Pope Francis in an address on Jan. 10, 2016, marking the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, asked the crowd, “I ask you a question: who among you remembers the day of their baptism?” Of course many of us don’t remember our own baptism – let alone the date. But as the Pope notes, it’s the most important day of our lives because “it’s the date of our rebirth as children of God.”  READ MORE

As with all things, one must start at the beginning.  Such is the importance of the Sacrament of Baptism, for it is the gateway to all other Sacraments. We believe as Catholics that the sacraments are a real encounter with the Risen Lord Jesus who meets us where we are and transforms our lives by His grace.

To learn more about Baptism, and which program towards this Sacrament applies to you, choose one of the following:

Baptism of Children Ages 0 – 7 years
Baptism of Youth Ages 8 – 17 years.  READ MORE
Baptism of Adults 18+ READ MORE

A special note for parents:  First and foremost, congratulations on your decision to have your child baptized in the Catholic faith.  Parents who are seeking to have their child baptized at Holy Family parish are required to be properly prepared for both living out the commitment they are making to raise their baptized child in the Catholic faith and for being able to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism with a clear understanding of the Sacrament.

A special note for adults seeking to enter the Catholic Faith:  You have made a beautiful decision in your personal and spiritual journey. You will gain preparation and enrichment through a period of formation known as Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) and this will be of importance in preparing you to live out your commitment to the Catholic faith. READ MORE

The Importance of Sacramental Formation and How to Begin…

The Diocese of Gaylord and Sacred Heart Parish require that parents be properly formed and prepared for both living out the commitment they are making to raise their baptized child in the Catholic faith and for being able to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism with understanding. The first step is to contact the Parish Office  989.739.9511.  The exception of course is in extreme, life and death circumstances where there is no time for preparation and formation.

First and foremost, all parents must make note that in order for your child to be baptized at Sacred Heart Parish you must have completed our preparation process (3 phases) After the period of formation and preparation, you may then schedule your child’s Baptism, provided that all required documentation is received. Baptismal preparation at Sacred Heart Parish is required for the first child to be baptized at these parishes. For example:  if your first child was baptized somewhere else and now you wish you have your second child baptized here you are still required to go through the formation process with us.

For parents who are not parishioners and wishing to baptize their children here, it is required that they submit proof of attendance of baptism preparation classes in their parish. This proof must come from their Pastor by way of a letter of completion.

What is Baptism Preparation like at Sacred Heart Parish?

First phase: Initial contact

The Baptism preparation process begins with contacting the Parish Office. The initial contact is meant to answer all your questions about the baptism preparation process, especially those questions that are specific to your family circumstances. You will be asked to fill out a registration form.  BAPTISMAL FORM  

During the initial contact parent(s) fill out a registration form and sign-up for phase 2 and phase 3. Before coming in for your initial visit, we recommend you read through the FAQs on Baptism so that you can truly maximize the experience of the initial visit by being further informed.

Second phase: Online series

The online series on Baptism is offered through FORMED.org.  FORMED can easily be accessed by using our parish login code. LOGIN TO FORMED. The series consists of three sessions (video with follow-up questions). The ‘Reborn’ series can be completed at any time just as long as all three sessions have been completed before the one baptismal class. The best way to complete each session is for the parents to watch together and then take some time afterwards for discussion. Be sure to write down any questions you may have and bring those to phase three.

Third phase: Baptism Formation Encounters

Part of the formation process is an encounter or meeting between the parents and a member of the Parish staff. Other parents will more than likely also be present at these meetings so it will be an opportunity for the parent(s) to meet other parents, to get to know a member of the Parish staff, and to share in a small group setting their faith journey. The classes are informal and discussion based, allowing each parent time to delve deeper into the mysteries of our faith – the sacraments. Godparents are also highly encouraged to attend. The hope is that this third phase ought to give the parents and Godparents and opportunity and a forum to ask whatever questions they may have and to connect with the Parish.

After parent(s) have completed all three phases, they can then contact the Baptism Coordinator 989.739.9511 to schedule their child’s Baptism.

Scheduling the Rite of the Sacrament of Baptism

The celebration of the sacraments are always a joyous occasion in the Church because it is in the sacraments that we encounter the Risen Lord and are transformed by His grace. The celebration of Baptism is a solemn ritual of the Church that should be celebrated with dignity, solemnity, and with the full, conscious and active participation of the faithful. Sunday is first day of the week, the day on which Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death and sin forever. That is why Sunday is the most fitting day to celebrate Baptism – when we died with Christ and rise with Him to new life. So as a rule baptisms are celebrated in our parishes only on Sundays (or Saturday evening which is the vigil of Sunday). Baptism can be celebrated either during or after Mass. There can also only be one celebration of Baptism on any given day in any parish which highlights the importance of gathering as a community.

Role of Godparents

“Whenever a person is baptized, as an infant, as a child, or as an adult, there should be at least one person present who will act as sponsor for the one being baptized. The sponsor, commonly referred to as one’s godmother or godfather, accepts the responsibility of helping the person grow in the Catholic faith. One who acts as a sponsor for an infant or child agrees to help the parents teach their child about the faith and how to live as a practicing Catholic.”  – U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults, Ch. 15.

Qualifications for the Role of a Catholic Godparent (also known as a Sponsor)

CLICK HERE FOR SPONSOR FORM

1. Only one Godfather or one Godmother or one of each (Canon 873).
2. To help the baptized person, together with the parents, lead a Christian life in harmony with baptism, and to fulfill faithfully the obligations connected with it. (Canon 872).
   1. A mature Catholic who will establish a lifelong faith relationship and be willing to walk with the child in their faith journey.
   2. A Catholic role model for the child.
3. A Catholic who is at least 16 years old (Canon 874, §1, 2°) and has received already the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life in harmony with the faith in keeping with the role to be undertaken (Canon 874, §1, 3°) and is not bound by any canonical penalty (Canon 874, §1, 4°)
   1. That is to say he or she ought to be a practicing Catholic who attends Mass regularly, participates in the sacramental life of the Church, and is part of the life of a Catholic parish community.
   2. If the Godparent is married, the marriage must be a valid and recognized marriage in the Catholic Church.
4. Cannot be the father or mother of the one to be baptized (Canon 874, §1, 5°).
5. Only with a Catholic Godparent can a baptized, non-Catholic person serve as a Christian witness of the baptism (Canon 874, §2).
6. A Catholic who lacks the requirements to be a Godparent or a Catholic who is now practicing a non-Catholic faith cannot serve as a Christian witness.
7. For a Catholic Godparent who is not a parishioner of Holy Family or Sacred Heart Parish a letter from the potential Godparent’s pastor is required. It is called a ‘Letter of Good Standing.’ The Godparent asks his/her pastor for a letter stating that he/she meets all the qualifications for the role of a Catholic Godparent (sponsor).