Baptism for Infants / *Children Under 7 Years Old
*Children seven years (considered the "age of reason") and older must be enrolled in our First
Communion Religious Education program in order to be baptized.
REQUIREMENTS FOR BOTH NOVUS ORDO (ORDINARY FORM) BAPTISMS (in English or Spanish) and LATIN RITE (EXTRAORDINARY FORM) BAPTISMS
“Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
—Matt. 28:19,20
NINE STEPS TO PREPARE FOR YOUR CHILD'S BAPTISM
(Whether Novus Ordo or Extraordinary Latin Rite):
1. Fill out the Baptism Info (Registration) Form (link below)
2. Select godparent(s) who meet the requirements (see Number 2 below).
3. Have your godparent(s) complete the Godparent Recommendation form (link below) in front of a priest from their parish; it must be signed and sealed by that church.
4. Have your godparent(s) obtain a copy of their Sacrament of Confirmation Certificate and submit it to our office.
5. If married, have your godparent(s) obtain a copy of their Sacrament of Marriage Certificate and submit it to our office.
6. Both parents and godparent(s) must take the online video baptism preparation course (link below) and submit the Certificate of Completion to the office. (Note: this certificate will be sent to you by the Archdiocese after completing the course. It should take approximately 30 minutes to complete the course, which includes correctly answering the multiple-choice quizzes given during the video.)
7. Submit the suggested donation of $100 to the parish office (any gift made to the priest is separate and up to each family).
8. Once all the paperwork has been submitted to the parish office, Deacon Rex will meet with the parents and godparent(s) [NOTE: If the godparents are not local, this can be done via Zoom.]
9. Deacon Rex will then schedule a mutually-agreed upon date for a Novus Ordo baptism. If the baptism is in the Extraordinary Rite, the parents must check with Fr. Justin (after the Latin Mass) for a date. This is because he and any other Norbertine priests who celebrate our 1:00 p.m. Latin Mass come to St. Therese only to celebrate the Mass and are not part of the staff of St. Therese Church.
1. To begin the baptism process, please fill out a Baptism Info (Registration) form and email it to the Parish Secretary at denisekay@hotmail.com. She will then give it to Deacon Rex Owens (DeaconRex@outlook.com), and he will contact you. Be sure to include a daytime phone number where you can be reached.
2. SELECT THE GODPARENTS: Canon Law requires you to have at least one *godparent (may have two--one woman and one man) who:
1) is at least 16 years of age;
2) has received the Sacrament of Confirmation; and
3) is a practicing Catholic (this is explained more clearly below)
A practicing Catholic is one who is...
- Living the Gospel message in his/her daily personal life, practicing his/her faith regularly, including attending Mass each Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation;
- Able to serve as a good Catholic model with the proper attitude and intention to assume the role of godparent;
- If married, in a valid Catholic marriage (Catholics married outside the Church or Catholics who choose to cohabit outside of the Sacrament of Marriage are not permitted to be Godparents or Sponsors).
3. *To verify the above three requirements, each godparent must have signed by a priest from their parish a GODPARENT RECOMMENDATION FORM. Please download, fill out, have signed and sealed by a priest, and return it to Deacon Rex, along with a copy of each godparent's Confirmation Certificate and Sacrament of Marriage Certificate (if married). The copies of these certificates may either be photocopies of the originals or copies requested from the church where the sacraments took place.)
4. Once the paperwork has been submitted, Deacon Rex will set an appointment time to meet with the parents and godparents. At that time, he will schedule the baptism date with the celebrant of their choice (if Latin Rite, see note below).
FEES: There is a recommended donation of $100 for the baptism, payable to the church. We provide the baptism candle and a holy water bottle. You may also give a monetary gift to the celebrant on the day of the baptism.
ONLINE BAPTISM COURSE
5. In order for your child to be baptized at St. Therese, the parents and godparents must complete a three-part online program provided by the Archdiocese (couples may take the course separately or together). The course consists of short videos and some written information, with a multiple-choice quiz after each of the three sections. Married couples may take the course together. Once you complete the quizzes, you will be e-mailed the Certificate showing you completed the course. Please print it out and submit it to the office as part of the approval process.
BAPTISM DONATION: There is a recommended donation of $100 for the baptism, payable to St. Therese Church. We provide the baptism candle and a holy water bottle. Check with Fr. Justin Ramos, O.Praem., to see if he has a set fee or whether he just accepts a gift (Note: The Norbertine Fathers are not part of the clerical staff of St. Therese; we are staffed by Discalced Carmelite Friars.)
For any questions, please contact the Baptism Coordinator, Deacon Rex Owens (DeaconRex@outlook.com) or the Parish Secretary (denisekay@hotmail.com).
LATIN RITE (EXTRAORDINARY FORM) BAPTISM
If you attend the Latin Mass and would like your child to be baptized in the extraordinary form, you still need to complete the same preparations as for a Novus Ordo baptism, including meeting with Deacon Rex.
After Deacon Rex approves you for setting a baptism date, you will need to set it with Fr. Justin Ramos after the celebration of the 1:00 p.m. Latin Mass on a Sunday to schedule a date with him. Please inform the office of that date so that a certificate can be prepared.
BAPTISM DONATION: There is recommended donation of $100 for the baptism, payable to St. Therese Church. We provide the baptism candle and a holy water bottle. It is suggested that you also give a monetary gift to the celebrant on the day of the baptism.
For any questions, please contact the Baptism Coordinator, Deacon Rex Owens (DeaconRex@outlook.com) or the Parish Secretary (denisekay@hotmail.com).