Baptism and Confirmation

Are you interested in the Sacraments of Baptism or Confirmation for a child or for yourself? We're happy to help! The following guide offers an introduction to these Sacraments and the different processes for obtaining them.

 To register a child under the age of seven years for Baptism, please call the office or send us a message. We typically schedule the Baptism of young children once per month on a Sunday at 1:00 PM (when possible, on the third Sunday of the month). First-time parents and godparents are required to attend a preparation meeting before the baptism. For convenience, we usually schedule these on the same day as the baptism, at least 30 minutes before the baptism ceremony. If you live in a parish other than Our Lady of Good Counsel, please contact the office at your local church to see if you can attend a Baptism preparation meeting there.

 To request Baptism or Confirmation for an older child or for yourself, please contact Mark Friedrich or speak with our pastor, Fr. Gregory.
 

The Sacrament of Baptism is the first Sacrament received by Christians. Like all Sacraments, it is conferred on someone through a visible sign (the use of water, which signifies cleansing from sin and new life in Christ) in a ritual approved by the Church. Our initiation into the Church begins with Baptism and is completed through Confirmation and Holy Communion.

Children younger than seven years are brought to the Church for Baptism by their parents (or a legal guardian) and are assisted by one or two godparents. In general, those who are seven years of age and older have reached what we call the "age of reason" - that is, they are old enough to understand the basic teachings of our faith and make judgments about right and wrong. The process for preparing these older children and adults is different than the process for children under seven years of age. It's called the Rite (or Order) of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA. Because they are legally minors, older children must still have the consent of their parents; however, like adults they should also express their desire to become Catholic and receive some education in the faith before they are baptized. When they are ready, those who are able will receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, and Confirmation together at the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday. Others who are still very young or have particular needs may be gradually brought to full initiation through these Sacraments with their peers.

There is no particular requirement that the parents of children being baptized must meet, except that they desire to raise their children in the practice of the Catholic faith. As a loving community which God has made into His family, the Church offers parents every possible support in doing this. The supportive role of the Church is represented in the role of godparents (Baptism) and sponsors (Confirmation). For this reason, there are certain requirements that godparents and sponsors must meet. They must be:

• Catholics who practice their faith and are in good standing.
• Confirmed and at least 16 years of age.
• Not one of the candidate's parents or legal guardians.
• If married, married in a way recognized by the Catholic Church.

Parents who are not married in the Catholic Church are not restricted in any way from having their children baptized. However, if this is your situation, we invite you to meet with a priest to see how marrying in the Church might benefit you and what preparing for that would involve. We promise to do our best to make this simple and helpful for you!

If you have any questions or concerns, we're happy to work with you to address them. May the Lord be with you always!