Baptisms
2025 Baptisms
The baptism schedule and dates for 2025 will be advised shortly. There will be no baptisms in January or February 2025.
Prior to the baptism, we require families to attend a Baptism preparation session and a Welcome to the parish mass.
Baptism Preparation Session
St James’ Church, 2 Woolley Street, Forest Lodge.
This preparation session happens prior to the Welcome to the Parish Sunday Mass and Baptism ceremony to help you in preparing for your child’s reception of the sacrament of Baptism. This session is approximately an hour and half, and it will cover the foundation of the Church’s teaching on Baptism, the spiritual aspects of the sacrament, with a step-by-step explanation of the rite itself. It is an opportunity for you to connect with the parish community and with other parents who are also having their child baptised. The Godparents are encouraged to attend the preparation session with the parents as they have an important role in helping to foster the spiritual life of the child.
Welcome to the Parish Sunday Mass
The Sacrament of Baptism is a joyous event for your family and for the whole Church. The parish community wants to partake in this joyful occasion in which your child initiates his/her journey of faith. The Welcome to the Parish Sunday Mass follows the Baptismal preparation session and it is celebrated with other families. It happens during specific Sunday Masses, with the parents, the child, and possibly the godparents (if able) attending, where you are introduced as a family to the parish community.
The Baptism Ceremony
The Baptism Ceremony takes approximately 45 minutes and is celebrated with other families.
A white garment is required for your child and a baptismal candle. The candle can be plain or decorated.
In the Church’s tradition, children from more than one family are often baptised together to exemplify that they are entering God’s family.
Godparents
- Godparents must be over the age of 16 and have been baptised and confirmed.
- At least one godparent is required.
- If you have two godparents, there must be a godfather and godmother.
- No more than two godparents are permitted.
- A baptised non-Catholic Christian will be recorded as a witness and not as a godparent.
- An Orthodox Catholic can be a godparent, together with a Catholic godparent.
What you Need to Bring to the Baptism
A Baptismal Candle and a White Garment is required. The White Garment can consist of an entire garment which is white, or simply a while cloth with a hole in the middle to place over their baby’s head after their child is Baptised. The Baptism Candle can be decorated with symbols of Baptism – such as a dove or water being poured from a shell, including the name of your son/daughter – but it does not have to be decorated. You can decorate your own Baptism Candles by purchasing special pens that write on candles.
Baptism of children from outside the Parish
As part of the pastoral plan of our Parish we like to support all Catholic Parishes. Part of this support is encouraging those who come from outside the Parish to seek their own local Parish for the baptism of their child. This is so families may be able to make connection with their own local Parish and Parish Priest. Therefore we are unable to accept a booking for baptisms at St Bede’s Pyrmont or St James Forest Lodge if you reside outside the boundries of the Parish. We respectfully suggest that you make contact with your local Parish to arrange the baptism of your child.
Office hours are Monday to Friday 9.30am-2.30pm
For information about having your child baptised please contact the Parish Office on 9660 1407 or email [email protected]
How is Baptism prefigured in the Old Covenant?
In the Old Covenant, Baptism was prefigured in various ways: water, was seen as a source of life and of death; in the Ark of Noah, which was saved by means of water; in the passing through the Red Sea, which liberated Israel from Egyptian slavery; in the crossing of the Jordan River, that brought Israel into the promised land which is the image of eternal life.
Who brought to fulfilment those prefigurations?
All the Old Covenant prefigurations find their fulfilment in Jesus Christ. At the beginning of his public life, Jesus had himself baptised by John the Baptist in the Jordan. On the cross, blood and water, signs of Baptism and the Eucharist, flowed from his pierced side. After his resurrection he gave to his apostles this mission: “Go forth and make disciple of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
In what does the essential Rite of Baptism consist?
The essential rite of this sacrament consists in immersing the candidate in water or pouring water over his or her head while invoking the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
What is required of one who is to be baptised?
Everyone who is to be baptised is required to make a profession of faith. This is done personally in the case of an adult or by the parents and by the church in the case of infants. Also the godfather or the godmother and the whole ecclesiastical community share the responsibility for baptismal preparation (catechumenate) as well as for the development and safeguarding of the faith and grace given at baptism.
Who can baptise?
The ordinary ministers of Baptism are the bishop and the priest. In the Latin Church the deacon can also baptise. In case of necessity any person can baptise provided that he has the intention of doing what the Church does. This is done by pouring water on the head of the candidate while saying the Trinitarian formula for Baptism: “I baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
What are the effects of Baptism?
Baptism takes away original sin, all personal sins and all punishment due to sin. It makes the baptised person a participant in the divine life of the trinity through sanctifying grace, the grace of justification which incorporates one into Christ and into his Church. It gives one a share in the priesthood of Christ and provides the basis for communion with all Christians. It bestows the theological virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. A baptised person belongs forever to Christ. He is marked with the indelible seal of Christ (character).
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