BAPTISM 

For Catholics, baptism is the first step of initiation into a new way of life; the life of God. Your desire for baptism is part of the journey you make with your child in the great unfolding of life. At baptism your child is enveloped in God’s love.  He/she is brought to Jesus Christ in a very intimate way and becomes a member of Christ’s family, the Church.

By seeking baptism for your child you promise to teach your child to avoid evil and to love God and neighbour.  You promise to raise your child in the Catholic way of life.  You also pray for the grace to be good parents, because as the baptism ceremony says, you are the “first teachers in the ways of faith.”

Steps to Baptism

At St. Agatha’s Parish there are three steps in the celebration of infant baptism.

• A compulsory preparation session is held on the first Sunday of each month from 3pm - 5pm in the Parish Hall or Church.   Our Baptism Team will talk with you and other parents about the meaning of baptism and the practicalities of the ceremony.   Ideally both parents should attend the session.  It is a welcoming environment for all:  Catholic and non-Catholic.   
  
  To book for this session please complete the enrolment form from below or collect a booking form from the Parish Office or from the Priests after Mass.
  
  
• The ‘Rite of Welcome’ will take place during the 10.45am on the day of the Baptism.
  
  
• The Baptism Ceremony will take place on Sunday following the 10.45am Mass. The baptism ceremony is a special family time but is also special for our parish community, because baptism is the time when the Christian community welcomes a new member into its midst.  This is why the church wants every baptism to be a community celebration, not a private one, however we do limit the ceremony to four families per Sunday.  You will book your child’s Baptism in when you attend the preparation session.

Godparents

Many parents choose two or even more Godparents, however the Church asks that at least one Godparent must be a Catholic over the age of 16 who has received the Sacrament of Eucharist and has been Confirmed and is firm in their faith, as their role is that of supporting the parents in bringing up the child in the Christian faith.  Provided that one Godparent is Catholic, it is certainly allowable for a non-Catholic to act as a witness to the baptism, provided he or she is baptised.  It is not possible for an unbaptised person to act as a witness.

Practical Matters

If you live outside our Parish boundary and wish to have your child baptised at St Agatha’s you will be asked to get a letter of permission from the parish in which you live.
It is customary to make a donation to support the work of the Church.  As a guide, most people give between $50+.  

If your child is of 5 years of age or older they will need to attend a separate program for Baptism Please see the ‘Become a Catholic for Children (aged 5-11)’ tab.

If you have any further queries please contact the Parish Office on 5996 1985.

Baptism is the beginning of a journey of faith, but we travel together as a Catholic family.

Baptism Preparation Enrolment Form - Please contact the Parish Office regarding Baptism bookings

If you would like to attend a Baptism Preparation session please complete the form below: 

Please note if you receive an error message in particular those with a Yahoo account, when submitting the form please phone the Parish Office.

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