Baptism

Parents should arrange for the Baptism of their newborn as soon as possible. Attendance at a Baptism Preparation course is required. This class is offered once a month. Email the parish office (parish.hcb@rcav.org) for the next available date and time of the Baptism class.

It is recommended that both the parents and godparents come spiritually prepared on the day of the baptism, having recently received the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

At least one of the parents must be Catholic and give their consent to the baptism.

There must be reasonable hope that the child will be brought up in the Catholic faith.

Both the parents and the godparents of the child to be baptized should be instructed on the meaning and the obligations of the sacrament.

Ideally, there should be one male and one female, although if two are not available, one will suffice. Some cultures prefer to have many godparents. While this is an acceptable cultural practice, the church recognizes only one male and one female ‘official’ godparent.

The godparents must be baptized and confirmed Catholics who are in good standing with the Church. They should be aware of their responsibilities and have every intention of fulfilling their role.

The godparents must be at least sixteen years old.

The mother or father of the child is not permitted to be a godparent.

A baptized non-Catholic Christian may participate as a witness to the baptism, but not as a godparent.