Baptism is the first of the Sacraments and it is through our Baptism that we are made members of the Church – the faith community – God’s family – ‘The people of God’.
The current baptism schedule.
Baptism is celebrated in the parish at the following Places and Times:
Raheen Church: Saturday at 17.00hrs (5pm) before Vigil Mass.
Sundays: 13.15hrs (1.15pm) , after the 12.30pm Mass.
Mungret Church: Saturdays at 12.00noon after the 11.30am Mass
Crecora Church: Saturdays at 16.00 hrs (4pm) or later by arrangement.
New Baptism schedule from January 2016
| Raheen | Mungret | Crecora | |
| 1st Saturday | No Baptism | Baptism 4.00 p.m. | |
| 1st Sunday | Baptism 1.30 p.m. | ||
| 2nd Saturday | Baptism 5.00 p.m. | Baptism 12.00 noon | |
| 2nd Sunday | Baptism 1.30 p.m. | ||
| 3rd Saturday | Baptism 5.00 p.m. | ||
| 3rd Sunday | Baptism 1.30 p.m. | ||
| 4th Saturday | Baptism 5.00 p.m. | ||
| 4th Sunday | Baptism 1.30 p.m. | ||
| *5th Saturday | No Baptism | No Baptism | No Baptism |
| *5th Sunday | No Baptism | No Baptism | No Baptism |
* Where a fifth Saturday or Sunday occurs in a month, we do not celebrate baptisms that weekend.
For information on being Baptised as an Adult, click here
How do I go about applying to have my child baptised?
You may call into the parish office in the Millennium centre and speak to the parish secretary, or speak to one of the priests or you can phone the parish office 061-210869 / 061-301112. You will be asked the child's name, date of birth, and place of birth, address and phone number of your family. We will also ask for the maiden name of the mother and the name of the father as well as the names of the Godparents. Other question may include if your child was baptised due to an emergency, for example in the hospital.
Is Baptism Instruction required?
Yes. Baptism instruction/information is held in the Millennium Centre Raheen on the 1st Thursday of every month at 7.30pm – 9pm. Both parents are asked to attend before the Baptism takes place for the child. Godparents are invited to attend if possible, but it is not required. There is just one meeting for the parish so people from Crecora and Mungret are asked to attend the meeting in Raheen. One and a half hours may seem long. The alternative is two meetings of preparation. Most parents when asked opt for the one.
Do I need to attend a meeting if I have previously attended the meeting for my other children?
Yes .You are expected to attend for each child as each is unique and individual. The meeting offers the parents time to reflect and renew their commitment to the initiation of their newest family member into the community and family of Jesus Christ. It also offers an opportunity to meet other new parents.
Is there a fee for the Baptism?
There is no set fee however families are expected to give a donation to the priest and sacristan.
Baptism is a sacrament which through symbols and signs and prayer conveys grace and welcomes the child into the Christian family.
Everyone who wishes may be baptised. Children under the age of seven (7) may be baptised through the request of the parent(s). Children age seven (7) or older will experience the RCIA process (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults).
Can I just be baptised Christian?
A person who is baptised Christian through the use of the Trinitarian formula, "I baptise you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." But, there is more to the baptism than just becoming Christian. We are also baptised into a faith community, in this case, Roman Catholic. We all need a community to support us in faith. Once we are baptised into a particular Christian denomination, we are encouraged to practice the faith in the presence of that community.
Can I still have my child baptised if I don't go to Church?
The Church needs assurance that the child will be raised in the practice of the Faith. This means that parents who are the primary educators of their children in matters of faith and morals must practice their faith in order to be a good example of Christian living for their children to follow.
Baptism is not magic. It's not Catholic Voodoo. Baptism is a Sacrament in the Church that must be taken seriously. That means that the parent(s) will take their role as Christian parents seriously. The Church's role is to assist the parents in their duty as Christian parents.
What are the requirements for Godparents?
The Godparents must be fully initiated that is having been Baptised, made their 1st Communion and Confirmed. Godparents must also be examples of Faith for the child to follow. Godparents must also be in good standing with the Church.
What is a Christian Witness?
A Christian witness is a man or a woman who is a baptised Christian but not a Roman Catholic. One Christian witness may be allowed to witness the baptism but there must also be one (1) person who is a Roman Catholic witness as well. Only the Roman Catholic will be listed on the record as a Godparent, the other will be listed as a Christian Witness only.
