Guidelines for Baptism of Infants and Young Children

 “Baptism incorporates us into Christ and forms us into God’s people. This first Sacrament pardons all our sins, rescues us from the power of darkness, and brings us to the dignity of adopted children…” (Rite of Christian Initiation, General Introduction, 2).

Babies have not committed any personal sins. But, they are born in a state of original sin which the Sacrament of Baptism heals by restoring your child to a state of grace that God willed for all human beings at the beginning of creation with Adam and Eve. 

Parent or Guardians Responsibility for an Infant Baptism or A Baptism for a Young Child

Infant Baptism or the Baptism of a young child requires that parents or guardians make a solemn commitment before God to raise the child in the Catholic faith. In practical terms this means that the parents promise to:

• Bring the child to Sunday Mass each week starting the Sunday after Baptism.
• Enroll the child in Religious Education classes starting no later than the first grade and continuing through Confirmation.
• Teach the child by word and example at home to love God our Father and love our neighbor as Jesus taught.

Parents and Guardians have natural responsibilities to feed, cloth, and protect their child from the dangers of the world. Once baptized, parents and guardians now have the supernatural responsibility to protect the divine life given to their child in Baptism and must now nourish their child’s faith by bringing them weekly to Sunday Mass, ensuring they learn the Faith of the Church, and respond to what they hear and are taught through prayer and frequent reception of the Sacraments of Jesus Christ given to the Church of God.

God Parents 

Infants and young children who are Baptized should have two God parents selected by their parents or guardians. While the entire parish community of faith has a responsibility to assist the parents and guardians in fulfilling their commitment before God, the God parents are like the child's first responders to accompany him or her as they grow into a missionary disciple of Jesus Christ within the communion of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. 

Requirements for a God Parent

God parents must be a Catholic-Christian baptized into Jesus Christ and living within full-visible communion with the Church founded by Jesus. God parents should be confirmed by the Holy Spirit as well, and, if married, married Sacramentally within the Church. 

God parents should be at least sixteen years old, a man and a woman, and not be the mother or father of the child.  

A Letter from their Pastor

If a God parent is not someone who makes the Church present within the community of faith at the Parish of Saint Ann, the pastor within the parish community of faith in which they grow as a missionary disciple of Jesus should be asked to send a letter recommending them to be a God parent. It can be sent directly by their parish to our parish office. 

Preperation Guidelines for the Sacrament of Baptism for an Adult

We encourage you to go to the grow tab on the main menu and click on OCIA. You will find their all the initial informaiton you will need to discern how you might enter into communion with Jesus and the Church of God founded by Him by receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil. 

Preparation and Scheduling

The Sacrament of Baptism for Infants and Young Children is available most Sundays after the 9am or 11am Mass. We welcome you to contact the parish office to schedule your child’s Baptism by calling us at (309) 674-5072 or by emailing us at parishoffice@saintannpeoria.com.

For non-baptized adults, the Order of Christian Initiation (OCIA) classes serve as preparation for baptism. If you are interested, please call the parish office at (309) 674-5072 or email us at parishoffice@saintannpeoria.com