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Schedule of Preparation Classes
Guidelines for the Baptism of Infants and Children
Godparents
Baptism Covenant
Baptizing Infants
and Children
Guidelines for Baptism of
Infants and Children
Baptism Celebrations
Catholic parishes in Waterloo celebrate the sacrament of Baptism
throughout the year, except during Lent and on weekends when
other special events are scheduled.
Like all sacraments, Baptism is a celebration of the whole faith
community and should take place in the presence of the parish
community. For this reason, baptisms are usually celebrated
during a regularly scheduled Saturday evening or Sunday morning
Mass.
•
To make arrangements for Baptism, contact the parish office
in the parish where you are registered.
Expectations
of Parents
At least one parent must be a baptized Catholic who is
registered in the parish where the baptism will be celebrated.
Catholic parents should attend Mass regularly and participate as
fully as possible in the spiritual and sacramental life of the
church. The parents’ personal and social life should exhibit an
understanding of the Catholic faith and a commitment to Catholic
moral and social values.
Parents should be aware of and willing to assume the
responsibilities for their child’s religious formation which are
outlined in the Baptism Covenant. They should be
prepared to provide a nurturing family life in which children
will see and experience Catholic faith and values in practice.
Catholic parents who are not active in the church might use the
occasion of their child’s baptism to re-examine their
relationship to the church and to consider the possibility of
resuming active participation in the spiritual and sacramental
life of the Catholic community.
• Any parish staff member would welcome the
opportunity to discuss resuming active participation with a
parent who feels unwelcome, alienated or angry.
The Catholic Church hopes that non-Catholic parents will
understand and respect what the Church expects from Catholic
parents, and will use the resources of their own faith tradition
to assist in the faith formation of their children.
•
Parents who have concerns or questions about how to raise their
child in a home where parents have different faith traditions
should visit with their pastor or a member of the parish staff.
Preparation Class
Parents are required to attend a preparation class prior to
baptizing an infant or child. Preparation classes meet on the
second Monday evening of even months and the second Saturday
morning of odd months at one of the Waterloo parishes.
Parents should attend the preparation class shortly before or
after the baby is born. Parents may attend the class which is
most convenient for them, even if it is not held in the parish
where they are registered.
•
To register for the preparation class, contact the parish
office in your parish.
Click here for a current
schedule of Baptism Preparation Classes
Click here to register
online for a Baptism Preparation Class
Parent
Formation and Education
The Catholic parishes in Waterloo provide continuing formation
opportunities for parents who are interested in the spiritual
and moral formation of infants and young children.
Participation in this continuing formation program is
recommended for parents following the baptism of their child.
• For information about continuing formation for
parents, contact the Religious Education Office in your parish.
Older Children
Children under age 7 should be enrolled in a Catholic religious
education program or school before baptism.
Children age 8 or older should be enrolled in a separate
preparation program or Children’s Initiation process, in
addition to regular participation in a religious education
program or Catholic school.
The Waterloo parishes provide a preparation program for older
children during February and March, and if necessary can make
other arrangements on an individual basis.
• For information about preparation for older
children, contact the Religious Education Office in your parish.
Godparents
(Baptism Sponsors)
Godparents are technically called Baptism Sponsors. In
the early church, sponsors served as witnesses who testified to
the good intentions and worthiness of adults who were being
baptized.
Today, Baptism Sponsors of infants and young children serve as
representatives of the wider faith community. They pledge to
assist the parents in showing and teaching the
young child about God’s love, their faith as Catholic
Christians, and their eternal destiny as children of God.
The Sponsor’s presence at the Baptism ceremony symbolizes an
important spiritual and personal relationship between the
Godparent, the child, the parents, and the broader church
community. This is a relationship and a responsibility which
lasts a lifetime.
At least one Godparent or Sponsor must be an active Catholic who
has been baptized and confirmed, and is at least 16 years old.
Other baptized Christians may serve as a Witness with a
Catholic Sponsor.
It is customary to choose two Godparents or Sponsors, but only
one is necessary. Godparents or Sponsors may be of either
gender.
Here are some questions parents might ask themselves when
choosing Baptism Sponsors for their child:
• Is this a person whose personal life shows the
religious and moral
values I want my child to learn and
practice?
• Is this a person who will be able and willing to
explain their faith
experience, convictions and growth to my
child?
• Is this a person who will be in frequent contact with my
child, especially
during the early years of personal and
spiritual growth?
• Is this a person who will be comfortable, when
necessary, challenging
me or my child about our faith?
For more information about baptizing infants and children,
contact the parish office in the parish where you are registered
or plan to register.
• • •
The Catholic Parishes in Waterloo
Baptism Covenant
The baptism of infants and young children assumes the full
and active participation of both the parents and the parish
community in the faith formation of children. This Covenant
expresses the mutual responsibilities and commitments which we
acknowledge as parents and parish communities to the infants and
children who are baptized in the Catholic parishes of Waterloo.
The parish community acknowledges our responsibility
• to provide an active and welcoming faith community,
which supports and assists
parents in their role as the first heralds of faith to their children.
• to provide meaningful and convenient opportunities for
participation in the spiritual
and sacramental life of the Church.
• to provide life-long faith formation and adult education
opportunities which enable
parents to deepen their own understanding and practice of the
Catholic faith.
• to provide opportunities which enable parents to grow in the
knowledge and skills
they need to be more effective role models and first heralds
of faith to their
children.
• to assist parents in the preparation of their children for,
and celebration of, the
sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation.
• to provide religious formation and education opportunities for
children and young
adults.
The parents acknowledge our responsibility
• to provide a supportive and nurturing family life, in which
children experience
firsthand the beliefs, values and traditions of the Catholic faith.
• to participate as fully as possible in the spiritual and
sacramental life of the
Church by attending Mass regularly and celebrating the Sacraments frequently.
• to guarantee my child's regular and active participation in
the spiritual and
sacramental life of the Church.
• to assist in my child's preparation for, and celebration of,
the sacraments of
Baptism, Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation.
• to enroll my child in formal religious education programs, and
to be actively
involved in the religious education of my child.
• to support the parish by my stewardship of time, talent and
financial resources.
We enter into this sacred covenant in a spirit of
cooperation and support, as an expression of our commitment to
the continuing religious formation and education of our
children.
• • •
For information contact:
Director of Adult
Faith Formation.
320 Mulberry St., Waterloo IA 50703 Phone:
319-234-9912 • Email: DBQ208s3@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us
Posted
01.03.08
• Last Update 08.11.08
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