Baptism at St. Jude Church
This
Booklet
in PDF Format
A guide For
parents
A practical
and useful guide to assist you in planning and preparing
for the Sacrament of Baptism,
welcoming your
child
into the Church as child of
God
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Table
of Contents
Infant Baptism Preparation Policy Preparation for Infant Baptism 10 Frequently Asked Questions about Baptism
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Infant
Baptism Preparation Policy
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Before
calling to set a date for your child’s baptism.
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Baptismal
Coordinator, St. Jude
Church
21689
Toledo
Road
Boca Raton,Florida 33433
Fax:
561-362-0845
E-Mail*: ChurchOffice@stjudeboca.org
*(If you e-mail any
baptism-related information, please type “Baptism” in the title of the
e-mail.)
TEXT OF THE POLICY
Preparation for Infant Baptism
It is the
practice
in St. Jude Parish, Boca Raton,
Florida, for parents to be given this policy document before a
child's baptism is scheduled. Parents are asked to
familiarize themselves with everything contained in this document, and
to take
seriously anything herein discussed which presents a challenge to grow
in the
practice of the Catholic Christian faith.
Baptism is the
first of the seven sacraments, the
gateway to eternal life, the individual personal participation in the
saving
act of Jesus' death and resurrection. Adults and children old enough to
understand baptism are given extensive formation and instruction prior
to their
reception of this first sacrament of initiation. In the case of
infants, it has
been understood throughout the many centuries that an infant is
baptized into
the faith of his or her immediate faith community (e.g., parents,
extended
family, parish), the faith in which he or she will mature and come to a
profound understanding of the significance of the Christian faith.
Baptizing an
infant is next to meaningless if the infant cannot rely upon this
ongoing
community support. Therefore the law of the Church requires that the
minister
of baptism have a well-founded hope that a child to be baptized will
actually
enjoy the living example and support of the Catholic parent(s) and will
grow up
in a state of easy familiarity with religious practice.
Requirements for Parents
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What does it mean to
be a “practicing
Catholic”?
It used to be
that
we tried to summarize the duties of
a practicing Catholic in terms of the Ten Commandments and the citation
of a
certain number (often the number given was six) of "Commandments of the
Church." Nowadays to be a practicing Catholic means to be receptive to
the
mystery of love.
Catholic
Christians believe that God, who is Love, has loved humanity to the
greatest
extent possible. In Jesus, the Son and Word of God made flesh, we see
God
loving weak, sinful humanity by giving us a savior who would save us by
being
our companion in all our struggles -- including the ultimate struggle
with our
mortality, our necessarily being subject to death. Practicing Catholics
open
themselves to the influence of God's love.
Our life of faith is not a matter of "doing things" to make ourselves favored by God. That favor has been given to us already. We "do things" out of our own gratitude to the God who has loved us first, including attending Mass and incorporating our faith into our everyday lives and decisions.
Mass
Attendance
Catholic
Christians
recognize the celebration of the Lord's
Supper (Mass, the Eucharist) as the indispensable source of ongoing
spiritual
nourishment. As a community, we are fed from the tables of the Word of
God and
Jesus' Eucharistic sacrifice. It is seriously sinful for Catholic
Christians habitually to stay away
from, or in any instance excuse themselves lightly from, the Sunday
celebration
of Mass.
Over the
years, for
the purpose of removing as many
hindrances as possible to coming to Mass, St. Jude Church has expanded
its Mass
schedule to appeal to a variety of styles and languages. We not
only have a Saturday evening Mass at
5 p.m., but early Masses (7, 9, and 10:30 a.m.), a noon Mass, a 5 p.m.
contemporary Mass, and a 6:45 Hispanic Mass.
Surely, out of these seven Masses, we can find one that is “convenient”
for us. A Catholic simply must not stay
away from Sunday Mass. This celebration is at the core of who we are.
Participation
in
the Eucharist, and participation in a
life of prayer in general, allows us truly to be "practicing": to be
open to the grace God gives us to live courageously and lovingly. Any
other
laws we are to follow, any other challenges we are given, are made
easier
because we allow ourselves to be fed. Even if a family cannot
afford a minimal contribution, putting an empty envelope with your name
(and
member identification number) on it indicates your presence at Mass.
