The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters. . . . Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin – Original and actual – and begin to live a new life with God.
In Baptism, the Holy Spirit moves us to answer Christ’s call to holiness. In Baptism, we are asked to walk by the light of Christ and to trust in his wisdom. We are invited to submit our hearts to Christ with ever deeper love.
~from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
We welcome you to have your child baptized in our Parish! If your family is not already registered in the Parish, we will provide you with a Parish Census form so that you can be added to our Parish listing.
Baptism Preparation meetings take place on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. in the St. Joseph church Hall; the meeting takes about one hour. Once parents have attended the Baptism Prep meeting, the baptism can be scheduled, generally for any Sunday of the month except major religious feasts or holidays. Baptisms take place following the 9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Joseph church or following the 11:30 a.m. Mass at St. Gabriel church.
Godparents for Baptism
The following statement is read during the Rite of Baptism:
“Dear parents and godparents: You have come here to present this child for baptism. By water and the Holy Spirit he (she) is to receive the gift of new life from God, who is love. On your part, you must make it your constant care to bring him (her) up in the practice of the faith. See that the divine life which God gives him (her) is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in his (her) heart.”
As you prepare to celebrate this beautiful sacrament with your child, prayerfully consider who you could call on for help in teaching your child the practice of the faith, detachment from sin, and virtuous living.
Because of the great responsibilities of a godparent, the Catholic Church has some minimum requirements it asks of all godparents set forth by the Code of Canon Law (Can. 873-874):
• Only one godparent for baptism is required. However, as it is customary, there may be two godparents. If there are two godparents, they must be of opposite sex.
• Be at least 16 years of age
• Have received the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• If married, be married according to the laws of the Church
• Be active in the practice of the faith and receiving the sacraments regularly
• Not be the father or mother of the one being baptized
In addition, they must complete the Archdiocese of Hartford – Baptism Godparent Affirmation form. [link to Godparent/Sponsor Affirmation form]
If there are two godparents, one must be Catholic and able to fulfill the prescriptions noted above. The other godparent may be Catholic, or may be a baptized non-Catholic (termed a Christian witness).
Please note:
• The Christian witness must be validly baptized in a non-Catholic denomination.
• It is never permitted for a Catholic to serve in the role of a Christian witness for any reason.
• If the second godparent is a baptized Catholic, he/she must be able to fulfill all of the prescriptions noted above for a Catholic sponsor.
While selecting your godparents, if you have any questions concerning the above requirements, please contact the Parish Office.
All required paperwork should be received in the Parish Office prior to the date of Baptism. To register for the Baptism Preparation meeting and schedule a baptism, please call the Parish Office at 860-688-4905 ext. 210.
To arrange your child’s baptism, please make the request by contacting the Parish Office at office@windsorcatholic.org or call 860-688-4905.