"And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

The Sacrament of Baptism

The Sacraments of Christian Initiation lay the foundation for the entire Christian life. The first of these is Baptism, which is the gateway to life in the Spirit and the life of grace. Through Baptism, we are freed from all sin, and born again of water and the Holy Spirit as adopted sons and daughters of God (Acts 2:3, John 3:5; CCC 1213, 1262). All sins, both original and personal, which separate us from God, are forgiven in baptism. We are made into a new creation, and are united with our Triune God. Thus, we are incorporated into God's family, the church, and we become heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven.

If you are looking to have your child Baptized at St. Michael, please read all of the instructions below before submitting any information. Parents seeking baptism for their child are required to register and both of the parents must attend all classes prior to scheduling the baptism.

If you would simply like to learn more about Baptism, what we believe and why, please feel free to take our Baptism class in which all of these issues are addressed. You can find more details about this class and the Baptismal process in the requirements section of our baptism page. At the bottom of this page, we have included links to more resources to learn more about Baptisms.

COMPLETE THE INQUIRY FORM IF:

1) you have read the paragraphs above

2) you are the parent of a child, your child has been born, and your child needs to receive the Sacrament of Baptism.

3) your child is 6 years old or younger (if the child is over 6, contact our Children Faith Formation Office at (713) 403-4122)

4) you have read over the Baptism Requirements.

BAPTISM REQUIREMENTS

INFANT BAPTISM (0-6 YEARS OLD)

Parents must be able to give assurance that their child will be raised in the practice of the Catholic faith. Through baptism, parents are accepting the responsibility of gifting their Catholic faith to their child.

Prior to presenting their child for Baptism, parents and godparents should attend a baptismal preparation class. Requirements for choosing godparents for your child are listed in the "Godparents" section below. Baptismal preparation class at St. Michael is valid for 4 years. Mothers, we recommend that you and your party attend the preparation session in your 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy so that there is plenty of time to get everything in order.

Online Baptism classes will no longer be available. All Baptism classes from that date will be in person at St. Michael the Archangel.

In order to baptize your child at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, you should be registered parishioners or live within the parish boundaries. If you have a question about your registration, please contact Mary Abrams at 713-403-4119 or mabrams@stmichaelchurch.net

Baptism, and all sacraments, are communal, and touch us as members of a community. They affect not just the individual who receives them, but Christ's whole body--the Church. When something happens to the Church (to paraphrase St. Paul), it happens to the individual as well. Therefore, the rites insist that the sacraments be celebrated in the Christian assembly, with the community present and actively participating. The grace of the sacraments is the grace of the Church in service to others. Thus, baptisms are conducted during the weekend Masses. 

Space is limited. Parents may register for a Baptism Liturgy upon completion of the Baptism Preparation Session, the birth of the child, and the paperwork. Baptism dates are available on a first come, first serve basis.

BAPTISM PAPERWORK

Before you begin the Baptism process, please read and refer to both the Baptism and Baptism Requirements pages.

1) To baptize a child under the age of 6, the parents should submit an Infant Baptism Inquiry form. For children over the age of 6, contact Children's Faith Formation in the Church Office.

2) Email a copy of your child's government-issued certified birth certificate to mabrams@stmichaelchurch.net. If you do not already have your child's certified birth certificate, you will need to request it from the county. 

Please note that the state is behind in processing these requests, but if you ask for the short form of the birth certificate, which we do accept, they can often procure one in a shorter amount of time. A baptismal certificate will not be mailed to parents until the child's birth certificate has been submitted to the parish office.

3) The parents and godparents should have attended a Baptismal Preparation Course within three years of the child's Baptism. A Letter of Attendance may be submitted if the course was taken at another parish. If the course was taken at Saint Michael the Archangel, please submit a request to search our archives.

4) Each godparent should sign and submit a Sponsor Commitment (found below) to the Baptism Office. If a non-Catholic Christian will be Witnessing to the Baptism along with a Catholic godparent, the Christian Witness does not need to sign the form.

Once the office receives ALL required documents, we can reserve a baptism date. Expecting parents, please note that we do not schedule dates until your baby is born. 

Once your child has received the Sacrament of Baptism, the Office of Sacramental Records will send your child's Baptismal Certificate to the address you submitted on the Baptismal Inquiry Form. Please keep in mind that the mother's maiden name will be listed on the Baptism Certificate.

BAPTISM CLASS

Online baptism classes are no longer be available as of September 1, 2021. All classes from that date will be in person at St. Michael the Archangel.

Baptism preparation classes are required to be taken within three years of a child's baptism. Parents seeking baptism for their child are required to register and both of the parents must attend all classes prior to scheduling the baptism.

The course will be given in two parts: Part One: An Introduction to the Sacrament and Part Two: Diving into the Rite.

Part One makes use of an incredible baptism series entitled Reborn. Reborn offers a detailed look into what the Sacrament of Baptism means for you, your child, and your family. 

Part Two includes a quiz over the material from Part One, as well as a detailed review of the Rite of Baptism at Saint Michael the Archangel.

If you have previously completed a Baptism Class with us at St. Michael the Archangel, click here to request a Letter of Attendance.

Baptism Class Dates

Both classes must be taken in conjunction with each other to receive credit. If there is a scheduling conflict, please let us know.

