WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR AN
Infant Baptism

Congratulations on the birth of your child!

Through Baptism, God welcomes your child into his family and gives him or her the gift of new life in Jesus Christ. Your child receives the Holy Spirit and becomes a member of the Church — the People of God, the Body of Christ. Baptism is the beginning or a life-long journey of faith.
Here is what the Catholic Church asks in preparing for this beautiful sacrament.

INFANT BAPTISM
What is Required?

The Church asks that your child be baptized as soon as possible after birth. In ordinary circumstances, the Baptism takes place in a parish church. To proceed, two things are needed:

  • The consent of at least one parent (or the person legally responsible for the child)
  • A reasonable hope that the child will be raised in the Catholic faith

A note on older children

Canon Law considers a child an "infant" until their seventh birthday (Canon 97 §2). If your child has already reached the age of reason — typically 7 or older — the Church asks them to prepare through the Order of Christian Initiation for Children (OCIC) at your parish, where they will receive Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion together. Please contact your parish to begin that path.

You are the first teachers of the faith for your child - the Church trusts you to share with him or her the love of God that you have received.

What about our marital status?

Baptism is not denied if parents are unmarried or not married in the Catholic Church. However, your parish priest may suggest postponing the Baptism if there is no clear intention to raise the child in the Catholic faith.

If your current situation is not in harmony with the Church's understanding of marriage, speak openly with your priest. He can help you find the right path — including, if you wish, the steps to enter into a valid sacramental marriage.

The role of a godparent is a joyful and serious responsibility.
A godparent promises to walk alongside your child throughout life, helping him or her grow in faith.
The Code of Canon Law (Canon 874) explains what the Church asks of anyone who serves as a godparent:

  • Be at least 16 years old
  • Be a practicing Catholic, living a life of active faith
  • Have received the three sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
  • If married, be in a valid Catholic marriage
  • Not be the parent of the child being baptized

A child may have one godfather, one godmother, or one of each — not more.

A NOTE ON
Non-Catholic Christians

A baptized Christian who is not Catholic (for example, a Protestant or Orthodox Christian) may serve as a Christian witness to the Baptism, provided there is also at least one Catholic godparent. 

The Christian witness is not technically a "godparent" in the Catholic sense, but the Church welcomes this loving role.

What to Do Next

 

1

Contact your parish priest or deacon to schedule the Baptism and ask about your parish's specific paperwork (birth certificate, sponsor forms, etc.).

 

2

Choose your godparent(s) with prayer and care — someone who will genuinely help raise your child in the faith.

 

3

Complete your Baptism preparation course, together with your godparents when possible.

WHATEVER YOUR STARTING POINT, WE ARE HERE TO WALK WITH YOU.