Ministries

Baptism Committee

Baptisms are held every Sunday at 1:30pm in St. Veronica's Church. Arrangement must be made through the Rectory in advance, preferably before the baby is born. Parents are required to be registered in St. Veronica's.

Preparing for Baptism

Infant Baptism
It has been the constant practice of the Roman Catholic church from the earliest times to administer the Sacrament of Baptism to infants. Parents very naturally want to pass along to their child their own faith and the values that flow from their faith. Baptism marks the beginning of this faith life.

Pope John Paul II calls the family the Adomestic Church.@ The Christian home where the child begins to experience life is part of a collection of families called the Church. At Baptism the parents and sponsors along with the whole Christian community take upon themselves the responsibility to make the Church and the world a place that will offer the newly Baptized the love and support needed to grow to full Christian adulthood.

Our community at St. Veronica's usually celebrates The Rite of Baptism every Sunday at 1:30 P.M. All parishioners as well as your family and friends are invited to join in the Celebration of the Sacrament.

STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO PREPARE FOR BAPTISM
1. Register in the Parish: Parents of the child to be Baptized must be registered members of St. Veronica's. If you are not already registered or have failed to re-register after 1984, you may need to re- register. You may do so by contacting the Parish office.

2. Data for Baptism Register: You will be contacted by the Baptism Coordinator who will collect the information necessary for the Baptism register and help you to plan your child's Baptism.

3. Selecting Godparents: Godparents should play a very important role in your child's spiritual life. They should serve as role models in the faith - spiritual mentors so to speak. The child should be able to look to their Godparent as an example of how the church teaches us to live our Catholic faith. They should support not only the child but you, the parents as well. Additionally, in their role as Godparent, they represent the larger community - the Church. This being the case, the role of Godparent is not only an honor, it is a tremendous responsibility. Therefore, the Godparents should be carefully chosen. In recognizing the importance of the Godparent and their duties, the Church has provided guidelines to help the parents choose the best possible Godparents for their children. St. Veronica's strictly adheres to the cannon law in all aspects of Baptism. If potential Godparents are not practicing members of the church or have alienated themselves through invalid marriage, or conversion from the Catholic faith to any other faith, they should not be considered and will not be accepted .

The Church requirements for Roman Catholic Godparents are:

• A child must have one practicing Roman Catholic Sponsor in good standing with the Church.
• A sponsor must be at least 16 years of age, educated in the faith, and be mature enough to understand, accept and carry out the duties of a godparent.
• A godparent must have received the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.
• A godparent must be living an exemplary life consistent with faith and morals as taught by the Roman Catholic Church.
• A godparent must be actively practicing the faith ( participating in mass and receiving the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist on a regular basis).
  
  Note: If a godparent is married, their marriage must be valid according to Catholic tradition and teaching.
  A non Catholic, baptized Christian, may be chosen as a Christian Witness as long as one sponsor is Roman Catholic.
  If two sponsors are chosen, they may not be of the same gender. If both are Catholic, both must meet all the criteria above

4. Sponsor Eligibility Letters: All Sponsors and Christian Witnesses must obtain and provide a letter of eligibility from their parish stating that they are members in good standing and are eligible to act as a Sponsor for Baptism. This includes godparents from St. Veronica's . These letters should be submitted as soon as possible - but no later than 12 days before Baptism. Late letters may require a postponement of Baptism. They may be hand delivered in a sealed envelope to the rectory. Please write: ATT: BAPTISM COMMITTEE, the child's LAST NAME and the Baptism date if it has been chosen. Letters may also be brought to the Baptism Workshop providing it is at least 12 days before the Baptism.

5. Attend Baptism Preparation Workshop: Our Church requires parents to become more informed about the Sacrament of Baptism as they prepare to celebrate it for their children. Workshops are held monthly. All godparents are encouraged to attend the Baptism Workshop. If they are local, they are expected to attend.

6. Scheduling the Baptism: Group Baptisms ( limited to 7 children) are normally held every Sunday at 1:30 P.M. Baptisms are also celebrated during mass ( limited to 2 children) once a month on a rotating mass schedule. The Baptism coordinator will assist you in setting up your child's Baptism date. Arrangements should be made for Baptism before other plans are considered.

7. Naming Your Child: The name you select in addition to your family name will provide your child with a unique identity. It should be a name that has meaning, not just a nice sound. The long standing tradition of the Church has been to give at least one name of a Saint or person from our Biblical tradition. This AChristian@ name will provide your child with a model for Christ-centered living.

8. Pictures At the Baptism: Photographs and video are encouraged at the Baptism Ceremony. These are excellent means of sharing the memory of this joyous and special day with your child as (s)he grows in age and faith. They will also turn out to be a good teaching tool. Please be sure to follow the instructions of the Celebrant to insure that you will be getting the best pictures and not interfering with the ceremony.

9. Clothing and Candle: A white robe or gown is customary but not required. Whatever clothing is worn should be loose enough at the neck to allow anointing of the child's breast. If a hat is worn, it should be easily removed. The parish will provide a white Baptismal bib and a decorated candle. After the ceremony they will be yours to keep as a reminder of this joyous milestone. The candle can be burned on Baptismal anniversaries and when the child receives other Sacraments in the future.

10. Family Donation: There is no fee, however many families wish to offer a donation on the occasion of their child's Baptism. Your offering to St. Veronica's Church may be placed in an envelope ( with your name and address please) and given to the celebrant on the day of the Baptism. For your convenience an envelope has been provided.

11. Baptismal Record and Certificate: The Baptism will be recorded in the permanent records of St. Veronica Parish from the information you provide. Therefore please be sure of the accuracy of information and the spelling of names. A certificate will be presented to you following the Baptism ceremony. Later, whenever a certificate might be needed, it can be prepared from the parish record.

12. Baptismal Water: It is a nice idea to retain a small amount of the blessed Baptism water with which your child will be Baptized. Please bring a small leakproof container ( a bottle or jar ) to the ceremony and ask the celebrant, assistant, or feel free to help yourself.

If you are not registered at Saint Veronica's, (live in Howell) and would like to do so, please contact us.