Parish Affiliation
Catholic
Christians must have a parish affiliation. If
you are not a registered parishioner of St. Jude, the pastor needs the
permission of your own pastor if one of the priests here is to baptize
your
child. If you are not registered at any Catholic parish, then you must
register
here at St. Jude. Census Forms (Registration
Forms) are available on the table in the vestibule as you enter church,
through
the mail, on the website. Complete this form and return it to the
office.
St. Jude, like
other Catholic churches, uses the envelope system to record your
attendance,
even if you are unable to contribute.
So, be sure to use your envelopes every
Sunday. While we encourage parishioners to be good stewards, we do not
say how
much each family should give with the exception of those enrolled in
our
Catholic elementary school or Catholic high school to receive reduced
tuition.
Requirements for Godparents
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There are to be
no
more than two godparents and they
are to be a male and a female. The law requires that the godparents
themselves
have received the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist --
the
three "sacraments of initiation"
and be members in good standing at their respective parishes. If they
are not registered at St. Jude, they must have their own pastors send
a letter stating that they are in good
standing at their parish.
Baptismal Preparation Class
The parents
must take a Baptismal Preparation Class.
These are offered regularly at St. Jude Church in English on the 1st
Tuesday of each month and in Spanish on the 2nd Tuesday of each
month. They are also offered at other local
churches at different times of the month.
If the parents take classes at
any church other than St. Jude, they must provide proof of attendance
either in
a certificate of attendance or a letter from that church’s pastor. If
the
parents have taken Baptismal Preparation Classes within the past two
years,
this requirement is waived.
Naming the Child
The matter of
naming the child calls for serious deliberation. The former code of
canon law
(in effect from 1918 to 1983) stated that the name of a saint or of
some other
person distinguished for holiness be chosen, for this will be of a
spiritual
advantage to the child and an edification to others. The current law
states
simply that the name given the child is not to be alien to a Christian
mentality. The current law gives great latitude in the choice of names,
explicitly excluding only any names which would be offensive to
Christian
values. Nevertheless, the exhortation of the old law has merit.
Sunday, the day of Jesus' resurrection, is the preferred day for celebrating baptism, and baptisms in English at St. Jude are regularly scheduled for the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month (except December) at 1 p.m. Spanish Baptisms are scheduled for the 3rd Sunday of each month at 1 p.m.
Baptismal Certificate
A Baptismal
certificate is routinely issued after the baptism. The names of
the child, parents and godparents are taken directly
from the Baptismal Registration Form which you have completed, so be
careful
that the names there are spelled accurately. (Keep this certificate in
a safe
place for future use.) The child’s
name is entered into the parish baptismal register, which is the primary
document of baptism. It is in
this parish register (known as the “baptizing parish” record)
that notations will be made of events in the
future which change the child's status
in the Church (confirmation, marriage,
religious profession, ordination, declaration of nullity of marriage,
release
from religious vows or responsibilities of an ordained person).
Congratulations!
The entire membership rejoices with you as your child becomes a member of the household of faith at St. Jude Church. We trust that as your child grows, you will continue to encourage his or her participation at Mass and in other parish activities as you yourself continue on your own faith journey which began with your own baptism. May Our Living, Loving God continue to bless you and your family in all that you are and in all that you do in His Most Precious Name. Amen.
10 Frequently Asked Questions about Baptism
1. When
should my child be baptized?
Any
child at any age is always welcomed for baptism, given a commitment to
raising
the child according to the Catholic faith. Children who are old
enough to
personally profess their faith may be asked to receive specialized
instruction
specifically focused on
Baptism.
However, the actual
date of baptism (on the 2nd or 4th Sunday of the
month
for English or the 3rd Sunday for Spanish) depends
directly on when you fulfill all of the requirements and
get all of the documents to us.
2. Can we
have our child baptized if we are not
married, or were married outside the Church, or if I am a single-parent?
