The goal at St. Anthony Mary Claret is to make this a special and memorable moment in your lives. Parents are the primary teachers of their children. In Baptism, parents and Godparents share the role of planting the seed of faith. By nourishing that seed with your love, teachings, and example that see will grow.
At St. Anthony Mary Claret parents and Godparents are required to attend one class session. It is the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. in Hubertus Hall for approximately one hour. No child care is provided so please make other arrangements for your children. It is necessary to call or come to register for the classes. Parents and Godparents are required to attend the session. One parent may attend one session of class one month and the other parent may attend a class the next month.
After you have attended the class, Baptisms can be scheduled Monday – Thursday. They cannot be scheduled until all of the required documentation has been received by the office.
The Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated after the following Masses:
- 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. – English only
- 12 p.m. noon Mass on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. – English only
- 3 p.m. Mass on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. – Spanish only
There are no Bilingual Baptisms. On the Friday before the Baptism, please call the office to confirm the Baptism.
Requirements – The following paperwork must be submitted to the office before the Baptism can be scheduled:
- Child’s official Birth Certificate (state copy)
- Baptism Data Sheet (see below)
- Baptism class attendance verification for parents and Godparents
- If the parents are not registered members of St. Anthony Mary Claret, a letter must be submitted. It should be from the parish where they are registered giving permission to have your child baptized at St. Anthony Mary Claret Catholic Church. (If the parents or Godparents are living in the boundaries of the parish and are not registered before the Baptism, please notify the office.)
- Godparents who are not members of St. Anthony Mary Claret must obtain a letter from their parish stating that they are practicing Catholics and that they have permission to be a Godparent at St. Anthony Mary Claret Catholic Church.
- Sacramental information for the Godparents is required:
- Must be 16 years of age or older
- Must be a Catholic who has received all three Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation and lead a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken.
- If married to each other or to someone else, God parents must have a marriage through the Catholic Church.
- Must not be the father or the mother of the child.
By Canon 873: There must be only one male or one female Godparent and if two, only one of each gender is permitted.
Commonly Asked Questions –
- Is there a cost for the Baptism? No. You may give an offering – how much is at your own discretion.
- Can a baby be re-baptized? No. Baptism is a once-in-a-lifetime event. When we are Baptized, we are reborn into God’s family, we cannot become what we already are.
- Can we have more than one set of Godparents? No. According to Cannon Law, only one female and one male or both may stand as Godparents.
- The couple I would like to have as Godparents are not married but are living together, is this acceptable? No. In order to be valid Godparents, a person must be living in harmony with his/her faith.
- What do I need if the Godparents live out of town? They should attend classes at their parish of residence if classes are provided. The parish must send a letter indicating they are eligible to stand as Godparents and the days in which they attended the classes.
What if I would like to have my baby Baptized at another parish? Please call the parish office and let us know if you will be attending the classes here or at another parish. A letter of permission from the home parish is usually required. Check with the parish where the Baptism will be celebrated. Please allow two days for the letter from the office.