Congratulations on the birth of your child!

Our parish family welcomes this newest member and celebrates with you this precious gift of life from God.  We seek to support you in your role as the primary teacher(s) of your child’s faith and to uphold our role as a community of believers who witness within our Catholic Tradition. Together we hope to reflect to your child this community’s welcoming embrace as well as the faith and Tradition of our Catholic Church.

At baptism in the presence of the community, you and your child’s godparents, will profess for your child the faith of the Church. Your profession of faith is an expression of your desire and commitment to proclaim and model the Catholic way of life for your child. It is the beginning of a life-long journey for your child’s religious formation within the Catholic Tradition. In later years your child will be invited to make this same profession of faith for themselves at the celebration of the sacrament of confirmation.

Our parish family is blessed by your willingness to join your child to this faith community through baptism. We appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and assist you in the preparation process.

The Baptism Ministry Team

 

WHY DO WE BAPTIZE?

Baptism symbolizes immersion into the Catholic Christian way of life in the fullest sense.  It is an initiation into the People of God and the mission of Jesus Christ. As such, it invites a lifetime of ongoing faith development that is initially modeled by the faith of parents, godparents, and the community of believers.

 

WHO MAY BE BAPTIZED?

Any child up to the age of six years may be baptized as long as there is well founded hope that this child will be raised in the Catholic faith.  Minimally, the child should be afforded the opportunity to receive the sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation. This standard recognizes parents as the primary educators of their child’s faith development and presumes their active participation in the life of the community.

 

WHERE SHOULD A CHILD BE BAPTIZED?

The communal character of Baptism implies that a single celebration for several children is preferable and should be conferred in the presence of the faithful. The church building, an important symbol of God’s gathering community, is the normal place. Baptisms that are individual and quasi-private are not the preferred norm.

 

WHAT IS THE PREPARATION PROCESS?

Since baptism of children relies primarily upon the faith of parents and godparents, pre-baptism preparation is essential to discerning if there is “a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic religion”. (Code of Canon Law, #868,1,2) It is the responsibility of the community of believers to provide this formational process. We ask that you, therefore, consider carefully the following requirements before enrolling your child for baptism:

 

Review and follow instructions and complete all baptism enrollment materials:

Baptism Enrollment Form: Fill out the Baptism Enrollment Form online at www.smdpyl.org or select the form at the end of the guidelines. You can either submit the form electronically or print the form. If you print the form, please print legibly since this information is used to complete your child’s baptism certificate and to record in the church registries. You may return the completed form to the parish office or mail it to:

Baptism Ministry

St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church

19767 Yorba Linda Blvd.

Yorba Linda, Ca   92886

 

Godparents  must have a letter from their Parish showing that they

are registered, active parishioners and are able to sponsor a child.

 

The following is a Baptism enrollment process checklist for parents.

• The child is required to have a Catholic Saints name either for the first name or for the middle name.  (http://www.catholic-saints.info/)


• The last name (surname) recorded on the Baptism Certificate and in the official Baptismal records at this Parish is to be the legal last name of the child (the name recorded on the Birth Certificate  unless the name has been legally changed).


• Criteria for selecting Godparents:

 

The Godparents assist the parents in the formation of their child’s faith development. As such, they profess, proclaim, and model the Catholic Christian way of life. For this reason, when selecting godparents, the requirements are:

 

• At a minimum, one must be a Catholic godparent who is a practicing, confirmed catholic, participating in Sunday liturgies, and willing to share the faith with their godchild. If the godparent is married, the marriage must have been performed in the Catholic Church.


• A maximum of two godparents, not necessarily the same sex as the child and not always one male and one female (may be two males or two females)


• At least 16 years of age and received First Eucharist and Confirmation


• Cannot be the mother or father of the child to be baptized

 

Note:

The use of proxies for godparents, while permitted, is discouraged.Non-Catholics may not act as godparents. However, together with a Catholic godparent AND for a sufficient reason, a baptized non-Catholic may act as a “Christian witness” to the baptism.

• If the Godparents have never sponsored a child before they are required to take Baptismal classes either at their own parish or they are welcome to take them at St. Martin’s if they live close by.
• If they have been a Godparent in the last three years no classes are required.
• ***All requirements by Godparents need to be received in the office prior to scheduling the preparation sessions and Baptism.

• Completion of a Wednesday and Friday Session by both parents and Godparents.


• Written confirmation of scheduled baptism preparation sessions and baptism date.

NOTE: If an interview is deemed necessary, you will be notified directly.

 

WHEN ARE THE PREPARATION SESSIONS HELD?

Once the enrollment paperwork is completed and provided to the Parish office, preparation sessions and Baptisms may be scheduled.

• The Wednesday Session is held once a month from 7:15-9:00 p.m. in the Parish Center. It includes an in-depth look at the sacrament of Baptism and the role of parents/godparents in the faith  development of their child (limit class size 20).


• The Friday Session is held once a month from 7:15-9:00 p.m. in the Parish   Center.  It includes an overview of the baptism process, a church tour, and a rehearsal for the rite (limit class size 30).

 

BOTH PARENTS and GODPARENTS are required to attend a Wednesday and Friday Sessions prior to the baptism itself. Parents and Godparents will be asked to listen and participate in the sessions, we recommend that they make child care arrangements if necessary.

Exception: Parents who have had a child baptized in this parish within the past three years AND can verify participation in both of these required preparation sessions may have the attendance requirement waived. Participants in out-of-parish baptisms may be given a certificate of course completion only if they attend both classes at our parish. An interview may be required whenever exceptions are made to the parish policy.

 

WHEN WILL THE BAPTISM TAKE PLACE?

Baptisms are celebrated once a month on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in the church.

There are no baptisms during the Lenten season. Baptisms have a maximum limit of 10 children per liturgy. Complete your enrollment paperwork and schedule your preparation sessions and baptism dates as soon as possible. All details of the celebration itself will be given to you at the pre-baptism sessions.

Remember that detailed plans for your baptism should not be made until your scheduled date has been confirmed.

 

WHAT IS THE COST OF ENROLLMENT FOR BAPTISM?

There is no charge for any sacrament or for the services provided by the baptism ministry team or the presider at the sacrament itself. It is customary, however, to make a donation to the Church according to your ability to pay and your personal generosity.

 

Baptismal Certificates:

A certificate of Baptism will be provided to you at the conclusion of your child’s baptism.

We welcome and encourage your responses on the evaluation. If you have any concerns with this parish policy, please contact the pastor or a member of the pastoral staff to discuss your concerns. Other additional information may be obtained by calling the parish office Monday-Friday at (714) 970-2771 between 8:00-4:00 p.m.

 

Infant Baptism Enrollment Form:

By clicking on the “Enrollment Button” below, you will be sent to the “Baptism Enrollment Form”. You can fill in the information electronically and once completed, the enrollment form will be sent to the parish receptionist. The receptionist will review the form for completeness, contact you with information for the Wednesday/Friday classes and assign a date for the Sunday baptism.

 

If you print the form, please print legibly since this information is used to complete your child’s baptism certificate and to record in the church registries. You may return the completed form to the parish office or mail it to:

Baptism Ministry

St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church

19767 Yorba Linda Blvd.

Yorba Linda, Ca   92886

 

The parish receptionist will review the form for completeness, contact you with information for the Wednesday/Friday classes and assign a date for the Sunday baptism.

 

Please call the parish office (714- 970 2771) if you need any assistance.