Baptism
The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters. . . . Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father.
By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin – Original and actual – and begin to live a new life with God.
INFANT TO 3 YEARS BAPTISM
Contact should be made at any time during pregnancy or following the birth of your child. The sacrament is normally celebrated privately on Saturday afternoons. Parent Preparation classes are required with the Baptism of your first child and are scheduled periodically throughout the year. Please complete and return the BAPTISMAL REGISTRATION FORM to the parish office to schedule a date for the celebration. Likewise, please contact the parish office for the date of the next scheduled class. For more information, please read the Baptism Information document. If an intended Godparent is not a member at St. Thomas the Apostle, please have them complete the Godparent Information document.
Please contact the parish office for more information or to register for the upcoming Baptism Preparation Class with Deacon Nate Haney.
CHILD BAPTISM:
Contact should be made as soon as Baptism is desired. The process of preparation is dependent on the age and background knowledge of your child. Normally, if your child is younger than age six, preparation is similar to that of infant Baptism and the sacrament is celebrated at one of the weekend liturgies. For children over the age of six, they will receive instruction and preparation for the sacrament.
Please contact Joyce Hollowell if the child to be baptized is over the age of 6 years old.
ADULT BAPTISM: Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA):
Classes begin in the fall, however, contact should be made whenever one is led by the Spirit to become a member of the Catholic community. Preparation varies depending on each individual’s experience, and the time of year when first initial contact is made. The Sacraments of Initiation will be celebrated at the Easter Vigil Mass. Visit the OCIA page to learn more.
Please contact the parish office for more information.