“It is in the womb of the Church where he is transformed from a child of Adam into a child of God.” -Saint Vincent Ferrer
Infant Baptism
Dear Parents,
St. Mary’s shares in your joy at the gift of new life from the Lord! We are delighted that you are planning to present your child for Christian baptism. This page outlines the procedure we follow in order to prepare for and celebrate the baptism of your child. This information is designed to assist you in the process of welcoming your child into the Catholic Faith.
Here are a few basic documents to get you started:
- A Baptism Brochure which offers guidelines and need-to-knows for parents preparing for Baptism at St. Mary’s. We ask parents to read through this brochure, and then send to their godparents to read through as well.
- A Registration Form for you to complete and send/e-mail to the parish. This gets the process started!
- The Baptism Godparent Affirmation Form (must be completed by Catholic godparents)
- The Baptism Christian Witness Affirmation Form (must be completed by non-Catholic godparents)
At St. Mary’s, we believe that true conversion happens best in the context of relationship, so we use a mentor model for Baptism preparation. By personally connecting you with a welcoming, faithful couple or individual from St. Mary’s, our hope is that you not only find information, but also friendship and a sense of belonging in our church community.
Keep reading to find more about how the process works. I think you’ll really love meeting your mentor! If you have any questions or concerns about the process of preparation or the celebration of the Sacrament, please don’t hesitate to contact me at any time at (715) 855-1294 ext. 101.
In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Derek Sakowski
Pastor
Checklist for Baptism Preparation
- Register. Complete and submit Baptism Registration Form to the Parish Office.
- Initial Interview. Our Director of Family Faith Formation will contact you!
- Select Godparents. See the Baptism Brochure 2018-2019 for more details on selecting Godparents.
- Meet your Mentor! At St. Mary’s, we use a mentoring model for Baptism Prep. You’ll be assigned a family who will get to know you personally!
- Complete 3 Prep Sessions with your assigned Baptism Mentor. Using the Reborn series through www.Formed.org, you and your mentor will learn about the sacrament of Baptism and the crucial vocation of Christian parenting. Once these sessions are scheduled, you may select your baptism date. Godparents are strongly encouraged to attend any or all of these sessions with you.
- Schedule the Baptism! Barring any conflicts, you are welcome to choose any scheduled Mass for your ceremony. Private baptisms are not permitted.
Baptism Preparation Session Overview
Session 1: A New Creation
Meet your Mentor and explore the biblical significance of Baptism as part of God’s plan for salvation! This session takes place at the Baptism Mentor’s home or at the parish, and is personally scheduled at a time that works with your schedule.
Session 2: The Rite Explained
Walk through the signs and symbols of Baptism during a Church Tour and a special teaching from Father. This session takes place at the parish, either before or after Mass. Choose one of several pre-scheduled sessions at either St. Mary’s or St. Raymond’s.
RSVP is required. For dates at St. Mary’s, please RSVP to stmarypar@gmail.com. For dates at St. Raymond’s please RSVP to straymondparish@gmail.com. Current dates available:
At St. Mary’s:
- Sunday, July 21st 2019 at 9:30am
- Sunday, August 11th 2019 at 9:30am
At St. Raymond’s:
- Saturday, September 14th 2019 at 4:30pm
En Espanol:
- Sunday, July 28th at 2:00pm
- Sunday, August 18th at 2:00pm
Session 3: Nurturing the Life of Grace
Learn how your own baptism commissions you to share in Christ’s work as Priest, Prophet and King. This final session takes place at the Baptism Mentor’s home, or at the parish, and is personally scheduled at a time that works with your schedule.
Baptism for Adults or Older Children
Adults or older children seeking baptism should contact our pastor, Father Derek Sakowski, directly at frsakowski@gmail.com.
Questions?
Please contact our current Director of Family Faith Formation:
Jacqueline Van Hemert
(715) 855-1294 ext. 106
Cell (414) 698-6040
JacquelineEVanHemert@gmail.com