At St. Mary’s Basilica, we are honored to accompany families as they prepare to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism for their child. Baptism is the first step in a lifelong journey of faith, and we are here to support you every step of the way.
To help you better understand the beauty and meaning of this sacrament, we invite you to watch this short video that explains the significance of Baptism in the Catholic Church:
Age Guidelines
- If your child is 7 years old or older and has not yet been baptized, they are invited to prepare for the Sacraments through our two-year Sacramental Preparation program. At the end of this journey, your child will receive all the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation. At this age, the Church recognizes children as having reached the age of reason, meaning they can understand and choose to follow the faith. This is why they actively prepare for the sacraments themselves, rather than having godparents speak on their behalf as in infant baptism.
- If your child is under the age of 7, they may follow the baptismal preparation process outlined here.
Requirements for Baptism
Parents are asked to meet the following criteria:
- A sincere intention to raise the child in the Catholic faith
- Participation in a Baptismal Preparation Session
- Selection of a qualified godparent
Baptismal Preparation Process
Complete the Baptism Registration Form and return it to Gina Fernandez.
Choosing a Godparent
Godparents play a vital role in your child’s spiritual life. Please consider the following guidelines:
- Only one godparent is required, though two (one male and one female) is customary
- Parents (biological or adoptive) of the child may not serve as godparents.
- Must be at least 16 years old
- Fully initiated Roman Catholics (Baptized, Confirmed, and regularly receiving the Eucharist), and must be actively practicing the Catholic faith
- If married, the marriage must be recognized and validated by the Catholic Church.
- If unmarried, divorced, or separated, they must not be cohabitating.
- They must be free of any canonical impediments (per Canon Law 1311).
- A letter of good standing from the godparent’s parish is required (unless they are registered at St. Mary’s Basilica)