If you are a Catholic and have a child under the age of 7, infant baptism is strongly encouraged. As a Catholic, the incorporation of your child into the sacramental life of the Church by baptism will open up a hidden life of grace, and is at the heart of your child’s fulfillment and eternal happiness.

For infant baptism, at least one parent must themselves be Catholic. If practicing the Catholic faith is a little bit sporadic, you are warmly welcomed and encouraged to allow God to re-light that spark of faith in your own life, so that you may more fully undertake your parental responsibilities that you take on at baptism. This is best done, to begin with, by re-discovering the practice of weekly Mass in your own family life.

The Church understands that the parents themselves are the primary educators of their children, not only in the ways of the world, but also in the ways of the Christian faith. At the heart of a parent’s vocation to the upbringing of children is the need to bring your child to God, and teach your child about God, and to demonstrate by example the life of joy in God that is opened up in the sacraments. A parent makes this commitment publicly at the baptism of their child.

A child also requires a sponsor, or a godparent. A sponsor is someone who is already a member of the Christian community – and in full communion with it – who is able to vouch for that promise, as well as to assist the parents in their own responsibility to bring up their child in the Christian faith. Therefore, any choice of godparent must themselves be Catholic. A child may only have 2 godparents, one male, and one female. You may also choose only 1 godparent, if you wish.

As parents, you will be required to attend a baptism preparation course before the baptism of your child. These are held on the last Saturday of the month at 4.30pm in the Hall.

Checklist:

  • Child must be under the age of 7
  • At least one parent must be Catholic
  • Up to 2 Godparents are allowed (one male, one female); any Godparent must also be Catholic
  • If you are not resident in this parish, permission must be sought from your proper parish priest
  • You must attend a baptism preparation class before the baptism itself

If you would like to have your child baptised, please contact the Cathedral Office to make arrangements, and to book yourself onto the baptism preparation course: parish@sjbcathedral.org.uk

  • If your child is aged 7 or over: the Church understands that, as a child gets older, he or she is increasingly able to make their own decisions. If your child is 7 or over, please contact the Cathedral Office or any of the priests, as your child, as well as yourselves, will need some preparation to receive all the sacraments of initiation at the same time. This would happen only when they are ready, and if they themselves desire the sacraments according to their capacity. Applications for Catholic high school do not form part of the consideration for baptism preparation, a process which, all being well, would take about 6 months, and involve weekly Mass attendance.