Thank you for your interest in having your child baptized at Saint Patrick Basilica.  It is our hope that this information will help you to make this step in faith and in the journey of the Church.

You should contact the parish office at least three months prior to the date you are considering for Baptism. 

The sacrament is normally celebrated on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Whether or not this is your first child, there is always excitement surrounding the birth and baptism of a new baby. It is important that you spend some time together praying and reflecting on why you wish to present your child for baptism so that your celebration of the Sacrament will truly be a spiritually rewarding experience. Baptism is a sacrament of faith, celebrated by those who have accepted the Risen Lord Jesus as the source of life and have joined the community of his followers, which we call the Church.
Since earliest times, the Church has baptized the children of believers not because of their own faith, but because of the faith of the families into which they were born. We continue this practice today. Infants are baptized into the faith of their parents, their godparents and of the Christian community to which they belong. It is up to you as parents, therefore, to share your faith with your children and to lead them in the development of their own personal faith. To a very great extent, their relationship with Christ and their practice of Christian living depends upon you.

The baptism of your child presents you with a wonderful opportunity to explore your own faith and your relationship with Christ and the Church. We owe it to ourselves and to our children to enter into this process with a generous heart. As part of the preparation for the Baptism, therefore, you can ask yourself to prayerfully consider how serious you are about living as Catholics and raising your children in the Catholic faith. To what extent do we make room for God in our lives? Are we trying to know Jesus better and love him as our brother and Lord? How often do we pray and attend Mass on Sundays with our community of faith, so as to be strengthened by their prayer and presence, as they are strengthened by our presence and prayer?

As we become more deeply aware of God's love for us, we will find the strength to renew our own baptismal vows, and our commitment to Christ and to the Church. We can be sure that the Lord Jesus will help us, if we ask! We are here to assist you in any way we can. Please do not hesitate to ask. We pledge our prayers for you and your family as you continue on your journey of faith.

Here are the steps you will need to take:

• We will ask you to complete, sign and return to us a Baptism Registration Form before a celebration date can be confirmed.

• The celebration of Baptism will take place in the Basilica church.
• The usual place for the celebration of Baptism is the local parish church where the parents regularly worship, or live within its boundaries. Parents who are not already registered parishioners at Saint Patrick Basilica must provide a letter from their local pastor giving permission for the baptism to take place here. A date cannot be confirmed until such time this is received.
• Parents must choose at least one person to act as the child's godparent. A godparent must be a confirmed Roman Catholic, at least 16 years of age, have the ability and the intention to fulfill the role, and be leading a lifestyle consistent with our Faith and the role that he or she is to fulfill. A person baptized in the Eastern Orthodox Church also qualifies as a godparent as long as there is one other godparent who is a confirmed Roman Catholic.
• Neither the father nor the mother of the child may serve as a godparent.
• A validly baptized person who belongs to another Christian community (for example, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian or United) may be admitted as a witness provided that there is at least one Catholic godparent who fulfills the above criteria.
• Non-baptized persons may not serve as godparents or witnesses.

There is no fee for a baptism. If a family wishes to make a donation to the Basilica parish, there are envelopes in the church which can be used. Please provide your full address should you wish a tax receipt.

We hope this information is helpful.  If you wish to discuss this further, please email us at [email protected]

May the blessings of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and your family.