Your
child is always welcome to baptism, given a commitment to raising
him/her
according to the Catholic faith, and we welcome your entire family to
our
parish community. While the Church does not promote having children out
of
wedlock or having Catholics marry outside the Church in a civil
ceremony or
another denomination (without permission), this does not prevent
children from
being baptized, provided there is a reasonable assurance of being
raised Roman
Catholic.
The Church
recognizes that, for whatever the reason,
people will make choices in life that lead them in many different
directions. The fact that you are here, reading this material,
demonstrates that God is at work in your life. We would be most pleased
to have
the opportunity to discuss with you how we may be of assistance in
facilitating
your child's baptism and if there are other ways in which we may help
bring
God's love to you and your child.
3. Must I
be a member of St. Jude Parish in
order to have my child baptized here?
No.
Membership in the parish at which a child will be baptized is not
required. We are frequently honored to baptize children of people
who
were once members of the parish, still have family in this area, or
simply
desire to return here so that a specific priest/deacon may perform the
baptism. In this case, we will need to have a letter from the
pastor of
the church where the parents are registered.
Ordinarily, though,
if you are a resident of the Boca
Raton area, we require you to formally register as parishioners of St.
Jude. Celebration of the Eucharist, as well as involvement in the
spiritual, educational, and social activities of our parish community
are
designed to help each of us in our journey of faith through life, and
we would
welcome your presence here with us.
4.
Whom
should I choose to be godparents for my child?
Whether
you select very close friends or family members as godparents for your
child is
a very personal decision and not one of concern to the Church.
The Church
does, however, expect that a person chosen to be a godparent will
support you
spiritually (by prayer) and morally (by their example of word and deed)
in your
duty as Christian mothers and fathers as you raise your child in the
Catholic
Church. Please see page “Requirements for Godparents” earlier in
this
booklet for eligibility requirements on persons desiring to be
godparents.:
5. How
many godparents may I have or must I
have?
Strictly
speaking, you are required to have only one, who must be
Catholic. As is
the current custom, most people have two, who must be of different
sexes (i.e.
one godfather and one godmother). The Church offers no
provision
for more than two.
6. Does
that mean that I can't have a
non-Catholic serve as a godparent?
Technically,
a non-Catholic may not serve as "godparent." However, a
baptized non-Catholic Christian may serve as a "Christian Witness" to
the baptism as long as the other godparent is Catholic. A non-baptized
person
may serve as a “witness.”
7. Must I
attend a Baptism Preparation Program?
Yes (unless you
have attended one within the past two
years.) We, as Church, believe it is
our duty to offer you, as parents, the opportunity to fully understand
the
commitment you are undertaking for your child and yourselves through
the
Sacrament of Baptism.
8. When
should I attend the Baptism Preparation
Program?
For
practical reasons, we encourage you to attend a baptism preparation
session
before your baby is born. Once your baby is at home, we are
guessing that
you will probably have a lot on your mind and be pretty busy caring for
the newborn
child. Should you decide that it is better to wait until after
the baby
is born, or if you are parents of an older child, you may, of course,
attend
any session at your convenience.
The
baptism preparation class in English is offered on the first Tuesday of
every
month at 7:00 pm. The Spanish version
is held on the second Tuesday of every
month, same time, same place. Please
register for the session of your choice on the Baptismal Registration
Form.
9. Is
there anything that I need to bring for
the Baptism?
Other than the child who will be
baptized, no.* St. Jude Parish will provide the "white garment"
and the "baptismal candle" for the ceremony. Normally, a child
to be baptized has a white garment on at the actual baptism. (Be sure
that the
garment is loose at the neck so the priest can anoint the baby’s
chest.)
*There is no charge
for the use of the church or for the priest’s services, but often the
parents
or grandparents wish to make a contribution to the well-being of the
church in
honor of their child/grandchild’s baptism.
If you plan to do this, please use the envelope or a plain white
envelope, with the check made out to “St. Jude Church.” Please
hand it to the baptismal assistant
before the ceremony or the priest after the ceremony.
10. Do I need
to go to Mass on Baptism Sunday?
Checklist for Baptisms
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Schedule for Baptism Classes
Location Conference Room
Spanish 2ndTuesday of every month
Schedule for Baptisms
