| THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
| |
Through
Baptism, the faithful are destined
for the worship of the Catholic religion. |
The Sacrament of
Baptism is held at 2:00 p.m. on the Second Sunday
of every month. To register, please introduce yourself to
one of the priests after Sunday Mass.
An appointment will then be arranged.
An evening baptismal course, which takes place once per month,
is required.
- Parents of children
to be baptized should be members of Our Lady Queen of the
World, Parish.
The criterion for membership is as follows:
- Residence within the geographical
boundaries of the parish.
- If living outside the boundaries
they can become members by attending and supporting
the
parish for at least 3 months prior to the baptism.
- Only the parents can petition the church
for baptism of their children.
They must fill out the registration form given to them by
the priest after Mass on Sunday.
After it is completed, they must approach a priest again
to make an appointment at which time they
will bring the completed Baptismal Registration form with
them. Only then will dates be discussed.
- Parents should be baptized and practicing
Catholics, attending mass on a regular basis.
They should also be in a valid marriage (which means they
were married in a Catholic Church
or had the permission of the Archbishop to marry in another
Christian Church).
If any of these conditions are not met they will be invited
to discuss the possibility of having
their union validated in the church they want their child
to be part of.
If they are not attending regularly there must be some degree
of certainty that the child will be
taught the faith and be brought to church. There must be
some willingness and commitment
on the part of the parents to do so before the baptism can
take place.
- Although Baptisms are not refused at
Our Lady Queen of the World, there may be times when they
are delayed until various concerns are worked out. Sacraments
should not be entered into lightly,
or under family pressure, or because they are seen as merely
social or cultural events.
The Pastor must be sure that a right understanding and a
proper disposition towards the
sacrament is evident before they can proceed. We are not
looking for perfection from our parents but a
reasonable assurance that the promises they will be making
at the Baptismal celebration are meaningful
to them and to the faith life of their family.
- Godparents are intended as good Christian
witnesses who will help the parents raise their child
in the ways of the faith. They should be male and female,
to provide a balance and to reflect the primary
environment of the Christian home.
Godparents must be at least 16 years of age, baptized and
confirmed, and a practicing Catholic.
Both do not have to be Catholic as one may be a Christian
witness who has a valid Christian baptism.
They cannot be Muslim, Mormon, Buddhist, Hindu or any other
non Christian faith.
- If a godparent cannot attend the ceremony,
a proxy may stand in for them.
A proxy can be from any faith.
- An offering for
the baptism, which will be added as a donation for tax purposes,
is suggested.
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