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Welcome! We welcome your family on this joyous occasion of the celebration of your child’s/godchild’s baptism! We look forward to assisting your family in preparing for the baptism of your child. The baptism preparation is designed to provide the formation and information needed to fully understand the Sacrament of Baptism and your role as a Catholic parent/godparent.
If you are an adult seeking to become Catholic, see our Becoming Catholic - (RCIA) page.
May the Lord continue to bless your lives with love and the assurance that this child will be held dearly in the palm of God’s hand!
What are the requirements for parents?
- At least one parent must be a practicing Catholic, who is committed to raising the child in the Catholic faith. A parent who is not Catholic has to express a willingness to help and create a home where a child will receive an environment to grow in faith as taught by the Catholic Church.
- The family asking for their child to be Baptized at St. James has to be a registered member of our faith community. If you are not registered you may register at the Parish Office at 609-737-0122 before the process begins or visit us at New to St. James.
We invite you to contact us even before your child is born and to plan in advance.
Who is a godparent (sponsor)?
Godparents are members of the Christian community who, by their lives and their faith, set a good example for the child whose initiation into this community they are sponsoring. Godparents may also support the parents in the upbringing of the child as a Catholic Christian. They should be able to stay in communication with the child as he or she is growing up.
- As we indicated, the godparent promises to support and assist the parents in raising the child in the Catholic faith and be a mentor to the child in the Catholic faith.
- Usually a child has two godparents, but only one is necessary.
- Godparents must be at least 16 years of age, practicing Catholics, and have celebrated the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation.
- It is possible for a non-Catholic person to be a witness as long as one godparent is Catholic.
- Finding a godparent in some circumstances may be difficult. In such situation, we ask that parents speak to either the pastor or the baptismal team member who will be more than willing to assist in any way possible.
- If Godparent(s) cannot be present for your child’s baptism, you may choose others to stand in as proxies for the Baptism ceremony. Only the names of the chosen (actual) godparents will appear on the Baptism certificate.
When and where is the Baptism celebrated?
Baptism - together with Eucharist and Confirmation - is one of the Sacraments of Initiation. It is communal by nature. We encourage parents and godparents to celebrate the baptism of their children during Mass with the entire community of St. James. As a parish family we look forward to being there with you at one Eucharistic celebration at this important moment in your life.
In some circumstances baptisms are celebrated outside of Mass. If you wish to have your child receive baptism outside of Mass, we ask that you make arrangements with Fr. Mike and the Parish Secretary. We do encourage you to plan ahead and in advance and be conscious of the fact that our parish Mass schedule fills quickly. Many other events are celebrated during the year.
Above all we wish you to remember that Baptism is not an isolated event; it is an expression of your faith and a commitment on your part to raise your child in a Christian family and a Christian community. The focus is as much on you as it is on the child. Through the communal celebration of infant baptism, St. James expresses its joy in welcoming a new member as well as its commitment to provide support and community of faith for you and your child as you undertake the mission of living as a Christian family.
Steps to Take
First, print out and complete the Baptism Registration Form and submit it to the Parish Office. If you have not already done so, you will be asked to attend a baptism class, held once a month on the second Thursday, with one of our Deacons and other families seeking to receive the Sacrament. At that meeting you will receive forms for godparents to fill out, indicating registered membership in good standing in their Parish, and instructions on how to set a date for your Baptism with Fr. Mike and the Parish Secretary.
Baptism Registration Form (docx, Microsoft Word format)
Baptism Registration Form (pdf format)
Dates and Times
Since the Sacrament of Baptism is one of the three sacraments of initiation, we invite parents to celebrate their child's Baptism during one of our Sunday Masses, so the whole parish community may rejoice with the family. Alternatively, parents may choose to celebrate Baptism on either the first or third Sunday of the month at 1:00 p.m. in the Church. If neither of these options works for the family, accommodations will be made to select the most appropriate time for the sacrament to be celebrated.