Baptism
Baptism Preparation at our Parish
The sacrament of baptism is the basis for the whole Christian life. It ushers us into the divine life, cleanses us from sin, and initiates us as members of the Christian community. It is the door which gives access to all the other sacraments.
Infant/Child Baptism:
This sacrament is celebrated by appointment, usually following Sunday Mass.
Parents bringing their first child to be baptized are asked to attend a baptism preparation class. This time of preparation gives an overview of the significance of the sacrament, lasting approximately one hour.
Parents who have already attended a baptism preparation class for an older child do not need to do it again for children to follow.
To schedule an Infant/Child Baptism, please contact Jessica Rizzio.
Adult Baptism: In the case of an adult wishing to be baptized, the Parish of St. Thomas & St. Timothy offers the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). This process consists of weekly sessions with the goal of introducing the adult to the basics of the Catholic faith.
If you are a parishioner and have been asked to be a Godparent, the godparent affirmation form is available here: Archdiocese Godparent Affirmation Certificate
About the Sacrament of Baptism
In his dialogue with Nicodemus, Jesus taught that Baptism was necessary for salvation. "No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit" (Jn 3:5). After his Resurrection, Jesus met with the eleven Apostles and gave them the commission to preach the Gospel and baptize, telling them, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mk 16:16).
The word baptism in its origins is Greek and means "immersion" and "bath." Immersion in water is a sign of death and emersion out of the water means new life. To bathe in water is also to undergo cleansing. Saint Paul sums up this truth when he says, "You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead" (Col 2:12).
The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters. "He comes to sanctify the Jordan for our sake . . . to begin a new creation through the Spirit and water" (St. Gregory Nazianzen, Liturgy of the Hours, I, 634).
Jesus' immersion in the water is a sign for all human beings of the need to die to themselves to do God's will. Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father.
By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin—Original and actual—and begin to live a new life with God.