2024 Dates:

May

Tuesday, May 21st & Saturday, May 25th

July

Tuesday, July 9th & Saturday, July 13th

September

Tuesday, September 10th & Saturday, September 14th

November

Tuesday, November 12th & Saturday, November 16th

Tuesday classes are from 6pm to 8pm

Saturday classes are from 2pm to 4pm

All classes are scheduled in Activity Building, Room 21

To register, please click the link below

GODPARENTS

To be chosen as a godparent is a very special honor. Godparents help parents raise their child to be a dedicated Catholic. A godparent cannot accomplish this unless he/she is a deeply dedicated Catholic himself/herself.

Who Can be a Godparent?

When a godparent lives a Christian life in partnership with their godchild, both of them will experience the great joy of sharing a life of faith. To help ensure this, godparents must meet Canon Law requirements and Diocesan Guidelines:

1. A child must have one godparent, but can have only one godmother and one godfather.

2. Any godparent must be at least 16 years of age (for maturity's sake) and be a practicing Catholic, and cannot be a parent of the child. 

- Inspired by the Gospel and sustained by God’s grace, a practicing Catholic gives sincere external expression to their interior faith through specific religious, moral, and ethical behavior, which is in accordance with the teaching of Christ and the Catholic Church. Despite weaknesses and personal sinfulness, a practicing Catholic decides to make only those substantive life choices which follow the “Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6) of Christ.

3. Godparents must have received all three Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation.

4. Godparents must live sacramental lives, i.e. attending Mass at least every Sunday, receiving Communion, making use of the sacrament of Reconciliation frequently

5. Godparents must be registered members of a Catholic parish.

6. Godparents may not be living a life of habitual sin.

7.  If married, godparents must either be in a valid Catholic marriage, or their marriage must be convalidated by the Catholic Church.

8. If single, godparents cannot be cohabitating.

9. Godparents must have the intention of undertaking the ministry of a godparent.

This may seem like a lot of rules, but their purpose is to ensure that the rich and beautiful faith of the Church is passed on to your child in the most loving and authentic way possible.

Can a non-Catholic Christian be involved in my child's Baptism?

A Christian who isn't Catholic can certainly have a strong, positive influence on the faith life of a Catholic child, which is why the Church allows for a non-Catholic Christian to participate in the baptismal ceremony as a witness alongside one godparent (Code of Canon Law #874). The Christian Witness must:

1. be of the opposite gender of the godparent.

2. at least 16 years of age.

3. have already received a Trinitarian Baptism (Baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit).

4. be practicing a faith in a non-Catholic, Christian denomination.

5. belong to an ecclesial community.

A Christian Witness needs to understand his/her responsibility in being a faithful Christian example for the child. If a parent or godparent fails in his/her responsibility to raise their child Catholic, the Christian Witness is required to attend Mass every Sunday with the child, take the child to faith formation programs and classes, pray with the child, etc.

However, the primary goal of Catholic baptism is to initiate a person into deep membership of the Catholic Church. It's almost impossible to achieve that goal without surrounding a young Catholic with a diverse community of dedicated Catholics. The godparent represents that Catholic community and is primary among those who set a good Catholic example for the child. Only one godparent is necessary, but having both a godmother and godfather is preferred.

How to be a Godparent

We strongly encourage the godparents and Christian Witnesses to attend the baptism session with the parents so that they are fully formed to undertake the task ahead of them and sign a Commitment form. Being a Godparent is a lifelong privilege, and the class will help you prepare them to do the best job they can. The salvation of the godchild is partially the Godparent's responsibility, so we want to make sure they are fully formed for the task that lies ahead.

There are many ways you can nurture this spiritual relationship and become a special friend to your godchild:

- Pray for your godchild daily.

- Celebrate the anniversary of this holy day of Baptism each year with a visit or a card. As your godchild grows, listen to and share in the struggles and triumphs of living a Christian life and keep yourself informed on Catholic doctrine and values to be able to answer questions as they arise.

- Encourage a consistent life of faith through special cards, letters, or gifts, which celebrate holy events - Christmas, Easter, personal growth events, graduation, first job, and engagement.

- Participate in, or send assurance of prayer, as your godchild receives the other sacraments, particularly, First Communion and Confirmation, which complete initiation into the Church community, and Reconciliation.

- Be supportive of your godchild’s parents in their role as the primary religious educators of their child.

- And most importantly, become a model of Catholic living for your godchild, through daily prayer, virtuous living and active participation in parish life and liturgy, particularly weekly Sunday Mass.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters. . . . Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin – Original and actual – and begin to live a new life with God.

In Baptism, the Holy Spirit moves us to answer Christ's call to holiness. In Baptism, we are asked to walk by the light of Christ and to trust in his wisdom. We are invited to submit our hearts to Christ with ever deeper love.

In Baptism, and in living the Baptism, lies the future of humanity. Only that which occurs in Baptism, inseperable from the other two Sacraments of Initiation, can change the world, give rise to a new world, a new humanity, made of new men and women, with the newness of Baptism and of a life consistent with the Gospel.  ~from Sacrament Series: Baptism

Pray

God, the giver of all life, human and divine, we ask you to bless us, parents, as we will be the first teachers of our child in the ways of the faith. May we also be the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what we say and do in Christ Jesus, our Lord. God the Father, through your Son, the child of the Virgin Mary, You have brought joy to Christian parents, as we see the hope of eternal life shine on our child. Amen.

Thanksgiving for a Newborn or a Newly Adopted Young Child 

Parent's Thanksgiving 

Blessing on a Child's Birthday 

Learn

Explore the USCCA to learn about the Rite of Baptism and the effects of the sacrament. | en español

A Mother's Reflection on Liturgy: Word, Sign, Symbol, Ritual 

Act

Baptism: Incorporated into Christ's Body, Sent on Christ's Mission | en español

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?: Teaching our Children about the Saints | en español