Baptism
Note to parents who have come here to Baptize their children
Thank you for bringing your children here to be baptized in this parish. Your openness to the grace of the Holy Spirit and your desire to have your children blessed by God and become part of the church is a beautiful witness to everyone. We are here to welcome you and to invite you to be more a part of this family, the church. As such, below are some helpful hints and guidelines that we believe will allow this graced moment to last a lifetime.
As part of the process of preparation for your child’s baptism, you will be asked to have a conversation with one of the priests, deacons or official representatives of the parish. This meeting is an opportunity for you to ask any questions and to get to know the people of the parish. It is another way of making this holy moment last a lifetime. At this meeting you will be asked to bring the following paperwork:
1. Your child’s original Birth Certificate (we will make a copy for you)
2. The paperwork for the people you have chosen to be your child’s godparents
-An updated copy (6 month old or less) of each godparent’s Baptismal Certificate, with the dates of First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage (if married)
-A letter from their pastor, if they are not a parishioner of this parish.
After you have met with one of the priests, deacons or parish representatives, you will be asked to attend a conference. (The Godparents must also attend this conference, if they live far away, they may feel free to attend a conference at their local parish and attain a letter stating that they went to the meeting). This conference will be about one hour in length and will be held on the Wednesday before you child’s scheduled baptism. It is held at the Mount Carmel Rectory. Attendance is mandatory.
A little while after the Baptism of your child, you will receive a letter inviting you to attend the Family Mass (the 11:15am Sunday Mass at Mount Carmel on the First Sunday of the Month) where you family will receive a special blessing at the end of Mass.
