Baptism

“Holy baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God, we become members of Christ, we are incorporated into the Church, and we are made sharers in her mission.” (The Catechism of the Catholic Church n.1213)

Since the time of the first Christian communities, it has been the practice to baptize infants who are born into Christian families as well as adults who seek to become Christians.

Infants and adults are usually baptised in the church of the parish in which they reside. However, if Sacred Heart Church is the place where you usually worship or there are other particular reasons why baptism should be celebrated here, this is always possible.

Infant Baptism

Please contact us to arrange baptism for a newly born infant. The baptism will either take place during a parish Mass or at a separate Liturgy of Baptism celebrated for the family. Parents are asked to attend a short preparation course before the baptism.

Child Baptism

If, for whatever reason, your child was not baptised as a baby and this is something you now want to happen, please contact us. It will be important that, depending on age and maturity, the child understands and has catechesis about baptism, and agrees to being baptised.

Adult Baptism

Adults who wish to become Christians in the Catholic Church go through a programme of catechesis and faith formation called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). This takes about a year and culminates in reception of the three sacraments of Christian initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) usually at Easter. If you have already been baptised in a different Christian church, you will usually take part in the programme and then be confirmed and receive the Eucharist along with those being baptised - the Catholic Church recognizes the Christian baptism of other churches and does not re-baptize.

Contact

To enquire further about arrangements for baptism, please email Andrew Cassidy, Parish Pastoral Associate, at ejcpastoral@jesuit.org.uk