 Requirements for Infant Baptisms at Sacred Heart
Why do you seek baptism for your child? These days the Church does not teach that babies should be baptized because of the fear that ‘something might happen to them.’ We believe in a God who could not possibly love us any more or any less. We understand baptism in terms of a commitment to continue the mission of Jesus in our world today. In the case of infant baptism, it is the parents who embrace this commitment. Baptism should not be separated from a commitment to practice the faith on an ongoing basis, active participation in the parish community, and living as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Hence, to have your child baptized at Sacred Heart, you must:
Be a registered member at Sacred Heart or at another Catholic parish for a minimum of three months.
If you are registered at another parish, you must provide a letter from the pastor that you are registered, active parishioners and that grants permission for the baptism to occur at Sacred Heart.
Or:
If you are not registered at Sacred Heart or at another parish and wish to register at Sacred Heart, download from the parish website and complete the Sacred Heart Registration Form (link). (Submitted; use as is.) This form can also be found in the pews of the church or requested from the rectory office.
Baptism Preparation Class for Parents and Godparents:
Baptism preparation classes are usually held on the first Sunday of each month at 4 p.m. in the Large Assembly Room at the bottom of the stairs in the Rectory off the left of the church vestibule. At least one parent may attend the class. If the Godparents are Sacred Heart parishioners, they too must attend the class. If they are parishioners at another parish, they may choose to attend the class at their home parish once this is documented in the letter confirming their registered, active status at the parish.
At the baptism preparation class, the parents must submit the paperwork listed below, complete and in one large envelope to the “Attention of Sarah Cepeda.” Given the large number of baptisms at Sacred Heart, paperwork cannot be accepted piecemeal. It is the responsibility of parents to obtain the verification letters from the godparents and to include them in the envelope of paperwork. Sacred Heart parish cannot undertake to receive godparent paperwork directly and incomplete paperwork cannot be filed.
If you have attended a baptism class at Sacred Heart in the past three years or if you can include with your paperwork documentation verifying attendance at a baptism class at another parish within the last three years, you need not attend the class and may submit the envelope containing all paperwork to Alan McGill c/o the parish offices. Please note in writing if you have already attended the class within the last three years.
Paperwork Checklist
All the following must be submitted to Sarah Cepeda in one large envelope:
1. Baptism Request Form fully completed. The form may be downloaded here or it may be requested from the rectory office.
One full month’s notice is required to schedule a baptism so as to allow Sacred Heart parish adequate time to schedule a priest or deacon. Please provide a second preference date in case your first preference is not available.
2. Copy of the child’s birth certificate. If the birth certificate has not been issued yet, a standard letter confirming the birth may be submitted in its place but a copy of the birth certificate should later be submitted when it becomes available..
3. Letters of verification of active membership status from the parishes of both Godparents (minimum three months active membership is usually required by parishes before such a letter is issued). Godparents, according to the Canon Law of the Church, must be practicing Catholics who are at least 16 years old and who have received the three sacraments of Christian initiation (baptism, Eucharist, and confirmation).
4. If the parents are not actively registered Sacred Heart parishioners, they must provide a letter from the pastor of the parish in which they are currently registered and active, confirming this fact and giving permission for the baptism to happen outside their home parish.
Alternatively, if at least one of the parents is not an active registered parishioner at Sacred Heart or at another parish, they may include a Sacred Heart Registration Form (Link) in which case the baptism may happen three months after the date of registration with the parish (three months of active participation).
The baptism date will be confirmed by email after the envelope containing all the required paperwork is received at the baptism preparation class, after all the requirements referred to in this policy are met, and a priest or deacon agrees to perform the baptism. The baptism will be scheduled by Sacred Heart only at this point. Sacred Heart is in no way responsible for travel plans or other plans made in association with any baptism and it is recommended that no such plans be made until you are in receipt of an email from Sacred Heart confirming the date of the baptism.
Unforeseeable circumstances, such as funerals, may lead to some change in the time of the baptism liturgy, but Sacred Heart will do its utmost to honor the confirmed date.
General inquiries about baptism procedures should be made to Sarah Cepeda at
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. You are welcome to contact the Director of Faith Formation and Liturgy, Alan McGill at 404-974-2234 or
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to discuss any pastoral aspect of a baptism, but baptisms are never scheduled over the phone or by email. If you were baptized at Sacred Heart and need to receive a record of that baptism, please use the form "Requests for Sacramental Certificates," which can be accessed under "Quick Links" in the left column at the top of this page.
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