Baptism
We take our first steps in the life long journey of the Catholic faith by receiving the sacrament of baptism. Baptism is the gateway to our new life in the Christ as members of the Catholic Church and through which we gain access to the other sacraments. Through the waters of the sacrament of baptism, we are freed from sin and reborn as children of God.
The journey to your child’s baptism
Congratulations! Our parish family extends to you our prayer of thanksgiving to God for the gift of your child. We believe that every child born into this world is a gift from God and is given the opportunity to receive God’s gift of new life through the sacrament of baptism.
Our parish welcomes you as you present your child to the waters of baptism with the intention of bringing them up in the practice of our Catholic faith. In this day and age, children are born into various family situations, and our church desires to minister to you whatever your particular situation (i.e. married in the Catholic Church, single parent, unmarried couple, or married outside of the Catholic Church). This is a wonderful time to consider your own commitment to your Catholic faith.
Getting started
Our parish looks forward to working with you as you prepare for your child’s baptism. Keep in mind that there are several important steps you must take before the baptism:
- You must call our parish office at 724-548-7649 and talk to our pastor directly so he can determine whether or not you need to meet with him and attend baptism preparation session. At that time, you will also have an opportunity to discuss with him selecting the date and time of baptism.
- After you talk with the pastor, you will be asked to provide the necessary information for the Baptism Information Sheet.
- Attend the baptismal preparation session (if required).
- Review our parish guidelines about selecting godparents/sponsors and their eligibility requirements. Do not ask someone to be a sponsor prior to reviewing and understanding these guidelines.
- Determine whether or not the person(s) you want to be your child’s sponsor(s) meet the eligibility guidelines. Do not hesitate to contact our parish office to assist you if you have any questions or concerns about the eligibility of sponsors.
- Have the sponsor(s) obtain a sponsor certificate from their parish.
Scheduling
Our parish usually celebrates the sacrament of baptism according to the following schedule:
- During weekend Mass: Saturday at 4:00 p.m. or Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
- Outside of Mass Saturday or Sunday by appointment.
Please note that the sacrament of baptism is not celebrated in our parish during the season of Lent.