Baptism (Children From Birth through 1st Grade*)

What is the Sacrament of Baptism?

Baptism is the sacrament of entry into the life and faith of the Church, and begins the child's journey of faith. Baptism is a permanent spiritual mark which makes us members of the Family of Christ & His Church.

When are Baptisms celebrated at St. Maria Goretti?

Baptisms are celebrated the 2nd & 3rd Sundays of every month at 2:30pm in the Church.

What information do I need to know before scheduling my child's Baptism?

In order to schedule a baptism for your child at St. Maria Goretti, parents or guardians must be registered and active members of our parish for at least 6 months. 

To join our parish family, please complete the registration form here: St. Maria Goretti Parish Registration. 

For Baptism in the Catholic faith, there a few important details:

• At least one parent or legal guardian must be Catholic and request the Baptism of the child.

• A godparent, together with the parent(s), presents a child for Baptism. Parents must choose one Godparent, or may choose two; if two Godparents are chosen, one must be male and the other female. If a parent wishes, a child can have one Catholic Godparent, and one Christian Witness (a non-Catholic, baptized Christian of another faith tradition). The Godparent cannot be the parent or step-parent of the child to be baptized.

• A Godparent must be age 16 years or older, have received the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation, be a practicing Catholic (regularly attending Sunday Mass, and following the Church's precepts), and if the Godparent is married, the marriage must be recognized as valid by the Catholic Church.
   

How do I schedule a Baptism for my child?

We are excited to walk with you and your child for this joyous occasion!

There are a few things we need BEFORE scheduling a baptism at SMG:

1. Baptism Registration Form - To be filled out by the parent(s)/legal guardian requesting the Baptism; this form gives us some key information and also allows you to register for our Baptism preparation sessions.

   Complete and submit this form here: 
   Baptism Registration Form

2. Godparent Information Form - To be filled out by the Godparent(s) and Christian Witness (if applicable) of your choice; please follow up with your godparent(s) to make sure that this form gets completed promptly

   Share this form with your Godparent(s): 
   https://form.jotform.com/smgparish/godparentform

3. "Letter of Goodstanding" - if your child's Godparent(s) are not members of St. Maria Goretti, the Diocese requires a "letter of goodstanding" from pastor of the parish in which they are registered. "Letters of Goodstanding" may be turned into Brenda Hawley in the Faith Formation Office or emailed to bhawley@smgparish.org.

4. Baptism Preparation Session - your child's Baptism is a significant and powerful spiritual moment of entry into the family of God. In order to be prepared to present your child for Baptism , Parents (if Catholic) must attend a baptismal preparation session. Parents baptizing their child at St. Maria Goretti may register for a preparation session via the "Baptism Preparation Registration Form." If a parent has attended this class at SMG within the last 5 years, the preparation session is not required again.  We also accept Baptismal Preparation Certificates issued by any Catholic Parish.          

Baptism Prep  session is in the ST MARIA CENTER (SMC);
the SMC is the building at the back of the main parking lot near the Playground.
Baptismal Preparation sessions are held the 2nd Saturday of every month (August-June)
from 10:00 - 11:00 am.  Attendees must pre-register.

BAPTISM PREP SESSION:
Go here to register online: https://form.jotform.com/smgparish/baptprepregistration

IF YOU CHILD IS TO BE BAPTIZED AT SMG, please register for the preparation session via the required forms found here: http://smgparish.org/baptism

 
AS CAUTIONARY MEASURES IN REGARDS TO SOCIAL DISTANCING AGAINST SPREAD OF COVID-19:
1. You must pre-register, and attendance will be limited by available seating.
2. You must wear a mask to the class.
3. Do not bring children with you, nor anyone who has not pre-registered to attend to the class.

Both parents presenting a child for Baptism (if both are Catholic) are required to attend.  
Upon completion of the session, you will receive a certificate as proof of attendance
which is valid for 5 years. 

After all 4 requirements have been met, parents may contact Brenda Hawley (bhawley@smgparish.org, 817-274-0643 ext. 227), Faith Formation Secretary, to schedule their child's Baptism. 

BAPTISM NOT AT SMG, BUT NEED BAPTISM PREP SESSION?
Go here to register online:  https://form.jotform.com/smgparish/baptprepregistration

*Preparing for Baptism when a Child is older than 2nd Grade:

+For Baptism of children 2nd Grade and above, RCIC program is required.  Please register HERE.


+For Baptism of adults 18 years of age and older, learn more about RCIA HERE.