St. Patrick Roman Catholic Parish
A Pennsylvania Charitable Trust
Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ: “Therefore… we are members one of another.” Baptism incorporates us into the Church. From the baptismal font is born the one People of God of the New Covenant, which transcends all the natural or human limits of nations, cultures, races and sexes: For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Catechism of the Catholic Church #1267
Saint Patrick Parish welcomes its
families to celebrate with great faith and joy the baptism of their
children. Parents
should make every effort
to have their child baptized as soon as possible after birth so that
the life of grace can begin
its work in your beloved son or
daughter and family.
It is the expectation that those
presenting their children for baptism are full members of
the parish community.
Baptism should take place in the parish church where the parents are registered and actively participating.
There are reasons why some parents might choose another church
for the baptism of their child and we will try to
honor those desires
whenever possible, by providing a letter of membership and permission to another Catholic
church.
Baptism comes with responsibilities. Parents must make a faith commitment when they baptize their child, a commitment to see that the seeds of God’s life and faith that are planted in their child’s heart at baptism, will be nurtured and cared for so that initial faith can mature and flourish. This means that parents are attending Mass regularly and participating as fully as possible in the life of the parish, contributing time, talent and treasure in support of their parish community. If there are mitigating circumstances that prevent full participation in the sacramental life of the Church, for example an invalid marriage, the priest will make every effort to work pastorally with those involved to facilitate the baptism of the child and to help in any way possible to address the issues involved.
It is imperative that parents choose godparents
for their children who are practicing Catholics in good standing with the Church (one male, one female). One godparent may be a Christian witness. This is someone who has been baptized and is currently registered and attending a Christian church. Being a godparent is not an honorary title; it carries with
it significant responsibilities to witness the life of faith to the
child for which you stand.
The following policies apply for the Sacrament of Baptism at Saint Patrick Parish:
Parents who are presenting a child for baptism
for the first time are to attend a Baptism Preparation session.
Godparents are also strongly encouraged to attend. Our gatherings take
place in the parish rectory on a Thursday
evening from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00
p.m. After an explanation about the rite of baptism, there is a
discussion on Catholic
aith and how parents are the first
and best educators of their children in the way of faith. The
responsibilities of
godparents are also discussed.
Upcoming dates are:
Please call the parish secretary at the parish office to register for this class: 724.745.6560, ext. 11.
A sponsor certificate is required for each
person wishing to be a godparent or sponsor at St. Patrick Parish or any
other
parish. A sponsor certificate is not simply a document that
indicates you are registered in your parish or that you have
been
baptized a Catholic. A sponsor certificate can only be given to those
who are Catholics in good standing and who
regularly practice their
faith. If the person is a member of St. Patrick Parish, they are to meet
in person with one of the
parish priests to review the requirements and
to receive a “sponsor certificate.” If the person is a member of
another
parish, he or she should contact their parish for a sponsor
certificate.
In some circumstances for good reason, a person
who was baptized as a Christian in a community of faith other than
the Catholic Church may stand as a “Christian witness” along with one
Catholic. Christian Witnesses are also required
to obtain a sponsor certificate from their parish.
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Are you considering receiving the Sacrament of Baptism and becoming a Catholic Christian?
Click here for more information about the Rite of Christian Initiation (RCIA)