Yes. Parents of the child to be baptized must be registered parishioners of Saint Stephen’s. The Sacrament of Baptism is more than just a box to check off in terms of faith. Baptism brings one into the life of the Church and the family of God. A baptized person, as he or she grows, will live the life of faith in the community into which they are baptized, participating in the Mass and other forms of parish life, including religious education. Baptism also establishes a relationship with a particular parish community.
In certain, rare circumstances, a family that is not registered as Saint Stephen’s parishioners may celebrate the baptism of their child at Saint Stephen’s but only with the pastor’s permission AND with a letter from the parish where the parents are registered indicating their proper pastor’s permission as well.
Sometimes, for various reasons, parents delayed the baptism of their child soon after birth. Children who are under the age of seven can be baptized following the same process for infants. Children who are age seven and older have reached what the Church refers to as “the age of reason”. The process for baptizing children age seven and older is slightly different and will be discussed with Deacon Earl.
These are all very good questions that come up more frequently than you might think. The marital status of the parents will not delay the baptism of the child. However, we will discuss with and strongly encourage the parents to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony as soon as possible. The sacraments give us God’s grace and the lack of grace can make it difficult to navigate the day-to-day aspects of marriage and relationships.
If a parent is not Catholic, they simply have to be informed that, since the child is baptized Catholic, the child will continue to grow in the Catholic faith by attending Mass and being educated in the faith.
Sponsors for baptism must meet the requirements set forth in Canon Law. These requirements are:
- Be at least sixteen years old.
- Have received the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation in the Catholic Church.
- If the sponsor is married, the marriage must be a valid sacramental marriage in the eyes of the Church (i.e. not a civil marriage by a non-ordained person).
- Practice their faith by attending Mass weekly and on holy days of obligation and live a moral life.
- The parents of the person to be baptized may not be the sponsors.
Sponsors are required to obtain a certification form from their pastor or parish priest who attests that they meet the requirements for sponsors.
Canon Law requires only one sponsor for baptism. The practice of having two sponsors is also mentioned in Canon Law in that, if there are two sponsors and both are Catholic, they must both meet the canonical requirements. Also, if two sponsors are chosen, one must be male and one must be female.
Non-Catholics who are baptized Christians are referred to as a “Christian Witness” for baptism as long as there is another Catholic sponsor who meets the canonical requirements. A person who is not baptized can be neither a sponsor nor a “Christian Witness”.
Parents and sponsors are the primary teachers of the Catholic faith to their children. As such, parents and sponsors must be practicing the faith in their own lives – attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, going to Confession as often as necessary and striving to live a virtuous life. In addition to the practice of the faith, parents and sponsors are required to attend the baptismal preparation session at Saint Stephen’s Church. In the event that a sponsor does not live locally, he or she may attend the baptismal preparation session at a Catholic parish that is close to where they live. They are then required to submit proof of attendance at that session.
If the parents of the child to be baptized have other children and have attended a baptismal instruction session within the previous five (5) years, this requirement is waived for the parents.
No. The sponsor you’ve chosen for your child at his or her baptism enters into a life-long relationship with the child and are the historical witnesses to the sacrament. Sometimes, sadly, the sponsor does not fulfill their role properly. Nevertheless, because the baptismal record is a legitimate official public record, changes to the record are not permitted.