Picture taking is allowed throughout the baptism ceremony. We just ask that you take the pictures discreetly and not impose on the sacrament.
- Parents must provide their own candle for the child.
- The Child must wear something white, baptismal gown, white shirt etc and parents must bring a white shawl.
- Remember the registration form handed out at the meeting.
Broadening our view of Baptism
Baptism—and all sacraments, for that matter—are much more than the moment of celebration. They do not end with the liturgical ritual. They are celebrations of lived experiences. They exist after the celebration.
The ritual of Baptism does not bring God's love into being as if that love did not exist before the ceremony. Baptism is the Church's way of celebrating and enacting the embrace of God who first loved us from the moment of our conception. Baptism is a ritualization and manifestation of something real—of the outpouring of God's Spirit and of our acceptance of that transforming love. It remains for us to grow into what we already are: daughters and sons of God.
Baptism celebrates a family's and a community's experience of that love in the baptized.
The largest percentage of Baptisms in our Church is still infant Baptisms, even though the process of faith and conversion is essentially an adult experience and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is now the norm in the Catholic Church. So what does all of this mean for those infants?
Obviously, infants cannot respond immediately to the call/response aspect of the sacrament. Nor can an infant understand the change of allegiance, the putting off of the old and putting on of the new, the dying and rising, the new life, or the sharing in the life of Christ. However, the parents of those infants can understand and live those values and pass them on to their children. They can also experience the support of the community in living those ideals, and that is extremely important.
Infant Baptism only makes sense if parents are true Christian disciples who believe in having Christ part of their lives. If they are not, then it makes little sense to initiate their children into a Church which calls for a commitment to living the mission of Christ.
The Rite of Baptism for Children emphasizes the importance of faithfulness on the part of parents when it says to parents: In asking to have your children baptized, "you are accepting the responsibility of training them in the practice of the faith." That word practice is crucial; it calls for Christian modeling on the part of parents.
Considering the future orientation of Baptism and the fact that we are marked for a lifelong journey of discipleship, it is important that parents be strong role models and lead the way. It is equally important that the children's sponsors (godparents) do the same. They are significant supporters of parents and the ones who can first begin to reveal to their godchildren the value of the Christian community.
Children learn to be Christian by osmosis, by experiencing Christianity at home. The "domestic church" prepares children for the local and world Church. It is in the home, in the domestic church, that children first learn basic trust which is the foundation of faith. They learn from the example of their parents to feel and give love, they learn patience, tolerance, honesty, compassion, joy, empathy. Without the experience of faith, hope and commitment in the home, children will not be able to know and understand the larger Church.
Vatican II's Declaration on Christian Education points this out quite emphatically: "Since parents have given children life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators. This role in education is so important that only with difficulty can it be supplied when it is lacking....It is particularly in the Christian family...that children should be taught from their early years to have a knowledge of God according to the faith received in Baptism, to worship him and to love their neighbour."
Baptism and the Christian community The new sacramental rites repeatedly speak of how the sacraments effect a deeper "relationship" with Christ and with the Church.
We celebrate Baptism in the Christian church with family and friends present as members of the wider Christian community. It is the family and friends after all, who will journey with the child, providing models for them, supporting and nourishing them.
Baptism begins with God's love and care revealed to us through Christ. It continues with us, the Church, living and enacting God's love and care through Christ to the world. That's a serious commitment.
Practical Tips As You Prepare for Your Child's Baptism
- Our parish has a program to help prepare parents for the Baptism of their child, participate in the program.
- Contact the parish office to book the Baptism at least I month before the intended Baptism.
- Choose godparents who will be a real and long-lasting help in the Christian formation of your child. It would be helpful if they could participate in the Baptism preparation with you.
- You might write a "Parents' Prayer" or "Parents' Wish" that includes your hopes and dreams for this new child.
- Make the ceremony a community event. Invite relatives, friends and neighbors to participate in the Baptism liturgy. Some could serve as Scripture readers.
- Keep the white garment, the candle, the prayers, photos and other symbols of the baptismal ceremony to share with your child in future years. These keepsakes can be brought out on the child's anniversary of Baptism or birthday and serve as powerful reminders of the ongoing importance of the event.
