Sacrament of Baptism

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of theFather, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

– Matthew 28: 19-20

We celebrate Baptism once a month, on a Sunday at 1:30pm. The Baptism celebration lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how many families are participating.

You may reserve your date by contacting the Parish Receptionist.

Baptism at St. Mary’s

The sacramental life here at St. Mary’s Church is an important aspect of living out our callings and our Christian faith, within and outside our church walls. Our life, our zeal to be missionaries for Jesus Christ, and our love of one another revolves around our gatherings for prayer and retreat, the sacraments, and most especially the celebration of the Eucharist. There are seven sacraments in the Church.

The sacrament of Baptism “is birth into the new life in Christ” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 1277). Here at St. Mary’s, it is the formal way in which we receive families and infants into our family.

Baptism class for the parents is a wonderful time for them to learn about the sacrament, and how as parents, they can better guide their child on a loving faith journey. It is an important time for the parents, the Godparents, and parish. If you are new parents and/or have not had Baptism preparation before at this parish, both parents must attend Baptism preparation, held monthly in our Parish Center. While not required, the godparents are welcome to attend. You may obtain the schedule of prep sessions from our Parish Receptionist.

The role of godparent goes back to the days when most adult converts to the Christian faith did not usually have Christian parents. Godparents spoke up for the baptized person and, if necessary, helped him or her to grow in the faith. Today, we understand that the parents are the primary religious educators in the faith, with the godparents setting an example and providing support. The Church requires that at least one godparent, or sponsor, be a practicing Catholic who has received the Sacrament of Confirmation, whose primary role remains that of supporting the parents in bringing up the child in the Catholic faith. But most parents choose a Godmother and Godfather. When this happens, provided one godparent is Confirmed Catholic, it is certainly allowable for a non-Catholic, baptized Christian to act as a witness to the Baptism. The Archdiocese of Newark requires a document from the godparent’s home parish attesting to their faith and good standing and should be turned into our parish office.