Infant Baptism Requirements for St. Raphael Catholic Church
“Go, therefore, 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.” Matthew 28: 19-20
Congratulations on choosing to have your child baptized at St. Raphael.
We welcome you and hope that this is a holy and happy experience for you and your entire family. We are excited that you are bringing your child here to St. Raphael to receive his/her first sacrament.
Having your child baptized is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. The Catholic Church has always taught that “Parents are the primary educators in the faith. Together with them, especially in certain cultures, all members of the family play an active part in the education of the younger members.” (General Directory for Catechesis, #255). Our baptismal preparation is designed to assist you, the parents and godparents, in raising your child in the Catholic Church.
Deacon Kurt can help you with the following:
- Registration for /Inquiry about a Date for your Child’s Baptism
- Registration for the Baptism Information Class
- At this point we cannot accommodate private baptisms.
- If you have a priest or deacon in your family and you want that individual to baptize your child, they are welcome to participate in the ceremony.
- Having your child baptized at another parish.
- Any other questions regarding our Baptism program
To inquire about and register for Baptism, please contact: Deacon Kurt Lange at klange@st-raphael.com
Guidelines
The following guidelines apply for Baptisms of children under the age of 7 at St. Raphael. To have a child baptized:
- For newly registered parishioners at St Raphael, with no family ties here, there is a required 3 month waiting period before a baptism can be scheduled.
- If the parents or grandparent(s) of the child to be baptized are current registered parishioners here, there is no waiting period. If the parents of the child to be baptized are registered at another Catholic Church, St Raphael must receive a Letter of Permission from the parent’s home parish for their child to be baptized at St Raphael. Parents of the child to be baptized must be registered at a Catholic Church somewhere.
- If this is your first child, you are required attend a Baptism Information Class before your baptism date. Classes are held on the third Tuesday evening of each month at 7:00pm. There are no classes the months of July and December. Deacon Kurt will assist you in signing up for this class.
- Baptisms are community sacraments, you are baptizing your child into a Faith Community, with that in mind, we cannot accommodate private baptisms at St Raphael.
Parish registrations are held the First and Third Sundays of the month at the conclusion of our 8:00am Mass. Registrations are held in Room 162 of the Administration Wing. Signs will be posted to mark the way to Room 162.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for Godparents?
Catholic godparents must be baptized, confirmed, practicing Catholics, and at least 16 years of age. At LEAST one Catholic godparent is required. Additional godparent(s) may be adult, practicing Christians of other faiths.
Must the Godparents be present at the Baptism?
No, while it is ideal to have the Godparents present, in some situations it is not feasible. In this case the family can pick a proxy to stand in for the Godparent. If a family has no proxies available St Raphael’s will provide a proxy for you.
Must I have both a Godmother and Godfather?
Since only one person is required for a baptism, some children have just one godparent. If there are two godparents, one must be male and one must be female.
Can I have a Non-Christian as a Godparent/ sponsor?
No, since it is the role of the godparent to help teach the child about Jesus Christ and non-Christians do not give witness to Jesus Christ, they cannot act as Catholic Godparents/ sponsors. They are certainly welcome to attend the baptism.
How old should my child be at their baptism?
There is no set age for baptism in the Catholic Church. The age for baptism depends upon the family. Some families have the children baptized as soon as possible after the birth while others wait for various reasons. Naperville is a transient area and quite often the family has to wait until Grandma/Grandpa and the godparents can all be here. Any child under the age of 7 will be initiated through our infant baptism program.
How is my child baptized?
Through the waters of baptism your child will be initiated into the Catholic Faith in a ritual that has been performed for many centuries and was initiated by Jesus Christ himself. The Priest/ Deacon will baptize your child by a triple immersion/ pouring as he says “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Through this prayer the Priest/ Deacon brings about the death of sin and brings your child into the life of the Holy Trinity through the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s life, death and resurrection.
What is an immersion?
An immersion is the traditional method of baptism in the Catholic Church. Jesus was immersed in the river Jordan by John the Baptist at his own baptism and so St. Raphael’s encourages immersion as an option for baptism. The child is placed naked in our heated font and water is poured over the head as they are being baptized. (The child’s head never goes under water –think bath time). This is a very beautiful and powerful way to baptize a child.
Must my child wear white?
While white is the traditional color for baptism in the Catholic Church there is no requirement that the children wear white garments. Many of the children are dressed in white, but you will see some that are dressed in other appropriate outfits. Please dress your child in whatever outfit you see fit. Your child will be presented with a white garment provided by the church to symbolize that they are “now being clothed in Christ.” After a child is immersed they can be dressed in white outfit that is different from the outfit in which they were brought to the Church.
Can I have my uncle/grandfather/family friend who is a Priest/Deacon baptize my child?
At this time we are not bringing in outside clergy for baptisms.
How do I get my child baptized at a Sunday Mass?
At this time, we are not baptizing children at Sunday Masses.
What if I want my child baptized at another parish?
St. Raphael’s will grant delegation for you to have your child baptized at another Parish provided you are a registered St. Raphael parishioner. You may need to attend a Baptismal preparation class here at St. Raphael.