| Baptism |
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How do I go about arranging a Baptism? If you are the parents of a baby for whom who desire Baptism please attend the pre-Baptismal meeting which is held at 7.30pm every Friday evening in the Church of St. John the Baptist. If you are an unbaptised adult and you wish to be received into the Church, please attend the same meeting or otherwise make contact with a priest who will discuss the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) with you For more information on the Sacrament of Baptism please consult ‘Baptism’ in the section on Sacraments. How do I go about choosing godparents? Godparents (Sponsors) were required at baptism for early Christians because these early converts had no Christian parents of their own. Today the role of speaking for the baptized person and accompanying him in faith is primarily the responsibility of believing parents. Nonetheless, the practice of having godparents at baptism continues. The Church only formally requires a single godparent although often parents will opt for two, one of each sex. A godparent must be a baptized and confirmed practicing Catholic of at least 16 years of age. His or her role involves sharing with the parents in the task of forming the baptized person in faith and Christian living. In this Parish, you can have a maximum of two Godparents - one male and one female. What kind of name can I select for my child? The name that a child receives at Baptism should be one that reflects Christian mystery or virtue. While there is no strict obligation to choose the name of a saint it is certainly the case that the name of someone who has lived an exemplary spiritual life would be entirely appropriate. A saint is a model of charity and fidelity to the Lord. Above all, it is important to avoid names that would offend Christian sentiment and virtue.
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