Sacrament of Baptism
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Infant and Young Child Baptism
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Parents must attend a Baptismal Preparation Class prior to scheduling the Baptism of their first child. Baptisms should be scheduled three weeks in advance. At least one parent must be a baptized, practicing Catholic and a registered parishioner of St. Thomas More Church. Parents must intend to raise the child in the practice of the Catholic faith and set good example.
Baptisms may be celebrated year round, except during Lent. We only celebrate this Sacrament once per weekend on Sundays, either at 11:15 AM or at a Sunday Mass, based on whichever is scheduled first. (For example, if someone schedules a Baptism on Sunday at 11:15 AM, then ALL baptisms that weekend will be at that time.)
Please note that private Baptisms are not scheduled. Since through Baptism we become members of the Church, the Body of Christ, it is inappropriate to hold a private liturgy. Sacraments are never private events, but are always celebrations of the whole Christian community. This is why they are often celebrated during Mass.
Contact the parish office with any questions concerning the Baptism of your child.
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Jeremiah 1:5The Lord said to Jeremiah:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you. -
Baptismal Preparation Class
Introduces parents to the Rite of Baptism and the parental / sponsor responsibility for nurturing children in the Catholic faith. Classes at this time are being done remotely. If you wish to attend a remote class, please call the Parish Office at 753-2550 or submit the form below to register. If a parent attends a baptismal preparation class at another parish, a certificate or letter of completion is needed to schedule the Baptism at St. Thomas More.
"The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ."
(The Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 1279)
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Contact for Infant and Young Child Baptisms
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Staff Contact
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Kate Roelkerkroelkersttm.org
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Giving birth to the new life
The Sacrament of Baptism is the first of the three Sacraments of Initiation. The other two are Confirmation and Holy Communion (Eucharist).
Baptism provides forgiveness of sins and allowing us to be united with Christ. It opens the door to a new life in Jesus Christ... a life that goes beyond our death into our eternal life. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark.
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.
In Baptism, the Holy Spirit moves us to answer Christ's call to holiness. In Baptism, we are asked to walk by the light of Christ and to trust in his wisdom. We are invited to submit our hearts to Christ with ever deeper love.
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Adult BaptismThe Celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism for adults occurs at the end of an Initiation process known as RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), where one learns about the Catholic faith. This celebration takes place during the Easter Vigil Liturgy on Holy Saturday, when the "Elect" (an unbaptised person who wishes to become Catholic) receives all three Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist. They are, thus, fully initiated into the Catholic Church. For a baptized Christian, reception into full communion with the Catholic Church involves reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and a Profession of Faith, followed by the celebration of Confirmation and the Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.
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