BASIC UNDERSTANDING BEFORE BAPTISING YOUR CHILD
It is the deep belief of the Church that no one comes to faith, to the Church, to the sacraments or even to God without being called by God. This is God’s work, not ours. God initiates, God calls, God converts. We co-operate with this initiative of God. We respond.
What is being celebrated (in the Sacraments of Initiation) is that God is indeed calling a person into the life of the Church and the sacraments as an initiation into life.
Baptism is the first of the Sacraments of Initiation. It flows and leads to Confirmation and Eucharist. Besides, Baptism makes the child a Christian, a son/daughter of God and a brother/sister of Christ because she/he is a member of the body of Christ.
Parents who are seeking Baptism for their children are asking that their son/daughter be initiated into the Catholic Community and the local Church Community of Leichhardt. If you belong to a different Parish, a letter from your Parish of residence granting us permission to baptise your child at St Fiacre’s Parish is also required. Please contact us if you need the form.
The Church baptizes infants/children on the faith of the parents. The ideal is that parents have a deep faith, which they actively live out in the experience of the Catholic Church Community. Children’s faith is learned from their parents.
We are always ready and willing to assist parents and godparents in living out the above ideal in the Church Community of Leichhardt.
“As a rule and unless a just reason suggests otherwise, an adult is to be baptised in his or her parish church, and an infant in the proper parish church of the parents” (Canon Law 857 #2).
SUPPORTS FROM GODPARENT
According to Canon Law, the law governing the Catholic Church, a godparent for a Catholic Baptism must be a fully initiated practising Catholic. Non-Catholics may not serve as godparents for a Catholic Baptism. Baptised Christians of other Churches may act as a Christian witness.
At least one godparent is required; no more than two (one male and one female) are allowed. The Godparent needs to be a practising Catholic who is at least sixteen (16) years of age.
The godparent must be fully initiated in the Catholic Church, that is, they must have received the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation. Regular attendance at Mass is expected. Regular participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation is encouraged.
BAPTISM AT ST FIACRE’S CHURCH
Nominations for baptisms of infants of parishioner families require three months’ notice. Baptisms at St Fiacre’s church are held every 1st & 3rd Saturday (at 11.00 AM), or every 2nd & 4th Sunday (at 12.30 PM). Please call the Parish Office to check if your desired date is still available. Please note that St Fiacre’s Parish allows two baptisms in one celebration, with a maximum of 80 guests per family.
Besides, the Baptismal Information Night will be held every the 1st Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM. All parents and godparents who wish to baptise their children in the current month are obliged to join this program. Please contact the Parish Office for more details: (02) 9518 0650. Further details are available on the form that can be downloaded below.