Regina De Spain
Infant Baptism Preparation

(602) 954-9089

Hello,
It is always a joyous occasion when a new Catholic comes into the Church. Below are the requirements for Infant Baptism and a brief overview of the process. To begin Baptism preparations please contact me by phone or email to schedule your introduction meeting with a Baptism Minister. All class schedules, forms, and baptism schedules will be provided at your introductory meeting.

General Policy for Baptism of children at St. Thomas the Apostle

1. Parents, living within our parish boundaries, must be registered and actively participating members of St. Thomas the Apostle Church before beginning the Baptismal process.
2. Parents living outside the parish boundaries must be registered and actively participating members of the parish for a minimum of 3 months prior to beginning preparations for Baptism.
3. If registered in another parish and the grandparents of the infant to be baptized are registered parishioners of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, the parents must have a letter of permission from the pastor of their home parish.
4. *Parents are REQUIRED to attend an introduction interview with a member of the baptismal team.*
5. To schedule a meeting and/or reserve a spot for formal baptismal class please contact staff member above.

Godparent requirements and information.
Godparents are to be chosen for their faith commitment and ability to assist the Godchild and parents with the faith journey. It is customary to have two Godparents, however only one is required for baptism.

A Godparent may be either male or female. If two are chosen then one must be male and the other female. Only one of each gender may be listed as Godparents. Godparents may be required to attend one formal baptismal class.

*Godparents must meet the following requirements:

• 16 years of age or older.
• Must be fully-initiated Roman Catholics (Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion)
• Must be married in the Catholic Church or have their marriage blessed by the Catholic Church. If single, must be living a chaste single-life, not cohabitating or civilly married only.
• Must be active practicing Catholics in full communion with the Catholic Church & striving to live a life in harmony with Its Teachings; including being registered in a parish & attending Sunday Mass on a weekly basis.
• To be chosen as a godparent is a special honor and is not to be taken lightly.

Ceremonial procedures
The sacrament of baptism is a community sacrament. It allows the Catholic community to welcome your baby into the family of the Church. For this reason, we only offer group baptisms. All baptisms take place immediately after daily mass; parents, friends and family are invited and encouraged to attend mass at 8:30am, which would be a great way to prepare for the Rite of Baptism, baptisms start at 9:15am and are held one Saturday per month. (Please refer to the baptismal schedule that will be presented at the personal interview for beginning Baptismal preparation.)
*Please note that dates are tentative until all requirements and necessary paperwork is returned, requirements MUST be met and completed no later than two weeks before the baptismal date.*

Helpful Links About Baptism

Q & A about Baptism
Understanding the Rite of Baptism
The Role of the Godparent