Baptism is the door through which your child enters the Church, receives the Holy Spirit and becomes a follower of Christ.

You, as in all things, will be a role model for your child, teaching them how to pray, to love and to be a faithful child of God and his Church. Just imagine the years ahead: the first time you teach your child to kneel down and say their prayers, the morning they receive their first Holy Communion for Confession, the many times and ways in which you will teach them to love others as Christ has loved them.

You probably have a bunch of questions, so here are some which most people ask the most.

How do I schedule a Baptism?
Please contact Joan Maracallo at [email protected] or 508-799-4193 and she will tell you when the next Baptism Preparation Session is scheduled.  At this session our Baptism Preparation Team will explain what Baptism is, how it happens and when it can take place.

What if my child is older and was never baptized?
If you child is older than seven years old, please contact John & Lourdes Nieves, our coordinators of RCIA, at [email protected] or 508-799-1414 and they will be delighted to explain how your child can be baptized.

When should a child be baptized?
Newborns should be baptized within a reasonable time after birth. Arrangements for baptism can even be made before your child is born.  You will probably be rather busy with all kinds of stuff after the birth!

What about godparents?
Godparents take on the important role of helping parents to raise their child in the faith.  At one point, just before your child is naptised, you and the Godparemts will be asked if you renounce Satan, and all his workss, and all his empty show.  You and the Godparents will also be asked if you believe:

—in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;

—in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose again from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father;

—in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting? 

Here, you and the godparents will be speaking on behalf of themselves and the child whom they present for Baptism.  For this reason, at least one parent must be a Catholic and both parents must be willing to raise the child in the Catholic faith.

Godparents, too should be willing to support the parents in raising the child as a Catholic. They must be practicing Catholics, baptized and confirmed and having received Holy Communion, and if married, they must be married in the Catholic Church. Usually a godfather and a godmother are chosen for each child, but you might also choose to have only one godparent. Godparents should be at least sixteen years of age.

For those who are experiencing the birth of their first child or are having a child baptized at St. Paul's for the first time are required to attend our preparation sessions for the Sacrament of Baptism.

These sessions are scheduled the third Saturday of each month at 10:00 am in the parish center.

These sessions are designed to assist parents, godparents, and families to deepen their understanding of the Sacrament of Baptism, the role of the Christian in the Church, and in the world, and the role of Godparents in the life of the Baptized.

When a baptism is requested, the parish staff will contact you with infurther information on required documents and schedule of preparation sessions.