Baptism is the first sacrament of Christian initiation. It is the sacrament that frees a person from original sin and makes that person a member of Christ and His Church. One must be baptized before sharing in any of the other sacraments.
In the Rite of Baptism, parents make a commitment to God and to their child to raise them in the Catholic faith. A community of family, friends, music ministers, and priest/deacon gather to welcome these newest members of our church. In Baptism, Jesus shares his divine life with these children, and they become heirs to the Kingdom of God. This is an awesome responsibility and privilege given by God to the parents of the children being baptized. Amen!
Infants can be baptized soon after birth and anytime thereafter.
Join us in celebrating the Sacrament!
We celebrate the sacrament of Baptism usually once a month. The process will involve:
- Contacting the Parish Office to Schedule and confirm a date
- Completing a baptism registration form and forwarding it to the Parish Office (form will be provided from the parish office)
- Friends and family members are most welcome to attend the baptism. Please note that the baptism is a ceremony, not a Mass.
To schedule a baptism, or for more information, please contact Liz Newton in the Parish Office at (978) 692-6353, ext. 110 or CLICK HERE to email Liz.
Godparents
The Godparents role is to assist the parents in their raising of their children in the Catholic faith. Parents, in choosing God parents for their children, should require that the Godparents chosen be practicing the Catholic faith. At least one Godparent is required and must have received all of the sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. The second Godparent must be of the opposite gender, and if not Catholic, may be a baptized Christian witness. Godparents must be age 16 or older.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church on Baptism:
1275 | Christian initiation is accomplished by three sacraments together: Baptism which is the beginning of new life; Confirmation which is its strengthening; and the Eucharist which nourishes the disciple with Christ's Body and Blood for his transformation in Christ.
1276 | "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Mt 28:19-20).
1277 | Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord's will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism.
1278 | The essential rite of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water or pouring water on his head, while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
1279 | 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.
1280 | Baptism imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual sign, the character, which consecrates the baptized person for Christian worship. Because of the character Baptism cannot be repeated (cf. DS 1609 and DS 1624).
1281 | Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, can be saved even if they have not been baptized (cf. LG 16).
1282 | Since the earliest times, Baptism has been administered to children, for it is a grace and a gift of God that does not presuppose any human merit; children are baptized in the faith of the Church. Entry into Christian life gives access to true freedom.
1283 | With respect to children who have died without Baptism, the liturgy of the Church invites us to trust in God's mercy and to pray for their salvation.
1284 | In case of necessity, any person can baptize provided that he have the intention of doing that which the Church does and provided that he pours water on the candidate's head while saying: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."