Meeting with Pastoral Assistant or Pastor.
4. Sacramental Preparation Classes: Attend Parent Baptism Classes (exception: if you have attended a baptism preparation class within the past three years and if you are a currently practicing Catholic.)
5. Godparents: Godparent Certificates (must be turned in at least one week prior to baptism, unfortunately, if the certificate is not in the office by the week prior we will not be able to baptize your child.)
6. Godparents (Sacrament of Confirmation Certifcate): Godprents must also provide us a evidence of have received the Sacrament of Confirmation either a copy of their Confirmation Certificate or a certified letter or document confirming the Confirmation.
7. Membership or Affiliation with a parish:  Parents/Guardians are required to be a registered parishioner here or have a personal connection with a registered parishioner (i.e. grandparents are members of the parish).  If a family is a member of another parish, a letter must be received from their own parish granting permission for the baptism indicating that they are registered and have participated in that parish’s baptism preparation class. To register online with our parish please click here.
8. Dedication to raising your child in our Faith.

Why does Holy Rosary Parish request that at least one parent/guardian be a fully initiated Catholic?
Church law requires at least one practicing Catholic shall agree to take responsibility for raising the child to be baptized in the practice of faith.  To determine if this requirement is met the pastor and his staff take into consideration the readiness of the parents or legal guardians, including his/her/their dedication to their faith practice including, but not limited to the parent(s) or guardian(s) having received the Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism, 1st Communion, and Confirmation, and where appropriate the Sacrament of Matrimony.

What does it mean to have my marriage "regularized" and why is it important? 
While there are exceptions, generally, marriages that were not performed in a Catholic Church and/or by were not performed by a Catholic Priest are most likely not "regularized".  Archdiocesan guidelines ask that parents/guardians who are raising their children in the Catholic faith through regular Mass attendance, participation in parish and/or school life be encouraged to regularize their marital status within the Church. In most cases regularizing a marriage involves a process of called Convalidation, for more information about this process please contact Father John, (206) 935-8353.   Having your marriage brought into the Church allows parents to live out their Catholic faith more fully in the presence of their children.

Do the Parent or Parents require Sacramental Preparation for Sacraments other than Baptism?  i.e. Adult Baptism, Adult Confirmation, and/or Convalidation of Marriage 
It is pastoral discretion to determine intent on the part of the parents/legal guardians to raise the child to be baptized Catholic. At the time of application if it is apparent that there is lack of intent to raise the child Catholic, baptism can be delayed until such time as the parents/legal guardians are ready and able to assume their responsibility.  We are very willing to work with and support families as they re-engage with their faith, to support and encourage this we have a pre-sacramental preparation program where you can be connected with those who are knowledgeable to support you in removing boundaries to living your faith.  If you are seeking Infant Baptism and need more information about Adult Confirmation, Adult Baptism or Marriage Convalidation please contact Deyette EMAIL or (206)937-1488 ext. 251

Who can be godparents? 
Church law requires that there is at least one godparent for the child baptized.  Godparents need to be active, practicing and fully initiated Catholics at least 16 years of age.  Godparents must have received the Sacraments of Baptism, 1st Eucharist, and Confirmation.  Godparents need to submit written proof of registration from their parish.  Please download and fill out the attached Godparent Certificate.

Can a non-Catholic be a godparent?  No, only a Catholic can be a godparent because they are asked to promise to help support raising the child in the Catholic faith.  A non-Catholic Christian can witness the baptism as long as there is one Catholic godparent.  A non-baptized person cannot be a godparent or a witness.  For further reading please see The Role of Godparents.

What if the godparents can’t come to the actual celebration?  You can have a proxy stand in for the godparent(s).  Please let the staff know so they can record the name of the proxy on the certificate.

Can I schedule a private baptism?  No, unless there is an exceptional circumstance. Baptism celebrates the initiation of the child into the parish community and it is very important that the community is present at the time of celebration.  However, there is an option for a group baptism where a community family is formed of the families of children to be baptized.  Please let us know if you are interested in this option.

Why do I need to provide my maiden name?   Baptismal and records of other sacraments are kept in a way that always traces back to your baptism.  By providing your maiden name your registration for your child's baptism can be traced correctly.

What is the cost?  We do not charge for Sacraments.  Our Baptism team is composed of highly dedicated Volunteers.  The cost of the supplies we use during preparation and the ceremony comes to about $75 per family.  If you would like to make a donation toward the church for covering the cost of the supplies, or in honor of  your child's Baptism, please use the Baptism envelopes provided to you to so that your donation can be accounted toward the Baptism Team.  To make a donation in honor of your child's baptism please click here.

Children 7 years of age and older