Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. In our parish six Sundays preparation must be undertaken, before a date will be given by the priest. Only then will the ceremony be booked into the parish diary.
Baptism is named after the Greek BAPTIZEIN which means to plunge or immerse.
Jesus began his public life after having himself been baptized by St John the Baptist in the river Jordan. After his resurrection Jesus gave a mission to his followers’ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’.
When Jesus was baptized the spirit hovered over the waters and the Father revealed Jesus as his beloved son.
From the very day of Pentecost the Church has celebrated and administered Holy Baptism.
Every person not yet baptized can receive baptism.
In case of necessity any person even someone not baptized can baptize if they have the required intention. This is the intention ‘to do what the church does when she baptizes and to apply the Trinitarian baptismal formula.’ The essential rite of baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water or pouring water on the head while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Often baptism is the one sacrament that individuals cannot remember receiving as they were baptized as infants. The practice of infant baptism is an immemorial tradition of the church from the second century onwards and it is quite possible that from the beginning of the apostolic preaching when whole households were baptized, infants were included.
Baptism is the sacrament of Faith. Faith needs the community of believers.
For all the baptized, infants or adults faith must grow after baptism for this reason every year at the Easter Vigil the congregation is asked to renew baptismal promises and this will be built into our mass. For the grace of baptism to unfold the help of others, parents, grandparents and the Christian community is important. The whole ecclesial community bears some responsibility for the development and the safeguarding of the grace given at baptism.
By Baptism ALL sins are forgiven this makes for a new person an adopted child of God and a member of the Body of Christ.