The Sacrament of Baptism
Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as children of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1213
The Sacrament of Baptism at the Church of Saint Lawrence The Martyr
Baptism Guidelines for Infants and Children under 6 years of age
Congratulations! We are honored that you wish to celebrate this most important sacrament in the life of your child with our parish family. At this time we are celebrating Baptisms privately and with limited attendance on Saturdays and weekdays.
Registering Your Child and Reserving a Date for Baptism
The first step is to complete the registration form at this link to reserve your desired month and will work with your family and the clergy to schedule a date. Please register at least one month before the baptism to ensure all paperwork is processed in time.
A copy of the child’s birth certificate has to be provided for registration to be complete. You can either email it to info@stlawrencenh.org or bring it in person at the office.
Second, parents and godparents must attend a mandatory Baptism Preparation class. Please note that we cannot set up a Baptism date for your child until your preparation has been completed. If both parents are involved with the child to be baptized, we ask that both parents attend the classes as well as the baptism itself. If the parents or the godparents have attended a class at any Catholic church in the past two years, it is still valid. They will need to provide a proof of their attendance. Baptism preparation will also be privately scheduled.
Requirements to be a godparent.
A godparent plays a pivotal role in child’s life. As such, a godparent must be a baptized Catholic in good standing with the Catholic Church, who is at least 16 years of age, has received their First Eucharist, and the Sacrament of confirmation. It is only necessary that one godparent be chosen for your child. If, however, you choose to have two godparents, The Church requests that one must be male and one female (Can. 873). If they are married, they must be married in the Catholic Church. A baptized non-Catholic may stand as a witness with a Catholic godparent. Godparents are asked to complete a form which requests their parish establish their eligibility to act as a godparent. Godparents may attend a pre-baptism class in their own parish. In this case, we will need a letter from their parish notifying us that they have attended a baptismal class. A parent cannot be the godparent for his or her child (CIC 874).
Is there a fee for baptism?
The church does not charge for the sacraments, but we ask for a donation of $100.00 (Registered & Active Parishioner) or $150.00 (Non-Parishioner) which will cover the class, the certificate and the use of the church for the baptism itself.
For questions or additional information, please contact the Parish Office at 332-4777 or email us at info@stlawrencenh.org