BAPTISM

Baptism is a sacrament of welcome. Jesus invites everybody to come to him and share his life. He especially loves children and wishes them to be close to him. We welcome enquiries from parents about the baptism of their children. We invite them to attend a meeting to explore the meaning of baptism and its implications for the life of the child. The person who is baptised is invited to ‘taste and see that the Lord is good’ (Psalm 34:8). It takes a lifetime to grasp the riches of the mercy and love of God. When the person being baptised is a child the responsibility of forming the child in the faith falls on the parents and the parish community.

The need for formation is clearly stated in the Introduction to the Rite of Baptism for Children: ‘To fulfil the true meaning of the sacrament, children must later be formed in the faith in which they have been baptised. The foundation of this formation will be the sacrament itself which they have already received. Christian formation, which is their due, seeks to lead them gradually to learn God’s plan in Christ, so that they may ultimately accept for themselves the faith in which they have been baptised’. (Introduction No. 3). We look forward to sharing the joy of the celebration with parents and families. As a parish community, we look forward to supporting parents and families as they accompany their children on the journey of faith.