Baptism
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Congratulations on the birth of your child! We hope that all is well with the mother, child and family. These guidelines are to assist you in preparing for the rebirth of your child by water and the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Baptism. These guidelines are to be followed when baptizing infants and children who have not yet reached catechetical age.
If your child is 7 years old or older and/or has begun the 1st grade, you must inquire and fill out a separate form at the Office of Sacramental Formation for the RCIA Program which it is a two-year process.
The decision to have your child baptized is not something to be taken lightly; it must be made only after serious reflection. In the sacrament of Baptism, your child will begin the process of initiation into the Catholic Church, a process that continues through First Communion and is completed at Confirmation. You will be asked during the celebration of the baptism to promise God and the Church to raise your child in the practice of the faith and you are accepting the responsibility of being the first teacher(s) of your child in the ways of this faith. You will also nominate one or two other people of faith to be your child’s baptismal sponsors, or godparents, to assist you in fulfilling this obligation. Please read and follow these guidelines so that the preparation process and the baptism can both proceed smoothly. Please call the rectory a minimum of one week before your preferred date of Baptism to ensure that all the necessary paperwork has been received by the rectory.
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Steps in the Preparation Process
1. Read these guidelines. The pre-baptismal process takes approximately 2 months, so plan accordingly.
2. Read the accompanying page “Some Laws of the Church Related to Baptism.” Please use this information in deciding whether or not you are ready to accept the responsibility of being the parent(s) of a baptized child at this time and whether or not your proposed sponsors (godparents) are prepared and qualified.
3. Fill out the registration form completely.
Baptism Registration Form.
Precione aqui para le formularion de bautismo.4. a) Call the rectory (805) 922-5826 to make an appointment with the deacon or baptismal team member for your pre-baptismal interview. Both parents must come to the interview unless they are no longer together. Godparents do not come to the interview. Bring your completed form with you to the interview where it will be reviewed and discussed.
b) If you do not live within the boundaries of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish (south of Alvin & north of McCoy) or are not registered parishioners here, even if you attend Mass regularly in this church, you must request the Letter of Permission to Baptize from the parish in which you do live. Basically, just stop by the Rectory of your parish and request the letter. Usually it is a simple procedure. There might be a fee for the issuance of the letter.
c) A copy of the child’s official Birth Certificate must be submitted at the interview. The purpose for this requirement is for us to verify information we receive to ensure that it is correct. We keep your documents confidential.
d) A non-refundable processing fee of $40 will be collected at the interview time along with any accompanying paperwork.
5. Attend a pre-baptismal class before the baptism. Parents and godparents must attend the class. Our parish does not offer in-person classes.
Pre-baptimal classes are offered online thru the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Click the following link lacatholics.org/baptism to take the class. Once you take the class and recieve your certificate of compleation via e-mail please e-mail it to us at [email protected].a) It is the parents’ responsibility to submit all Pre-baptism Class Certificates to the Rectory before the week the child is scheduled for baptism, in order to complete the child’s baptism paperwork.
If the class was taken at another parish or if it was taken within the last two or three years, certificates from that class may be presented, if they have not expired. If expired, then the class must be re-taken. For authenticity purposes, the certificates can be e-mailed or faxed to us ONLY IF we receive them directly from the church where the class was taken. We do not accept e-mailed or faxed certificates from a personal or secular business fax number.
6. Celebrate the baptism. On the day of the baptism, please arrive at the church 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time of Baptism.
A word on your donation: Catholics have an obligation to support their parish community with their “time, talent, and treasure.” Your donation on the day of the baptism goes to the parish, not to the priest. Please use the special envelope provided on the day of the baptism for your donation. The suggested donation for the church is $50.00. If you wish, you may give a donation to the priest/deacon on the day of the baptism, which it is optional. These donations are independent from the originally requested fee for the processing of paperwork.
IMPORTANT: Please note that NO date will be confirmed to baptize until all the required paperwork has been submitted to the Rectory. If after the Baptism any of the requirements are still missing, the Certificate of Baptism will not be issued until all requirements are met and paperwork is complete.
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