Baptism
Preparation
Godparents
Becoming part of the Catholic Church - A reason to rejoice!
Congratulations on the birth of your child. The Church rejoices with you at the arrival of a new and unique person who is loved by God and created in his image.
God has given you a joyous gift. As parents, you will want the very best of everything for your child. You have probably spent a long time preparing for your child’s birth. You will have discussed together your plans for that child. Your life as a family takes on a different shape with this precious new addition.
Why Baptism?
Baptism is a sign of God’s love for us. It is the way in which we are welcomed into the Church. Baptism is a welcome into the local Catholic Community, as well as into the wider Church, you will need to meet with the parish priest order to understand the commitment you are undertaking and the celebration of this life-changing sacrament.
Dates & Times
Possible dates and times for Baptism should be discussed with the parish priest. Baptisms can be celebrated during Mass or outside of Mass on a date convenient to all concerned. (Sunday or Saturday usually)
Start planning your child’s Baptism now!
It is customary to ask all sorts of friends and relatives to be godparents to your child, and there are many good reasons for this. The godparents, however, are really there to represent the whole Church community into which your child will be baptised. They make promises on their own behalf as part of the Church, and on behalf of your child who is too young to speak for him or herself. They are important promises. Canon Law requires at least one godparent to be a practising Catholic over 16 years of age. Non-Catholics can act as ‘Christian witnesses.’
Giving
It is customary to give a personal offering to the priest, who receives no income from the Church, only what you give to him on occasions such as a baptism. The suggestion in our Parish is £50.
* Please contact the Parish Office on 01428 643877 / haslemere@abdiocese.org.uk
* One of our Baptism Catechist will contact you.
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* The family of the child to be baptised would normally be resident in the parish. In exceptional circumstances, a baptism could be celebrated when it is not the parish of residence, but only with the express permission, in writing, of your own parish priest.