We welcome and congratulate those families wishing to pass on the faith to their children through the sacrament of Baptism. Under normal circumstances the sacrament is celebrated with the parish community at a regular weekend liturgy.  Saint Mary parish normally schedules the event on the third Saturday/Sunday of the month.  A private ceremony, while not the norm, may be scheduled for the sacrament with approval of the pastor and the availability of a priest or deacon. The sacrament of baptism is not celebrated during the season of Lent, with the exception of emergencies.  

All parents and godparents are to complete a preparation program prior to the baptism of their child. If trained in another parish parents and godparents will need to present a letter from that parish stating, they have attended a preparation class. This may be done through classes offered at Saint Mary parish or through another Catholic parish. If individuals have undergone baptismal preparation as parent or godparent for a previous baptism we do not ask them to retake the class unless it has been more than 4 years since they last underwent this formation.

Parents:  

1. Attend a baptismal preparation class.

2. Complete the Baptismal Data Form for the baptismal register.

3.  As a rule, children are baptized in the parish in which their parents reside or are registered, and we invite families who may not yet be registered in our parish to take this opportunity to do so. We ask parents from another parish community who have a just cause to seek baptism at St. Mary to verify their pastor’s permission for this move. 

1. Attend a baptismal preparation class.  

2. Complete the God Parent Testimony Form and bring the completed but UNSIGNED form to a Catholic Church and ask a priest, deacon or pastoral minister of that parish to witness you signing the document. This witness must then sign the document and place the parish seal on it.
    

Baptismal Prepartion Class Dates at St. Mary Parish:

• Monday, February 12, 2018 in the DeSales Parish House 

• Monday, March 12, 2018 in the DeSales Parish House

• Monday, April 9, 2018 in the DeSales Parish House

• Monday, June 11, 2018 in the DeSales Parish House

You must register prior to attending a baptism preparation class.
To register please contact: Director of Faith Formation - Renisha Gonzalez at 734-5033 ext. 229 or email: faithformation@saintmarygoldsboro.org