Baptism is one of the greatest gifts that Christ has given us, and one of the greatest gifts that parents can give to their children!  Through Baptism, a person is united to the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; or, to put it another way, what Jesus did for us by dying and rising is applied to the person baptized.

When someone is baptized, the risen life of the Lord Jesus begins to live in that person’s soul. This person begins the adventure of the Christian life, in which he or she is called to become like Jesus Himself. It is our union with the Lord Jesus, which begins with Baptism, that gives us the hope of heaven.

Baptism then is far more than a "naming ceremony" or even just a blessing for a new child. It should be the highest priority of every Christian parent to see that children are baptized very early in their lives. Because of the importance of Baptism, this Sacrament is approached with great reverence and care in the Church. 

The community of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Church has the following guidelines:

Parent(s) anticipating a baptism for their first baby/child:

• Must be registered members of Sacred Hearts Parish, or must have a relational tie to the parish with a letter from the pastor of their own parish, delegating us permission to Baptize their child.
• If this is your first child, at least one parent (but preferably both parents) must attend a baptism preparation class at the Sacred Hearts.  Baptism classes are held in the Parish Center; to register please contact the Christian Formation office at 837-8509.
• Parents who have had a previous child baptized or parents of children over the age of seven who are seeking Baptism should call the Christian Formation office at 837-8509 for the appropriate paperwork. 

Scheduling a Baptism:

• The appropriate paperwork must be turned into the Parish. Both the Baptism Registration Form and both Godparent/Sponsor Forms must be completed and submitted to the parish office before the baptism date can be scheduled.
• Baptism may be celebrated during any of our weekend Masses (except during the season of Lent) or after the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Mass. To arrange a date, call the Christian Formation Office 837-8509.  

Criteria for Godparents:

• Must be at least 16 years old, and a baptized & confirmed Catholic
• Not be the mother or father of the one to be baptized
• Accept to cooperate in the spiritual life and development of the godchild
• Be a member of a Catholic parish
• A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community may be admitted as a witness to baptism together with the Catholic sponsor