Baptism

“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.  Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission.”  Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1213

Why Baptize?

Children are baptized to remove original sin. When someone is baptized, original sin along with any sin they have committed up to that point are forgiven and the punishment of them are relieved. The newly baptized person is now a “new creature”. They become an adoptive child of God and they now form a part of the Body of Christ. They now are in communion with all Christians. Baptism also leaves a spiritual mark on the baptized of belonging to Christ that cannot ever be taken away or erased.

What Is The Role Of Parents And Sponsors (Godparents)?

Both parents and sponsors are responsible for the spiritual life of the newly baptized. That is why we ask for a class to be taken by the parents and sponsors The date of the class will be given at the time of registration.

Parents make the decision to baptize their child and as such teach and guide the child in the Catholic faith.

Sponsors are to take over or assist in the faith development of the person being baptized in the event that his/her parents cannot or if they neglect the child.

We hope that in keeping in mind the information above you may want to introduce your child into the Catholic Church through Baptism. Below are the requirements to baptize at our parish of St. Cajetan:

Requirements for Baptism

• The original birth certificate of the child
• Parents and sponsors must attend a class
• Parents and Sponsors must complete a form that can be found in the office.
• Sponsors must:
  • Must be catholic
  • Must be older than 16
  • Have the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation
  • If they are a couple, they must be married by the church. Sponsors that are living together must be married through the Catholic Church.
• Children over the age of 7 years of age need to register for religious education classes. Cannot be baptized until religious education classes are completed.

Baptisms are every Saturday morning. To reserve your date, come into the office opened Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. or Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with the above requirements. The office is closed daily from 12:00 p.m. to 1 p.m. For additional questions you may call 303-922-6306.

Requirements For Sponsors

According to the Code of Canon Law, canons 872-874:

“Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents an infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.  There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each. To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:

1) be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;

2) have completed the sixteenth year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;

3) be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;

4) not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;

5) not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.