THE SACRAMENTS
Baptism
By Baptism we are freed from sins, are born again as children of God, made like to Christ by an indelible character and are incorporated into the Church.
Requirements for Baptism
Parents of the child to be baptised…
and those who are to undertake the office of godparents, are to be suitably instructed on the meaning of this sacrament and the obligations attaching to it.
For an infant to be baptised lawfully…
both parents must give their consent and at least one of them must be Catholic. There must be a well-founded hope that the child will be brought up Catholic.
The role of the godparents…
is together with the parents to present the child for baptism and to help the child to live a Christian life befitting the baptised and faithfully to fulfil the duties inherent in baptism.
Godparents must be…
A practicing Catholic no less than 18 years of age who is in good standing with the Church. A non-Catholic can only act as witness, and will not appear on the Baptism certificate or register.
Infant Baptism at Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Please download the following Baptism Application Form and hand in directly to the Parish Priest
The Parish Priest will arrange a meeting, where the parents must provide proof of their own baptism and one of the godparents.
Parents will then attend a two-session Baptism preparation course, usually held on two consecutive Saturday from 10am to 11am.
Baptism of Older Children and Adults
Children between the ages of 7 and 14 are regarded as children of catechetical age are prepared for the sacrament following the Rite of the Christian Initiation of Children.
The norm for adults seeking baptism is to follow the Rite of the Christian Initiation of Adults in their local parish and to be baptised at the Easter Vigil when it is discerned they are ready, following the scrutinies of the RCIA.
If you do not live in the Parish or wish to be baptised outside of your Parish…
If you do not live in the parish but wish to be baptised in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, you MUST have a letter of permission from your own local Parish Priest.
If you live in the Parish but wish to be baptised outside of the Parish, the same conditions apply and you will require a letter of permission from the Parish Priest.
