Baptism

We ask that you pre-register for these classes. Please call the Parish Office at (703) 221-4044 for more information and registration. Please note that we are privileged to celebrate many Baptisms with our families and so Baptismal classes can sometimes be completely full as much as two months in advance of the date of celebration.

Yes, both parents must attend a Baptismal preparation class if this is their first child being baptized. If both parents have attended the Baptismal preparation class within the last three years, we would welcome their participation but do not require that they attend again. Godparents are also welcome to attend.

For all parents and godparents who are preparing for the celebration of your child’s Baptism, prior to the Baptismal preparation class, we would ask you to please read and reflect on this article, Baptism: Celebrating the Embrace of God.

Because this important sacrament is an outward celebration of God’s grace where we enter into a new relationship with Jesus Christ and the Body of Christ, the Church, it serves as a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the significance of our own Baptism and the difference it has made within our own lives. If, after reading and reflecting on the article, you are unable to articulate anything of substance, you might consider what hopes you have for the newly Baptized child, and what special role you might play as they begin their Christian journey of faith. Please stay mindful that the class is not only a brief presentation about the sacrament of Baptism but also a group discussion of parents and godparents. Your own personal experiences, thoughts, concerns, and hopes for your newly Baptized child can be of benefit to all as we prepare to welcome them into the community of the church.

Whether the parents select very close friends or family members as godparents for their child, it is a very personal decision. However, the Church does ask that certain requirements be met. In order to be a Catholic godparent, a person must be:

• At least 16 years of age;
• A practicing Catholic who is Baptized, Confirmed and has received First Holy Communion;
• Someone other than the parents of the child to be Baptized;
• If married, the marriage is Sacramentally blessed by the Catholic Church, and
• Leading a life in harmony with the Catholic faith and the role they are about to assume.

You may have one godparent, or you may have a godmother and a godfather.

We very often receive requests for more than one set of godparents. Canonically only two godparents (a godmother and/or a godfather) will be recorded in our baptismal records and on the certificate. Any others are welcome to be present at the font, but are not technically godparents.

Yes, a godparent, by definition, is necessarily Catholic – thus all godparents are Catholic. Baptized and active Christians of other denominations may serve as a “Christian Witness”.  People from other-than-Christian religions may not serve either as godparents or Christian witnesses but are always welcome to participate in the celebration.

If one of the parents is a practicing Catholic, as long as the other parent is in agreement, the child can be Baptized. There must also be a well-founded expectation that the child will be brought up in the Catholic tradition.

Under normal conditions when there is an amicable relationship between the parents, it is required that the other parent be informed of the plans to baptize the child in the Catholic Church. Our experience is that there is rarely objection since it was often discussed and agreed when the parents were together. If there is other-than-amicable relationship, that is something to be dicussed with the pastor/priest.

The short answer is “Yes.”  All we require is that you complete all the baptismal paperwork and preparation class at your home parish and that we receive a letter from your pastor:

• stating you are a registered parishioner there,
• are active in the faith, and
• grants permission to baptize your child here.

You should contact the St. Francis parish office (703-221-4044) before setting any dates for the celebration.

It is traditional for the child to wear a white garment to represent the purity and new birth into their faith.

It means that not only do you hold true all that the Catholic Church teaches and proclaims, but that you are active in worship and liturgical celebrations of the Church. Oftentimes, the Baptism of the child can be the tipping point to move a parent to a greater commitment to the practice of the faith.

There is a $50 registration fees for the preparation program. In addition, some families offer a donation to the priest/deacon who performs the Baptism. For those families who choose to offer a gift, the gift can be given directly to  the priest or deacon.