Rejoice in the gift of a child! "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 and daugthers of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission." -Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1213.

Because of the great importance of this sacrament in the life of a child, parents and Godparents are required to attend Baptism preparation classes.There are two options for accomplishing this.  The classes can be done online or in person. 

To watch the classes online you will first need to log into Formed.org.  Instructions for this are found on the left side of this page.  Once you are logged in you will watch the 6 videos that comprise the Reborn baptism prep series.    

Classes which are attended in person are held in conjunction with St Mary's Cathedral and St. Joseph Church. Classes meet the first and second Thursdays of January, March, May, September and November at 7 pm in St Mary's Hartmann Hall. Out-of-town godparents may take classes in their parish. These classes only need to be attended once.

The class topics include a brief overview of the sacraments, focusing on Baptism and the Rite of Baptism. The second session is designed to assist you in introducing your child to the Catholic faith. Written permission must be obtained from the pastor to have a child baptized in a parish other than the one in which you are registered. Please contact both parishes to make the necessary arrangements. For more information please call Amy Deibert.

Steps to prepare for Baptism:
 

1. Please fill out the Baptismal Information Page. This helps us keep track of the families preparing for the Sacrament of Baptism.  Before filling this our please read this Q&A sheet which explains the requirements for choosing Godparents which will inform your decison in picking Godparents for your child. 

Baptism Information Page

2. Contact Amy at the Parish office to schedule the Baptism date and make arrangements to attend Baptism Preparation Classes either in person or online if needed. The date for Baptism is not finalized until all requirements are met; however, we do like to have them on the parish's calendar for liturgical preparation. Baptisms are normally done at Sunday Masses because the Sacrament of Baptism is the child's entrance into the community of believers, which gathers for the celebration of Mass; however, exceptions will be made based on family requests.

3. Godparents must fill out the "Godparent Good Standing Affirmation."

Holy Trinity Parishioner Good Standing Affirmation
Non-Parishioner Good Standing Affirmation

4. Parents need to be registered at Holy Trinity or have the written permission from their pastor to have their child baptized at Holy Trinity. To register in the parish, please complete this form.

5. After the Baptismal Information Page, Godparent Good Standing Affirmations, and Permission from pastors (if needed) are received and the Baptism Preparation Classes have been attended  (if needed), the Baptism date is confirmed. The parish staff is here to help with these steps, so please do not hesitate to call or email if you have any problems/concerns completing the requirements documents or attending the classes. We want your child's Baptism to be a joyous celebration!

6. On the date of your child's Baptism, please plan to be at the Church 10-15 minutes early so that Fr. Tom can give instruction on how the Rite of Baptism will take place for your child. This also helps us ensure there is enough seating for family and friends at Mass.