Baptism
Congratulations! You may be looking at this little page of our website because you are celebrating the birth of a new baby and are looking to arrange their baptism.
What is Baptism?
Baptism is the sacrament where we are born anew into the very life of God, where we are made a Christian, where we are drawn into the family of God and a community of faith. Baptism calls us and anoints us to be like Christ in the way we live, and God's Holy Spirit empowers us and sends us out to be heralds and proclaimers of the Gospel.
Baptism, like the other sacraments, is not 'a thing'. It is a personal, loving encounter with the person of Jesus Christ who calls us to share in his life and in his love. In the waters of the font we are born into the family of the Church. God is our loving Father and the Church our loving Mother. Baptism calls us into one family of faith where we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Adult Baptism
If you are an adult who would like to be baptised, please see our Becoming Catholic page.
Baptising Your Child
When you ask for your child to be baptised, you are making a commitment to bring your child up in the Catholic faith. An essential part of this is bringing your child to Mass each Sunday and making the Catholic faith part of your family’s life.
If you are already attending Mass each Sunday, or once you have started doing so (for at least a few months), please speak to Fr Sean after Mass and ask about having your child baptised. He will then explain the next steps and invite you to the baptism preparation sessions.
There are two preparation sessions. The first is called ‘What is Baptism?’ and the second is called ‘The Responsibilities of Having a Child Baptised in the Catholic Church’. At the first session, you will also receive a baptism guidebook.
Once you have attended both preparation sessions, we can look at arranging a date for your child’s baptism.
Baptism Guidebook
Download Baptism Parents Guidebook