Baptism


Preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism

If you are a new parent or are expecting your baby soon, congratulations! All of us here at the Catholic parish of Ss Michael & Martin in Hounslow are delighted to hear you are looking to have your child baptised and are keen to support as best we can.

Can. 851 The celebration of baptism must be prepared properly; consequently:

2/ the parents of an infant to be baptised and those who are to undertake the function of sponsor are to be instructed properly on the meaning of this sacrament and the obligations attached to it. The pastor personally or through others is to take care that the parents are properly instructed through both pastoral advice and common prayer, bringing several families together and, where possible, visiting them.

Code of Canon Law (851)

When to prepare

Given our large numbers in this parish, we have to organise preparation and pastoral services to ensure that all parishioners are served efficiently and served well.

For parents seeking baptism for their infant children, the parish runs a baptism preparation course once every two months – January, March, May and so on. The course is split into two sessions which are usually held on two consecutive Sundays. Parents can then choose a date for baptism from the next month on.

The Church teaches that we should baptise our children as soon as possible after their birth. Because of our lengthy schedule, we encourage parents to attend the preparation course even before the birth of their child. That way parents will be prepared to have their children baptised soon after their birth.

For emergency Baptism in extreme circumstances (such as critical illness, danger of death, etc.) kindly contact any of the priests in our parish directly.

Emergency Baptism
In the rare event that an unbaptised child is in danger of death, any person (even a non-Christian) may baptise if they have the intention to do what the Church does (CCC 1256).

Baptisms which are considered valid must use both water (pouring, sprinkling, or immersing the one baptised) and the Trinitarian formula: “I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”. For the baptism to be valid water must strike the child’s head as you say this phrase. Any variation of this procedure is not valid.


Restrictions on who can be Baptised

Please be aware that for a child to be baptised, at least one parent must be a Catholic. If both parents are not Catholics, then unfortunately it is not possible to baptise their child. This is because they will not have the example of a lived Catholic family life. Naturally though, if one or both of you would like to become Catholic we are equally happy to help. If you would like to begin this process please email Lionel at hounslowcat@rcdow.org.uk 

Children below the age of seven may be presented for baptism by their parents. Having attained the age of reason, children aged seven and above must undergo preparation themselves. Please email Lionel at hounslowcat@rcdow.org.uk to organise this.


If you are not a parishioner or wish to be baptised outside of your Parish

If you are not a parishioner but wish to be baptised in the Catholic Parish of Ss Michael & Martin, Hounslow, you MUST have a letter of permission from your own local Parish Priest. You may prepare for the baptism in your own parish or may choose to attend the preparation course in our parish.

If you live in the Parish but wish to have your child baptised outside of the Parish, the same conditions apply and you will require a letter of permission from your parish priest here (please email Lionel at hounslowcat@rcdow.org.uk to request this. It takes from five to seven working days for the letter to be prepared. It may take longer if your parish registration requires updating; please allow sufficient time for this.)


Godparents (Sponsors)

Godparents requirements

  1. A Godparent must be Catholic. They must be fully initiated in the Roman Catholic Church (this means they must have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation).
  2. They must be at least 16 years old.
  3. They cannot be the parents of the child.
  4. They must be living a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken (not under a canonical penalty, whether imposed or declared).
    Christians belonging to other communities, including Church of England, are permitted to serve as witnesses to the baptism alongside a Catholic godparent, but they cannot be godparents in their own right.

How many Godparents can I have or do I need?
You only need one Godparent. It doesn’t matter if they are male or female. If you choose two Godparents, traditionally a male and female that meet the requirements for Godparents. One may not have more than 4 Godparents.

What is a Christian Witness?
You need at least ONE Catholic Godparent. Any other non-Catholic Christian person will still play an important role in the life of your Child but is recognised as a Christian ‘Witness’ and not a Godparent.

What is a Proxy?
A proxy is someone that stands in for a Godparent that is unable to be present at the Baptism ceremony. The name of a proxy is not recorded and can be anybody. The proxy does not need to meet the requirements of a godparent. Ideally a proxy ought to be of the same gender as the godparent they are representing, but if this is not possible an exception can be made.

Who can I contact if I’m not clear on the requirements for a godparent?
Please email Lionel at hounslowcat@rcdow.org.uk

CHAPTER IV.
SPONSORS
Can. 872 Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents an infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptised person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.
Can. 873 There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.
Can. 874 §1. To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:
1/ be designated by the one to be baptised, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;
2/ have completed the sixteenth year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;
3/ be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;
4/ not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;
5/ not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
§2. A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.

Code of Canon Law (872)

The Course & Baptism schedule

For parents seeking baptism for their children (from infants to the age of six), the parish runs a preparation course once every two months – January, March, May and so on. The course is split into two sessions which are usually held on the 2nd & 3rd Sundays and parents can then choose a date for baptism from the next month on. Both parents must attend both sessions. The registration form is at the bottom of this page. The course will be held in the Parish centre. Single parents seeking baptism for their child must bring along at least one godparent to the preparation course.

Parents are encouraged to attend the preparation programme before their baby has been delivered. This way they are prepared to baptise their baby right away after birth.

Upon completion of the course, a date is set for the Baptism. Parents may choose from the available Saturdays in the two months following the course or later. Generally, baptisms are held in our parish on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month and the number of families that can have their child baptised on a given day is only limited by practicality and safety. Parents can request dates upon completion of the preparation course.

Note: Urgent Baptism is only for extreme circumstances (such as illness, danger of death, etc.). Kindly contact any of the priests in our parish directly for urgent baptisms.


Documentary Requirements

1. Proof of CatholicityEither one of the Catholic parents must provide a copy of their Baptism certificate after the preparation course.

2. Parish Registration / Letter of Consent: Families seeking Baptism in this parish may be registered parishioners here or parishioners elsewhere.

If you are a parishioner here – i.e. You would have filled out a Parish Registration form and submitted it to the Parish office – you will be asked for your Family ID as evidence of your parish registration. Please contact the Parish Administrator via email for this. You may register for the course now as long as you update your records later. An up-to-date parish registration is a requirement to schedule a date for the Baptism.

NoteParish records are to be regularly updated by parishioners with changes in address, births, deaths, additional family members moving in/out of the household and when leaving the parish. 

New parishioners can find instructions on Parish Registration in the Parish Newsletter.

Your Parish record must be updated when you;

  1. Change your address.
  2. Add family members.
  3. Have family members move away.
  4. Notify us that you are leaving the parish.

Contact the parish office via email on hounslow@rcdow.org.uk to update your record AND to check your Family ID number.

If you are not a parishioner here, you must provide a Letter of Consent from your current parish to have your child baptised here. You may register for the course now and provide the letter by the end of the course. Note: Families that are new to the area and attend Mass here regularly must register as parishioners, instructions on Parish Registration are in the Parish Newsletter.


Next Course Dates:

Sundays, 12th & 19th May 2024 with Baptism dates June onwards

NOTE: Both sessions must be attended by both parents. Parent’s who miss part of or a full session may have to attend the next available course in it’s entirety. Single parents must bring along at least one godparent. Families must pre-register using the webform below.

If you need any clarification, please email Lionel at: hounslowcat@rcdow.org.uk


Baptism Course – Registration Form

CLICK the text above for the online registration form.

Please read all text on the Baptism form very carefully.