Babies and young children (under the age of seven) are baptized upon their parents’ request.
Baptisms are celebrated:
The chosen minister of Baptism (deacon or priest) meets with families before the Baptism of their first-born, to review the theology of the sacrament, to anticipate the ritual of the sacrament and answer any questions about godparents, etc.
To prepare for the baptism of an older child (seven or older) or an adult, the formation process of RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation of Children) or RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is followed.
To schedule a Baptism please fill out the form below.
You are my beloved, with you I am well pleased
In contemplating the Baptism of the Lord, we are reminded that in Jesus our true humanity, our true worth is revealed to us. We are God’s beloved daughters and sons, we are God’s chosen ones. Most of us have a hard time hearing that voice of blessing within us. That voice of God that constantly points out the good we have done, the gifts we have and share, that voice that honestly and humbly sees our shortcomings but instead of losing hope in us continues to believe in us and in what we can be. Instead of hearing this voice of blessing we tend to hear of voice of negativity, shame and discouragement. This voice does not come from God and the more we listen to it the more we feel the need to judge and criticize others because that way we will not look so bad. This voice also prevents us from accepting the message of the Gospel. That we are saved and loved, that God will never give up on us and that he is still working to make us in the likeness of Christ.
We are invited to experience God’s mercy in a personal and profound way. God’s mercy is that eternal loving commitment that never ceases to create and recreate us, to forgive us and to make us more and more into who we really are. A great way to open our hearts to the experience of God’s mercy is to gently retrain ourselves to silence that voice of negativity and criticism and to listen to that voice of blessing of the God that rejoices in our goodness and supports our every effort.
As we contemplate the Baptism of the Lord and are reminded of our great dignity why not resolve to hear those beautiful words of the Gospel: “You are my beloved, with you I am well pleased” and to take them to heart every time we have the temptation to be hard on ourselves, to think we are not enough or to focus only on our shortcomings? Why not resolve to try harder to see the goodness in others and instead of taking out the joy out of those we encounter by telling them what to do, criticizing them and correcting them in every way possible; decide to be a voice of blessing for them that notices their gifts and supports them as they do their best?
Those who have encountered God’s tender mercy, those who have embraced their profound dignity as God’s children cannot live in negativity and criticism, but in joy, hope and patience. May we all be a voice of blessing for this world because we have allowed ourselves to listen to the Holy Spirit that never ceases to bless us from within and to remind us that we are loved.