Baptism in the Church
Baptism is a beautiful moment where parents and godparents lay the foundation for their child’s faith, opening the door for them to a lifetime of connection with a much greater story and community than themselves.
Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door through which all other sacraments may be accessed. Those baptized are reborn as children of God, becoming part of the family of Jesus, members of the Church who share in the Church’s mission.
Registering for Baptism
The following directions apply to infants and children who are 5 years old or younger. Children in grades 1-4 may receive baptism, but will have additional materials provided to supplement their own ability to basically understand the sacrament. Students in grades 5-8, having reached the age of reason, will instead prepare to receive all of the Sacraments of Initiation, i.e. Baptism, Reconciliation, the Eucharist, and Confirmation (for those grades 7+).
Recognizing the busyness of family life, the process of preparing for Baptism at our church is flexible while being robust in providing a thorough understanding of the sacrament. Most of the preparation is completed online at home at whatever pace the parents feel comfortable with.
After registering their child (see the big blue button on this page), parents must schedule an appointment with the priest to get the process started. Call our office at 705-745-8623 to make arrangements for this meeting.
Baptism for Adults
If you’re an adult seeking Baptism or thinking about becoming Christian, your next step is Vantage Point. Click the following button for more information specifically on the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fill out the baptism registration form above, then call our church office at 705-745-8623 to schedule an initial meeting with our priest, receive prep resources, and begin the prep process.
At least one parent of the child must be a baptized Catholic.
Parents must participate in our baptism preparation program, regardless of having a child previously baptized.
Once parents have completed the baptism preparation program, you will be able to schedule the baptism date. A date will not be scheduled until later in the preparation process.
No you do not need to be members of the parish to be baptized at our church. However, if you are from a different parish, we will need a letter of permission from your home parish to receive baptism here.
Currently all of our baptisms are private, that is, performed outside of the context of Mass. This is based on our current guidelines from the government and the Diocese of Peterborough.
While some cultures and traditions have discouraged baptism during Lent, the Church itself has not forbade nor discouraged baptism during this or any other liturgical season; a child is meant to be baptized as soon after birth as possible so there is no reason to delay the baptism until a different season! That being said, in considering receptions or celebrations, it is appropriate to consider a more subdued celebration with family and friends, in order to suit this season of penance, should your child’s baptism fall within this season.
At least one Godparent must be a practicing Catholic who has received both their baptism AND Confirmation; may not be younger than 16 years of age; and may not be the parent of the child to be baptized. The Godparents’ updated Baptismal Certificate or Sacrament Record must be provided prior to the baptism.
Christians (for example, a baptized Anglican) may serve as a Christian Witness, if they can provide their Baptism Certificate.
A Catholic who is only baptized and not confirmed may not serve as either a Godparent or a Christian Witness, as is ruled in Canon Law. And, naturally, a non-Catholic or non-Christian may not serve as Godparent or Witness at all either.
Any godparent must be 16 years of age or older.
There may be no more than two godparents for a child. Additionally, godparents must be a godmother (female) and a godfather (male); there may not be, for example, two godmothers, or two godfathers.
A family may also choose to have just one godparent, but that godparent must be a baptized AND confirmed Catholic. The one godparent need not be the same sex as the child to be baptized, though that is recommended (for example, you may have one godmother for a baby boy to be baptized).
While it is best practice to have both godparents in attendance at the baptism, in extraordinary circumstances, you may arrange to have a godparent by proxy. Please indicate your need for a proxy on the baptism registration form or at your initial meeting with the priest, should this be an issue you expect to face (for example, a godparent who lives overseas). The chosen proxy must also fulfill requirements for a godparent (a baptized and confirmed Catholic over 16 who is not the parent of the child). Should you have difficulty in arranging a suitable proxy, our church can provide a delegate to fulfill the duty.