Word of Welcome:
We extend a very warm word of welcome and congratulations to you during this wonderful time in the life of your family. The gift of God’s love is seen so beautifully reflected in the birth of your child. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, your child, will be united in a permanent spiritual bond with God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This union of love incorporates the person into the very death and resurrection of Jesus and so initiates the person into the Church, God’s Family. We share your joy and wish to offer our support and assistance in the great joy and challenge the Sacrament of Baptism brings
General Presumption:
It is our sincere hope that the parents who seek the Sacrament of Baptism for their child are themselves practicing their faith and are faithful to the weekly Celebration of the Eucharist.
How to make arrangements for the Baptism:
Please call the parish office at 508-399-8440.
Please note: Unfortunately securing a sponsor for the Sacrament can become problematic in many ways. Because of this we are not able to schedule a date for the Baptism until we have received the necessary documentation for the approval of the sponsor(s).
Securing approved Sponsor(s)
1. For those belonging to another parish we must have a recently dated Sponsor certificate from their parish priest.
2. When you have the Sponsor certificates in your possession, call the Parish Office (508-399-8440) Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 12 noon.
The Celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism
1. The Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated here normally on Sundays after the 10:00 am Mass. The sacrament can also take place during the Celebration of the Sunday Mass.
2. A catechesis (instruction/preparation) session is required prior to the celebration of the Baptism. Parents can and are encouraged to participate in this catechesis prior to the birth.
Sponsors / Godparents
The introduction to the Rite of Baptism speaks about the role of a Sponsor,
“In the baptism of children the godparent is to be present so as to represent the Church. The sponsor is to be ready to help the parents bring up their child to profess the faith and to show this by living it…. Pastors are to see to it that the godparent chosen by the family is qualified to carry out his / her proper function.”
Qualifications required to be Sponsor / Godparent
The selection of sponsors should be done with careful thought. The qualifications of a sponsor are:
1. They must be at least 16 years of age.
2. They must have received all the Sacraments of initiation in the CATHOLIC CHURCH. [So, a Catholic who has not been Confirmed is not eligible to be a Sponsor / Godparent.]
3. They must attend weekend Mass on a regular basis and receive the Sacraments of the Church.
4. If Married, a person must have either celebrated their marriage or have it sanctioned by the Catholic Church. [A person who is divorced is eligible to be a sponsor so long as they fulfill the other qualifications listed above. A person who is divorced and has remarried outside the Catholic Church is not eligible to be a sponsor.]
What is a Sponsor / Godparent, really?
The role of a Sponsor / Godparent is primarily that of being an example of the faith. In that regard Sponsors are personal representatives of the Church and are meant to reflect the community of faith to their Godchild in the way that they live their lives. They are to assist and support the parents in their serious responsibility of teaching and handing on the faith to their child. Also, in the event that the parents are no longer able to carry out this responsibility (i.e. no longer practicing their faith.) the Sponsor, to the extent possible is expected to assume this role. This is how the Church envisions the role of a Sponsor/Godparent for the Sacrament of Baptism as well as for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Often times what the Church considers a Sponsor/Godparent to be and how people see that role are not only different, but at times they are at odds with each other. For example, many people see this as simply a role of honor/prestige to be granted to certain family members or friends. Others see it as entrusting their “foster - care” of their child to someone, in the event that something “should happen to them”. In both instances we have a misunderstanding of what the role of a Sponsor/Godparent is meant to be. Choosing Sponsors as a means of honoring relatives or flattering friends, is not what the Church has in mind for the role of Sponsor/Godparent.
If the primary role of a Sponsor/Godparent is to be an example of the faith, then certainly the first question one should ask is who can fulfill that role? Who is someone that has their faith as a priority in their lives? Who makes the celebration of the Eucharist on the weekend a regular priority in their lives. Who struggles to live their faith during the course of the week? Given all of these questions who will be best for our child as a Sponsor/Godparent? Who do we think will commit themselves to being present to our child as he/she grows up? These are the types of questions that the Church envisions us asking when selecting Sponsors/Godparents and not just “let’s ask your brother and my sister because they should be next”.
Sponsor designation and approval
Those whom you select as Sponsors are required to be approved by the Church in order to be officially designated as a Sponsor/Godparent.
The Parish of the one seeking to be a Sponsor
Please remember that the person seeking to be a Sponsor is to approach their parish for a sponsor certificate. This means the parish they are presently attending (i.e. Where they go to Mass each week) and not where they received a Sacrament some years back (i.e. I was confirmed at… or I was married at…) Many people are usually confused about this but please remember receiving a Sacrament in any Church does NOT constitute membership. Anyone can receive a sacrament in any parish, but it is your PRESENT participation that is at issue. For example, when you are married in the Church you form a new family and so are no longer considered registered with your parents. As a married couple you now need to register in a parish yourselves, and this of course presumes that the couple is interested in doing so. If someone has moved out of their family home and has not registered either as a single person or as a married couple, then odds are they have not been practicing their faith. This would be a good indication that perhaps the parents of the child to be Baptized should consider someone else in regard to this role.
Please remember that it is the responsibility of the parents to communicate to those they select as sponsors the following:
1. The qualifications required by the Church to be a Sponsor/Godparent.
2. The process of obtaining a sponsor certificate in order to be approved by the Church as a Sponsor/Godparent.
3. The parish guidelines of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs regarding the celebration of Baptism.
Certainly, it is true that the parents of the child to be Baptized cannot know for sure whether the Church can approve the person they select as a sponsor. However, it would be far more prudent to select from among those you feel would more than likely qualify, as opposed to those you feel may not. Experience has proven that trying to “get someone by” who does not fulfill the qualifications, is not only looking for a problem but usually is a traumatic experience for all involved!
What is a Christian Witness?
The Church requires that there be one approved sponsor for the celebration of either Baptism or Confirmation. However, it has become a traditional practice to have two sponsors at Baptism.
If there is a couple that you would like to have as the Godparents of your child, even though one person is a Non-Catholic it may be possible. Provided that there is one approved Catholic Sponsor, the other Godparent may be considered as a Christian Witness. It is only required that they be Baptized Christians and will be designated as a “witness” to the Sacrament. There will be no distinction made during the celebration of the Sacrament and so both will be seen as Godparents. Please note: Non-Christians are not eligible for being considered a Christian Witness.
In conclusion
We hope that this pamphlet has helped to explain somewhat some of the particulars involved in making arrangements to have your child Baptized. The area of sponsors is usually one that we find includes some misunderstandings as well as difficulties one way or another. We hope this pamphlet has brought some clarification to you in this most important consideration.
We cannot address every particular situation and so we encourage you to call our parish office or see the parish priest after one of the Masses for more information. We very much look forward to celebrating this very special gift with you and your child. May God bless you and your family in His great love and mercy!