Baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism is the first step in a lifelong journey of commitment and discipleship. Baptism washes away original sin and incorporates one into the body of Christ. It is received only once in one's lifetime; it is not a repeatable moment. Whether we are baptized as infants or adults, Baptism is the Church’s way of celebrating and enacting the embrace of God.
Infant Baptism at Saint Augustine-Saint Francis Xavier
We celebrate infant baptisms for children under seven years old. Children ages seven and older are invited to prepare for and celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism through preparation in our Faith Formation program. If you're an unbaptized adult, check out our Christian Initiation program.
Preparation: Growing Together
We are committed to giving parents, the first witnesses in the faith, the tools to help them raise their children in the faith, and godparents an understanding of how to support the parents in this glorious task.
WHEN SHOULD WE REGISTER?
Because the Church recommends that the baptism take place shortly after the birth of a baby, parents are encouraged to register for Baptism preparation during pregnancy. We encourage parents to sign up at least three months before the desired baptism date. You can fill out a request form here.
HOW DO WE PREPARE?
After a formal request, parents will be contacted by the parish pastoral associate who will explain the preparation process. Parents will be encouraged to register in the parish and invited to attend Sunday Mass. Shortly after, a Baptism Ministry member will invite parents to attend sessions that are designed to connect them to the faith community, and inspire them wherever they are on their journey of faith, and prepare them for a rich experience receiving the Sacrament of Baptism.
Choosing Godparents
Godparents have an essential role in the lives of those receiving the Sacrament of Baptism. Following are some helpful guidelines to remember as you select your godparents. Godparents must both complete the sponsor form.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE GODPARENT?
The role of the godparent is to be a Christian role model for the child. He or she should be a mature Christian who will establish a lifelong faith relationship and be willing to walk with the child on their faith journey.
WHO CHOOSES THE GODPARENTS?
The parents of the child select the godparents. The parents of the child are not permitted to act as a godparent for their child’s Baptism. A godparent should be someone who will be a part of the child’s life on a continuing basis and be an excellent example of living the Catholic faith. If you are struggling to identify a godparent, please let us know if we can help you brainstorm possibilities!
HOW OLD SHOULD GODPARENTS BE?
Godparents should be at least 16 years old. The role of godparent is an adult role, so be sure that if you ask a young person to carry out this duty that they are mature enough to fulfill the tasks.
MUST GODPARENTS BE CATHOLIC?
Yes, only fully initiated (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) Catholics who attend Mass regularly and can receive the Eucharist are eligible to be godparents. An unbaptized or non-Christian person may not be a godparent for Baptism. Some baptized non-Catholic persons may serve as a Christian witness only if there is at least one Catholic godparent.
If you have potential godparents who have not been confirmed let us know, and we can work toward helping them to be fully initiated into the Church.
MUST GODPARENTS BE MARRIED IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
Yes, if married, the godparent’s marriage must be recognized by the Catholic Church. If they are married civilly or in another Christian tradition, they are not eligible to serve as a godparent until their marriage has been validated by the Catholic Church.
God uses moments such as the Baptism of a new baby in the family to bring about unity to the broader family with the Church. There are many different marriage situations and much confusion about teachings of the Catholic Church in this area. We are always interested in helping work toward unity and reconciliation with families and the church so let us know if you have any questions or how we can help.
HOW MANY GODPARENTS SHOULD WE HAVE?
The Church recommends selecting two godparents for your child, but you may decide to have only one. If you choose two godparents, one must be male, and the other must be female, and both must meet all the requirements.
For the grace of Baptism to unfold, the parents’ help is important. So too is the role of the godparents, who must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptized child or adult on the road of Christian life. --Catechism of the Catholic Church (1255)
THE CELEBRATION
CELEBRATING TOGETHER
We celebrate Baptisms on the last Sunday of each month, alternating between St. Augustine Church (after the 12 noon mass) and St. Francis Xavier Church (after the 9:30 am mass). Multiple families may take part.
Step 1: Sign-up and initial conversation with parish staff.
Fill out the Request Form and a parish staff member to contact you. After this first initial contact, you will be connected with one of our Baptism Ministry members who will accompany you and your family through this process. This Ministry member will invite you to participate in a Baptism Preparation Discussion.
Step 2: Prepare and return paperwork
You’ll be asked to gather information about your baby, your family and godparents. You may submit this information via email to our Pastoral Associate or they can be dropped off at the Parish Office. These must be submitted before the Baptism Preparation Discussion.
What is required:
- A copy of your baby’s birth certificate
- A letter of permission to baptize (only if the family is from another parish)
- Godparent Sponsor forms/letters
Step 3: Participate in Baptism Preparation Discussion
The Baptism Preparation Discussion takes place via zoom on the second Wednesday of each month.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am a single parent. Can my child be baptized? Yes!
The child’s father is not on the birth certificate. Can his name be on the Baptismal Certificate? No. The Baptismal Certificate must match the birth certificate. The family must first effect a legal change in the birth certificate if they wish the father’s name on the Baptismal Certificate.
We the parents are not married. Can our child be baptized? Yes!
Baptism Resources
Videos