Baptism

“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons (and daughters) of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission.” (CCC 1213)

Baptism Program and Policy
Prior to scheduling a Baptismal date at Our Lady of Lourdes, all paperwork must be completed and turned in to the Parish Office. 

Baptism is usually performed by pouring water over the forehead of the child, but immersion is also possible. If you wish to have your baby baptized in another Catholic parish, you will need a letter of permission from the pastor here, and you will need to fulfill all obligations for baptism required by the church of baptism.
 

God Parent Eligibility
The church has some very clear guidelines in regards to godparents. In addition to the expectations of the culture and of the families involved, the Catholic church requires the following of godparents:

You must designate them, and they must be willing to help your child lead a Christian life in harmony with baptism and fulfill the obligations connected with it.

They must be at least sixteen years of age and mature enough to undertake this responsibility.
They must be Catholics who have received the three sacraments of initiation, namely: Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation.

They must be an actively practicing Catholic, participating at Mass on Sundays and Holy days, and receiving the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation regularly. If the person you are considering as a godparent is not married according to the laws and practices of the Catholic Church (if you were NOT married in the Catholic Church, have NOT had your marriage blessed or validated), or is cohabitating (living together without marriage), that person cannot serve as a sponsor and you will need to consider someone else. If the prospective godparent is not in a valid Catholic marriage, they must have their marriage blessed before they can be eligible as a sponsor. Please allow sufficient time to complete this process, if necessary.

A Catholic who has defected from the communion of the Church is not eligible to be either a godparent or an official witness. This is true whether or not they understand themselves to have joined another Christian ecclesial community.
 

Non-Catholic Participation
Can a non-Catholic serve as a godparent? Technically no, since one of the requirements under Church Law for godparents is having celebrated Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist in the Catholic Church. The reason is that our church sees the godparents as more than a concerned relative or friend who encourages Christian behavior. The godparent will represent the Catholic Community into which the child is being baptized and will help the child grow in that community. For a Catholic baptism, only a Catholic can do that.
 

Christian Witness
While it is ideal that parents select two Catholic godparents, the church only requires that there be one Godparent. A baptized non-Catholic may serve as a “witness” to the ceremony, as long as a Catholic godparent is present. The non-Catholic who is selected as a witness should be an active member of his/her church community. The sex of the witness need not be opposite that of the godparent.

During the ritual, a non-Catholic witness at a Catholic baptism may perform all the parts of the ceremony that a godparent does. His or her name may be entered into the parish register as a witness, together with the name of the godparent. An official witness must be baptized with water to be eligible as an official witness. A person who was baptized in the Catholic faith and has converted to another religion cannot act as a Christian Witness.

Are you registered with Our Lady of Lourdes Parish?
Have you officially registered yet as a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish? If not, then we do not have any way of being in contact with you. To register means to fill out a census card. To receive a census card, call the Parish office at 814-943-6185.

The Catholic Church’s practice of infant Baptism stems from her teachings regarding original sin (what we have) and Baptism (what we do about it).

After the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden, all people are now born with original sin due to our fallen human nature. Through the gift of grace in Baptism, God washes away this stain of original sin and makes us a part of His family and offer us eternal life.

Children, who are born with the stain of original sin, are also in need of Baptism, in order to free them from the bondage of original sin and make them children of God. Our loving Father does not wish to withhold His love and grace from anyone, including children. Baptism simply requires openness.

“The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth.” (CCC 1250)

Baptism effects three things:

1. Removes original sin
2. Marks the soul as God’s own, initiating that soul’s into the life of the Church and giving them a right to all the other sacraments
3. And infuses sanctifying grace from which flows virtue, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and makes us children of God.

Since (1) and (2) can only occur once, Baptism can only be validly received once.

However, sanctifying grace (3) is lost each time we commit a mortal sin. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, this life of grace and friendship with God can be restored.

For any sacrament to be validly confected (“put together”), it must have three elements: form, matter and intention.

1. The form is the ‘how’ of the sacrament. It is these exact words said out loud “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit”.
2. The matter is the ‘what’ or visible thing. In this case it is the water poured three times over the head or bodily immersion.
3. The intention is for the minister to intend or do what the Church intends for each sacrament, to baptize according to the Church.

If all three are present, even if performed outside a Catholic Church, the Baptism is valid.

In the case of children, the role of the Godparent is to be that of a “spiritual guardian” who takes up any “slack” in the child’s religious instruction, helps ensure that his/her Godchild learns the Catholic Faith, and prays for the Godchild throughout their life.

This is a very solemn obligation, not one to be entered into lightly. Parents should choose their child’s Godparents very carefully and select Catholics who know the Faith, understand the obligations of Godparenting, and are willing and able to live up to them.

Parents and Godparents should work together for the goal of helping the child to know, love, and serve God!

Godparent Eligibility Form

Baptism Registration Form