The sacrament of baptism ushers us into the divine life, cleanses us from sin, and initiates us as members of the Christian community. It is the foundation for the sacramental life.

The Catechism teaches:
"The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ" (CCC 1279).

Freed from Sin

Baptism frees us from the bondage of original and actual sin. Water is poured in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Today, the sacrament of baptism is often performed on infants, shortly after birth. Adult baptisms take place at the Easter Vigil through the restored Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Adults or children who have been baptized in a valid Christian church are not baptized again in the Catholic church. As we say in the Nicene Creed, “I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins…”

Baptism Is a Gift
Rebekah Rojcewicz

Baptism is a precious gift given by God through the Church. As parents, we have the privilege of presenting our children to receive this gift, a gift that will last a lifetime and beyond. Baptism is the gift of new life, the eternal life of the risen Christ. This gift is a sacrament, an encounter with Christ himself. Baptism is a moment when Christ comes to us and acts within us and among us. In this encounter, we are transformed. This is true for adults who understand the meaning of the sacrament and choose it for themselves, and it is also true for the youngest children — indeed, for babes in arms — at their Baptism. The scriptures remind us of the mystery of God’s intimate relationship with us, even before we were born: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you” (Jeremiah 1:5). “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). The Church honors this relationship by offering Baptism to the youngest children. Jesus’ words to Nicodemus, “No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (John 3:5), have always been understood by the Church to mean that even the youngest children should not be denied the sacrament of Baptism. The child’s right to Baptism becomes even clearer when we recall Jesus’ words to his disciples regarding little children: “it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs” (Matthew 19:14). Thus, infant Baptism is part of the most ancient tradition of the Church. It is a powerful and visible reminder to us that God’s love and salvation are not earned But are offered to us as a gift. Infant Baptism is a sign of God’s desire to give us “more than all we can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).

Excerpted from Baptism Is a Beginning © 2009 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications.  www.LTP.org.  All rights reserved.

For more information on the sacrament of baptism, please contact Julie Klinkenberg.

While in ordinary circumstances, sacraments in the Catholic Church are administered validly by a member of the ordained clergy, in an emergency situation, the sacrament of baptism can be administered by anyone.

In case of necessity, any person can baptize provided that he has the intention of doing that which the Church does and provided that he pour water on the candidates head while saying: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (CCC 1284).

1. Signs of Baptism
2. Choosing Godparents
3. Baptism at Holy Family
4. Baptism Check List
5. Baptism Information Form
6. Sponsor Information Form
7. Sponsor Verification Form 

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

                                   - Matthew 28:19