The Sacrament of Baptism in the Catholic Church
“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 of you” (Matthew
28:19-20). Baptism is the first sacrament
celebrated in the process of becoming a full member of the Church
community. It is the first of the three Sacraments of Initiation –
Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.
Baptism, like all the sacraments of the Church, is a gift from God.
In Baptism we use water which is a universal symbol. Water is absolutely
essential for all life. Water cleanses and restores. It is the waters
of Baptism which give us new life. In accordance, through Baptism we
also die to our old sinful selves in order to be restored and
resurrected in the new life of Christ.
“The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich reality that
includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into
the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a
member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the
person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and
made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ.” — Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1279
Registered parishioners are encouraged to have their children
baptized at St. Joseph’s. Non-Parishioners are invited to register as
Parishioners. Baptisms take place on Saturday mornings or on Sundays
after the 10:30 a.m. Mass.
In preparing for your child’s baptism:
Parents must be active, registered parishioners at St. Joseph’s
Catholic Church. Parents and godparents are required to attend the
Pre-Baptismal Program prior to the ceremony. Call the Parish Office to
register. If the godparent is from out of town, we would appreciate if
he or she would attend a class at one’s local parish and send us a
letter of good standing to that effect.
Some useful hints:
Choosing Godparents: There are two godparents only, who should be
chosen based on one’s ability to help you raise your child in the belief
and teachings of the Catholic Church. Godparents are active, registered
parishioners of their parish; they must be both baptized
Christians and Catholic.
Checklist:
- Have you filled out the Baptismal Questionnaire with someone from
the Faith Formation Office and confirmed the date and time of the
Baptismal ceremony?
- Have you attended the Pre-Baptismal Program?
- Have the godparents attended the Pre-Baptismal Program?
- Have you sent in letters of good standing for the godparents from out-of-town?
For older children age 7 and up seeking baptism:
RCIA (adapted for older children) requires participation in Family
and Children’s Faith Formation (FCFF) or Youth Ministry. Additional
baptismal preparation sessions for children candidates and parents will
be scheduled accordingly. Contact the Director for Religious Education
at the Parish Office.
For adults age 18 and up seeking baptism:
Please see the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program.
Marriage:
Planning
to get married? Congratulations! We rejoice with you! We hope you will
use this special time to deepen your relationship with God and with each
other. A wedding is only for a day; a marriage is for a lifetime. Some
people wish to marry at St. Joseph’s; others wish to be married
elsewhere. Some mixed-religion couples wish to be married by a different
minister rather than a Catholic priest or deacon, but want their
marriage recognized by the Church. Whatever your circumstances, we wish
to be of service.
Marriage preparation:
Marriage requires preparation. The policy in the Diocese of Syracuse
requires a minimum six-month preparation period. We can best serve you
at St. Joseph’s, if:
Do you plan to marry at another parish?
We will prepare your required paperwork here and send it to the
parish where you will be married. Unless stated otherwise, we expect you
to attend pre-Cana here as well as preparation meetings with the pastor
or deacon. Talk to the priest or deacon assigned about what
arrangements can be made.
What are the steps?
- If you are not a parishioner or an associate member, please write a
letter directly to the pastor to explain your special circumstances. You
will be contacted soon. Remember, no wedding date can be set until both
parties are free to marry; the timing will vary depending on the case.
-
Get your paperwork in order and attend the introductory wedding
class (Pre-Cana). This weekend-long class both explains the process and
provides an introduction to marriage.
-
Schedule your regular meetings (at least three) with the priest or
deacon assigned to you. These meetings will explore the spirituality of
the marriage, deepening your relationship, handling conflict and
improving your communication.
-
There are various programs you may want to consider exploring
together with the priest or the deacon such as FOCCUS, which provide a
wonderful opportunity for you as a couple to learn each other’s ideas
about the different aspects that make a good marriage, and to identify
those areas that still need to be discussed.
-
Plan the Wedding Ceremony if you are marrying at St. Joseph’s. Choose readings and prayers with your priest or deacon.
What paperwork is required?
Paperwork is always required! Please get the paperwork as soon as possible. Don’t delay to the end.
- Catholics will have to secure a re-issued Baptismal Certificate from
the parish of the Baptism. Parishes need only be contacted, and they
usually send the form to you or to us quickly.
-
If one of the couple is Baptized non-Catholic, any Baptismal
Record, or photocopy of one, will suffice. Failing that an affidavit of a
parent or attendee will suffice.
- Work on the Investigation Forms (1 for bride & 1 for groom) with the parish priest/deacon. We provide these forms.
- If one of the couple is not a Catholic, we will secure permission to
marry a non-Catholic. You should have discussed in advance the issue of
rearing the children as Catholic.
- If you are marrying outside the diocese, we will need to know the
name of the one presiding over the ceremony, the parish, the place and
the date of the wedding.
- Some couples who are marrying a non-Catholic wish to have their
marriage celebrated by a non-Catholic minister, or by a Justice of the
Peace. We will need to know the reasons for this special request so that
we can seek the required dispensation. Please supply the name of one
presiding over the ceremony as well as the place and date of the
marriage so that it can be properly registered.
- If either party has been previously married, and the former spouse
is still living, then additional steps need to be taken. The steps and
timetable required will depend on the particular case. Contact the
parish priest/deacon (607-748-0442) to answer any questions.
Sacrament of Sick or Visit:
Please notify us by calling the Parish Office (748-0442) when a
parishioner is hospitalized, or when someone is confined at home because
of illness, handicapped or age.
Anointing of the sick:
This sacrament is for the elderly, the seriously ill, or those
scheduled for surgery. The rite of Anointing of the Sick is offered by
special appointment with one of our parish priests. Contact the parish
office at (607) 748-0442.
The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick in the Catholic Church.
“Is any among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters of the
Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name
of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the
Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be
forgiven” (James 5:14-15).
The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick has as its purpose the
conferral of a special grace on the Christian experiencing the
difficulties inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age. The
proper time for receiving this holy anointing has certainly arrived when
the believer begins to be in danger of death because of illness or old
age. Each time a Christian falls seriously ill, he may receive the
Anointing of the Sick, and also when, after he has received it, the
illness worsens.
The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects: