Baptism Requirements

Parents must be able to give assurance that their child will be raised in the practice of the Catholic faith. Through baptism, parents are accepting the responsibility of gifting their Catholic faith to their child.

Prior to presenting their child for Baptism, parents and godparents should attend a baptismal preparation class. Requirements for choosing godparents for your child are listed in the "Godparents" section below. Baptismal preparation class at St. Michael is valid for 4 years starting in March of 2019. Mothers, we recommend that you and your party attend the preparation session in your 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy so that there is plenty of time to get everything in order.

We offer the classes on the 2^nd Tuesday evening of each month from 6:30 – 9:00 pm in Activity Building Room 1. Child care is available, free of charge, in the nursery down the hall. If you have any children under 1 year old, you may bring them into class with you. The next opportunity for this class is August 13, 2019. After that, we will offer the class on September 10, 2019.

Registration is required prior to attending a session. Please fill out the Infant Baptism Inquiry Form in the main "Baptism" tab (link found on the left-hand side of the page) and you will be contacted about the next steps you need to take. 

In order to baptize your child at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, you should be registered parishioners or live within the parish boundaries. If you have a question about your registration, please contact the receptionist at (713) 621-4370.

Baptism, and all sacraments, are communal, and touch us as members of a community. They affect not just the individual who receives them, but Christ's whole body--the Church. When something happens to the Church (to paraphrase St. Paul), it happens to the individual as well. Therefore, the rites insist that the sacraments be celebrated in the Christian assembly, with the community present and actively participating. The grace of the sacraments is the grace of the Church in service to others.

Thus, baptisms are conducted during the weekend Masses. Space is limited. Parents may register for a Baptism Liturgy upon completion of the Baptism Preparation Session, the birth of the child, and the paperwork. Baptism dates are available on a first come, first serve basis. The paperwork consists of the following: 1. A copy of your child's birth certificate. 2. Baptism Information Form. 3. Proof of attendance at a Baptism Preparation Session. 4. Signed copies of the Commitment to Serve as Godparents affidavits. You can access all of the documents you need to fill out in the "Paperwork" tab at the upper left-hand corner of the page.

To be chosen as a godparent is a very special honor. Godparents help parents raise their child to be a dedicated Catholic. A godparent cannot accomplish this unless he/she is a deeply dedicated Catholic himself/herself.
 

WHO CAN BE A GODPARENT?

When a godparent lives a Christian life in partnership with their godchild, both of them will experience the great joy of sharing a life of faith. To help ensure this, godparents must meet Canon Law requirements and Diocesan Guidelines:

1.  A child must have one godparent, but can have one godmother and one godfather.
2.  Any godparent must be at least 16 years of age (for maturity's sake) and be a practicing
     Catholic, and cannot be a parent of the child. 
     - Inspired by the Gospel and sustained by God’s grace, a practicing Catholic gives sincere
       external expression to their interior faith through specific religious, moral, and ethical
       behavior, which is in accordance with the teaching of Christ and the Catholic
       Church. Despite weaknesses and personal sinfulness, a practicing Catholic decides to
       make only those substantive life choices which follow the “Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn
       14:6) of Christ.
3.  Godparents must have received all three Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, First Eucharist,
      and Confirmation.
4.  Godparents must live sacramental lives, i.e. attending Mass at least every Sunday, receiving
      Communion, making use of the sacrament of Reconciliation frequently
5.  Godparents must be registered members of a Catholic parish.
6.  Godparents may not be living a life of habitual sin.
7.  If married, godparents must either be in a valid Catholic marriage, or their marriage must be
     convalidated by the Catholic Church.
8.  If single, godparents cannot be cohabitating.
9.  Godparents must have the intention of undertaking the ministry of a godparent.

This may seem like quite a bit of rules, but their purpose is to ensure that the rich and beautiful faith of the Church is passed on to your child in the most loving and authentic way possible.

 

CAN A NON-CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN BE INVOLVED IN MY CHILD'S BAPTISM?

A Christian who isn't Catholic can certainly have a strong, positive influence on the faith life of a Catholic child, which is why the Church allows for a non-Catholic Christian to participate in the baptismal ceremony as a witness alongside one godparent (Code of Canon Law #874). The Christian Witness must:

1.  be of the opposite gender of the godparent.
2.  at least 16 years of age.
3.  have already received a Trinitarian Baptism (Baptism in the name of the Father, and of the
     Son, and of the Holy Spirit).
4.  be practicing a faith in a non-Catholic, Christian denomination.
5.  belong to an ecclesial community.

A Christian Witness needs to understand his/her responsibility in being a faithful Christian example for the child. If a parent or godparent fails in his/her responsibility to raise their child Catholic, the Christian Witness is required to attend Mass every Sunday with the child, take the child to faith formation programs and classes, pray with the child, etc.

However, the primary goal of Catholic baptism is to initiate a person into deep membership of the Catholic Church. It's almost impossible to achieve that goal without surrounding a young Catholic with a diverse community of dedicated Catholics. The godparent represents that Catholic community and is primary among those who set a good Catholic example for the child. Only one godparent is necessary, but having both a godmother and godfather is preferred.
 

HOW TO BE A GOOD GODPARENT

We strongly encourage the godparents and Christian Witnesses to attend the baptism session with the parents so that they are fully formed to undertake the task ahead of them and sign a Commitment form. Being a Godparent is a lifelong privilege, and the class will help you prepare them to do the best job they can. The salvation of the godchild is partially the Godparent's responsibility, so we want to make sure they are fully formed for the task that lies ahead.

There are many ways you can nurture this spiritual relationship and become a special friend to your godchild:

-  Pray for your godchild daily.
-  Celebrate the anniversary of this holy day of Baptism each year with a visit or a card. As your godchild grows, listen to and share in the struggles and triumphs of living a Christian life and keep yourself informed on Catholic doctrine and values to be able to answer questions as they arise.
-  Encourage a consistent life of faith through special cards, letters, or gifts, which celebrate holy events - Christmas, Easter, personal growth events, graduation, first job, and engagement.
-  Participate in, or send assurance of prayer, as your godchild receives the other sacraments, particularly, First Communion and Confirmation, which complete initiation into the Church community, and Reconciliation.
-  Be supportive of your godchild’s parents in their role as the primary religious educators of their child.
-  And most importantly, become a model of Catholic living for your godchild, through daily prayer, virtuous living and active participation in parish life and liturgy, particularly weekly Sunday Mass.