Baptism Preparation

Congratulations. You are seeking Baptism for your child, or perhaps even for yourself. This is a great moment, and we at St. Andrew the Apostle hope to assist you in preparing to celebrate Baptism beautifully and meaningfully.

Summary of What to Expect for Infant Baptisms

To baptize a 6-year-old child and under here at St. Andrews, we require that the child's parents be registered parishioners here.

If you want to make St. Andrew your home parish and become a member, we will be so happy to have you and your family as a member of our Church family; please use this link to register online. However, if you just become a parishioner, you will need to wait 3 months and attend Sunday Mass regularly and donate as you can to the parish mission.

If you are not a parishioner, you can still baptize here, but we need a letter of permission from the pastor of the Church where you attend Mass regularly and belong to. We hope that you donate as you can to the mission of your parish.

  • After we verify your registration (as a St. Andrew parishioner or elsewhere),
  • The baptism department will send you links with instructions to do the baptism seminar online, and you will share that with the godparents.
  • We will email you all the forms that need to be filled out. You can send the godparents' eligibility form by email to the godparents; they are required to fill it out and take the form to their parish office to be verified, signed and impressed with a visible seal by the parish representative.
  • Upon returning the forms [original forms, and a copy of your child(ren) 's birth certificate(s)] at the parish office (you can drop them off on the drop section or mail them to us); and after all paperwork is in order, we will let you know what dates are available to celebrate the Baptism. 
  • When the day is selected and confirmed, I will send you a link to make an online payment for the Baptism.

The Baptism office is open Monday to Thursday, from 9 am to 5 pm, and you can always place all paperwork on a sealed envelope and addressed to the baptism department and use our mail drop slot next to the main parish office door at your convenience.

Reasons to Register at the Parish

  • Registration enables the parish pastor and staff to get to know you better, welcome you, and minister to you. This is especially important during a time of crisis so that the pastoral staff can attend to your spiritual needs and your family's needs.
  • Registered active members are eligible for signed sponsor/godparent validation forms
  • Registered active members are eligible for Sacraments
  • Registration helps the parish pastor and staff have accurate data when planning parish activities.
  • Registration helps the parish pastor and staff to have an accurate budget needed to have an efficient running of the parish.
  • Registration helps you stay connected with your parish and helps your parish stay connected with you.
    • Providing your contact information is important so that parishes provide timely updates via email, direct mail, phone, etc.
    • If you use offertory envelopes or online giving, you will also receive a year-end statement of your donations for income tax purposes.
    • Once you are registered, please notify the parish office of any changes in address or phone number.
    • If you cannot give, please continue to use the envelopes and write Attendance Only.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Requirements for Grandparents

Godparents (Sponsors) "must be firm believers, able and ready to help the candidate on the road of the Christian life. Their task is a truly ecclesial function, bearing some responsibility for the development and safeguarding of the grace given at Baptism. Like parents, they share in the responsibility for the salvation of the soul entrusted to them" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1255).

They should commit to assist the parents of this child in their Christian duty and will help this person, by my example, word, and action to live as a faithful Christian in communion with, and according to, the teachings of the holy Catholic Church (Canons Law: 872-874)

The canonical requirements for godparents for Baptism are the following:

  • Must be at least 16 years old
  • Not a parent of the child I am sponsoring
  • A baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church
  • Received the Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion in the Catholic Church
  • Participates regularly in Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation
  • Receives the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confession regularly
  • If married, married in the Catholic Church and a sacramental marriage
  • If single, not cohabitating with someone (living together as if married)
  • Believe what the Catholic Church professes and teaches         

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I start this process before my child is born? YES, we recommend doing so.

What must I do to have my child Baptized at St. Andrew? You must attend an approved Baptismal seminar.

How are Baptisms scheduled? Baptisms will be scheduled after the seminar paperwork is completed.

Can we Baptize in a place other than the Church? The Rite of Baptism indicates that it should generally be celebrated in a Parish Church. Therefore, we do not ordinarily do baptisms outside of Church.

Who holds the child during Baptism? The Rite of Baptism indicates that ordinarily, the mother holds her child during Baptism.

How many Godparents can there be during the Sacrament of Baptism? According to the Instructions of the Catholic Church, "One Sponsor, male or female, is sufficient; but there may be two, one of each sex." [Canon Law # 873]. Therefore, no one can have more than two Godparents, nor can anyone have two Godparents of the same sex.

Can there be 4 Godparents in the case of twins? Yes and No! There can be 4 godparents in the sense that there are two Godparents for each twin, this totaling four. But each twin can only have 2 Godparents of their own. So it must be made clear which Godparent is for which twin. Why? Because the Godparents have to sign as witnesses to the Sacrament of Baptism. In the case of twins, they can both share the same 2 Godparents, one male and one female.

Can there be just two witnesses? No! There has to be at least one Catholic (Godparent/Sponsor) in good standing, meaning that person is practicing their faith in the Catholic Church. Under normal circumstances, you cannot have a baptism without a Godparent/Sponsor.

Who is a Christian Witness? A Christian Witness is a validly baptized non-Catholic who practices their faith in Christ in a visible and sincere manner. This could be a Lutheran, Anglican, Episcopal, Methodist, or any other non-denominational church that baptizes using the trinitarian formula.

Can a catholic who has abandoned the faith serve as a godparent or a Christian witness? Any Catholic, who has abandoned the faith, even if they now are active members in another Christian Church or community, may not serve as a Godparent or a Christian Witness. This is because they have separated themselves from the Church and cannot serve even as a witness.

For More Information

Fr. Teilo Lwande, AJPastor, Director of Religious Education/Infant Baptisms
(480) 899-1990