Congratulations on the birth of your child!
Please review the following checklist for the Baptism of children at Our Lady of Mercy Church. If you are an unbaptized adult and want to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, please go HERE for more information about the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. Please read all the information on this page before completing a child baptism registration form.
Child Baptism Checklist
The family must be registered and active members of Our Lady of Marcy Parish in East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
Complete the Baptism Registration Form. This form must be completed before a baptism can be scheduled. All information MUST be typed (not handwritten) using the fillable online form. Please click HERE to fill out and complete the form. Once completed online, please save it as a PDF and email it to Miss Julia M. Anthon, Directress of Faith Formation.
Choose a Godparent(s) and have each of them obtain Sponsor Forms from the Pastor of the Parish where they are registered and attend Mass. Godparent requirements can be found below. Please ensure that sponsor forms are turned in to Our Lady of Mercy at least one week before the baptism date. For more information about sponsor forms for Godparents, click here.
Schedule a baptism date with the Parish. A date can only be scheduled once a baptism registration form has been completed and emailed to the Parish.
Attend the Baptism Preparation Class, if needed. Parents must attend if this is their first child to be baptized or if it has been longer than three years since the last Baptism. Godparents are not required to attend but are encouraged to attend. The preparation class should be held before the ceremony, but it does not have to be held in the same month. The class takes place inside the church. For a date and time for the class, please contact the pastor.
“What happens in Baptism? What do we hope for from Baptism? You have given a response on the threshold of this Chapel: We hope for eternal life for our children. This is the purpose of Baptism. But how can it be obtained? How can Baptism offer eternal life? What is eternal life?
In simpler words, we might say that we hope for a good life, the true life, for these children of ours, and also for happiness in a future that is still unknown. We are unable to guarantee this gift for the entire span of the unknown future, so we turn to the Lord to obtain this gift from him.”
Preparation Class for the Sacrament of Baptism for Children
The Baptistery at Our Lady of Mercy Church. The font has the symbol of a dove, signifying the descent of the Holy Spirit which occurs at the moment of Baptism.
The baptismal prep class takes place in the church and will be scheduled by the parish priest before the baptism date. This short class explains the meaning and significance of the Sacrament of Baptism and the ceremony itself. Questions are encouraged. Both parents must attend. Godparents are not required to attend but are encouraged to.
The Sacrament of Baptism
Read this reflection on the Sacrament of Baptism in a homily delivered by Pope Benedict XVI on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord during the baptisms of children: Pope Benedict XVI’s homily delivered in the Sistine Chapel at a celebration of Baptisms – January 8, 2006
The Date and Time of Baptisms at Our Lady of Mercy Church
The Sacrament of Baptism occurs every Second Sunday of the Month immediately following the 10:30 AM Mass. Parents and families must attend the 10:30 AM Mass on the day of Baptism.
During the Mass, you are welcome to sit in any pew in the church. During the Baptism, parents and godparents are invited to sit in the pews before the Baptistery. Other family members and friends are welcome to sit in nearby pews. The ceremony lasts about half an hour.
In keeping with Church tradition, Baptisms are not generally scheduled during the Season of Lent. Any other dates and times for baptisms of children at Our Lady of Mercy Church must arranged personally with the pastor to determine his availability.
The Choice of Godparents
Most people do not know the Church’s requirements for a person who is to undertake the role of godmother or godfather. In the Code of Canon Law, a book with the laws that govern and guide the life of the Catholic Church, there are specific regulations regarding sponsors (godparents) for the Sacrament of Baptism and Confirmation. (see below)
At least one godparent is required. There may be two, but they must be one man and one woman. The primary reason for your choice of godparent is that he or she is a committed and practicing Catholic. Family relationships and friendships are important. However, a witness to living the Catholic Faith is more important in the spiritual role of godparents.
Most people have a false understanding of what a godparent truly is. I am sure you have heard it said that if anything happens to the parents, the godparents will raise the child. But is that what being a godparent is all about? No, in fact, the role of the godparent is to be much more than someone to take care of the children if something happens. In fact, that may not even be their role.
So what is a godparent?
A godparent is to be a witness, an inspiration, and a rock-solid example of what it means to be a Roman Catholic in today’s world. That means that the person must be a Catholic not only in name but also by the life they lead each and every day.
Think about it this way: if you were going to send your child to football camp in the summer, who would you want to teach him/her: Tom Brady or someone who only played youth football as a child? You would choose Tom Brady, who not only knows the game, but is excellent and can pass on his knowledge of the game to your child.
In just the same way, you should desire to choose a person as a godparent who is mature in their Catholic Faith. A godparent is not simply a good friend or a family relation but a man or woman who regularly practices their Catholic Faith, attends Mass faithfully and can impart spiritual wisdom to your child through their own witness to Christ and His Church.
“For the grace of Baptism to unfold, the parents’ help is important. So too is the role of the godfather and godmother, who must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptized – child or adult – on the road of Christian life. Their task is a truly ecclesial function (officium). The whole ecclesial community bears some responsibility for the development and safeguarding of the grace given at Baptism.”
Father Healey performs the Sacrament of Baptism on Easter Sunday 2024. At this moment he pours the water three times over the head of the infant while saying, “I baptize you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” With these words and actions, the infant is made a child of God and freed of Original Sin.
The requirements for godparents are:
Be not less than sixteen years of age.
Be a Catholic who has received the Sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation.
If married, they must have been married in the Catholic Church.
Be registered and active members of their parish.
Be living in conformity with Catholic morals and in good standing with the Catholic Church.
May not be the mother or father of the child to be baptized.
Godparents are required to obtain a Sponsor Certificate from the parish in which they are registered members, attesting to their fulfilling the stated requirements above. This must be obtained at least a week prior to the scheduled date of the Baptism. Please ensure the necessary Sponsor Certificates are received before the Baptism and that your child’s name is listed on the form.
Some Considerations in Choosing a Godparent
Before asking someone to serve as a godparent for your child, please be sure they are able to fulfill the requirements of the Catholic Church. This will save the person from any embarrassment and the family from disappointment. The Priest, on behalf of the Church, has a responsibility before God and in justice to ensure these requirements are fulfilled!
Click here to read a column by Bishop Tobin about the important role Godparents play in the formation of young people. Click here for a very informative article on Godparents according to Canon Law.
Please contact the Faith Formation Office at 401.884.4968 or at FaithFormationDIR@olmparish.org if you have further questions.