Baptism | Bautismo
Baptism is the sacrament by which we are washed of original sin, enter into Christ's Church, and become Children of God. At St Joseph we want your baptism to be both a beautiful moment, as well as the beginning of a fruitful journey with Jesus Christ.
We welcome your family on this joyous occasion and look forward to helping you prepare to celebrate your infant's baptism! Please contact us 3-4 months ahead of your desired baptism date. Date of baptism will not be confirmed until all paperwork/retreat is completed and on file with the Children & Family Ministry office.
INFANT BAPTISM
Infant Baptism (infants and children under the age of seven) is the normative way to begin the initiation of children into the Church.
* (For information regarding children over the age of 7, please scroll to the bottom of this page) *
Getting Started
1. Register: The family must be registered members of St. Joseph Catholic Church and attending Sunday Mass here regularly and/or live in our Parish boundaries.
At least one parent must be a practicing Catholic, in good standing. The Catholic parent is required to “make a sincere promise to do all in his or her power so that all offspring are baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church.” The spouse of a different faith needs to be clearly informed about that promise.
2. Baptism Intake Form: Please fill out the baptism intake form below. Upon receipt of your intake form, someone from the office of Children & Family Ministry will contact you to schedule a visit and to discuss the next steps in baptizing your infant.
3. Required Documents: The following documents must be received before a date for the Baptism can be scheduled. The documents may be brought to the office of Children & Family Ministry, mailed, or emailed to faithform@stjosephcc.net:
a copy of the child’s birth certificate (long form)
a copy of the parents’ baptismal certificate or marriage certificate issued by the Catholic Church
a copy of the godparent(s) baptismal certificate with notations (ie., other sacraments listed)
completion of Baptism Preparation Course at St Joseph Catholic Church
4. Baptism Preparation Course: We offer a Baptismal Preparation Course for those families who are baptizing their child at St Joseph Catholic Church. These courses consists of two (2) sessions. The parents must attend the first session and the parents and godparent(s) should attend the second session.
At the visit with our team, you’ll be given the information to register for a Baptism Preparation course. There is a $50 materials fee for this course.
5. Scheduling: Baptisms at St Joseph are scheduled on most Saturdays (11:30am) and Sundays (4:00pm) of each month. Please note: all documents required by Canon (Church) Law must be on file with the with our office prior to choosing a baptism date. Scheduling any celebrations or placing a deposit with a venue without a confirmed date of baptism from the office of Children & Family Ministry is at your own risk.
Godparent Requirements
Only one godparent is required for Baptism, however, it is customary for a child to have two godparents. If the child is to have two godparents, one must be male and the other female. In addition to completion of the Baptism Preparation Class at St Joseph, the godparent(s) must:
Be at least 16 years of age
Be a practicing Catholic who has been Confirmed, has already received the sacrament of the Eucharist, and leads a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken
Submit baptismal certificate with notations
If married, is in a valid Catholic marriage (able to submit copy of marriage certificate issued by the Catholic Church - civil marriage certificate issued by the state does not meet the requirement)
If unmarried, is living according to Catholic teaching
Not be the father or the mother of the one to be baptized
If you have someone who you would like to participate in the baptism of your child but is not of the Catholic faith or is a Catholic who does not meet the requirements, that person may serve as a Christian Witness and would not have to attend the Baptism Preparation Class or submit sacramental documents.
Frequently Asked Question’s
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When the church of baptism (a person’s “church of record”) completes a certificate and places a seal on the certificate, they are verifying and documenting that the information is correct – it is then handwritten in a log book (chronologically by date of baptism). See - http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P2Z.HTM
When an additional sacrament is completed, notification is always sent back to the original "church of record." There it is handwritten on the same line as the baptism record. Prior to the sacraments of marriage and holy orders, or becoming a Godparent or sponsor, a person will need to request a “new” copy with all of the sacraments noted on the certificate. The log books with this information are all kept in a vault because they are so important.
When parishes require a recent certificate of baptism, they mean dated within the last six months. They want to see the very latest notations that may have been made on the record. That’s why it’s so important to keep it updated.To obtain a copy of your baptismal certificate with notations, contact the church where you were baptized. To request a certificate for a baptism received at St Joseph, click the link in the box under this FAQ section.
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A parent or legal guardian is the only one who can request a copy of a certificate for their minor child - the child cannot.
After a child turns 18, he/she must request his/her own certificate.
The spouse or adult child of a named person (deceased) may request sacramental records.
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If you know the location of other sacraments you have received, such as confirmation or marriage, contact that parish directly to inquire of your known sacraments. Some non-baptismal records include the place and date of a baptism.
If you attended a Catholic school, request your school record to inquire the date/location of your sacraments. A school record may be obtained via a request to the school you attended and/or an (arch)diocese.
Additionally, you may directly contact a parish in which you believe you may have been baptized to request a search for your record. For further assistance, contact the (arch)diocese in which you believe you may have been baptized.
(from Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops)
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Sacramental records are handwritten records and stored at a parish or diocesan archive; therefore, it is advised to first contact the parish in which you made a sacrament to submit any changes.
Sacramental records must reflect the legal documents (ie., names are recorded as listed on birth certificate). Be prepared to submit the legal document reflecting the correct spelling/name.
(from Texas Catholic Conference o Bishops)
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We recognize that not everyone's faith journey looks the same. So, whatever the situation, we are here to assist each family on their unique journey. If you have additional questions or concerns about the process, just let us know.
Contact the office of Children & Family Ministry:
Adela Cristan, Administrative Assistant (Spanish) adelac@stjosephcc.net
Carmen Fernandez, Associate Director (Spanish) carmenf@stjosephcc.net
Christie McGee, Director christiem@stjosephcc.net
Baptism for 7 and up
If you have a child 7 years or older who needs to be baptized, they will be fully initiated into the Church and receive their Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation through our RCIA Adapted for Children program.
Anyone 18 and up would go to RCIA and speak with Deacon Richard Nelson. You may also request a meeting simply to learn more.