Baptism:

Please read the general information about Baptism.

Firstly:

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General information for you:

Greetings from St Mary’s.

Thanks for your inquiry about your child’s Baptism. I am enclosing a little sheet to help explain the ceremony and what happens in it. Don’t worry about remembering it too much, I will walk everyone through each stage, this is just a copy to help people know what generally happens in the ceremony.

One of the oldest and simplest prayers in the Christian church is the ancient “sign of the cross.” Many Catholics know it ‘off by heart.’ Some are a little rusty. That’s okay, but I would like to invite people, if they are not already familiar with this symbol to practise this sign and teach it to their children from any early age. It goes like this….

The Sign of the Cross:

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

In the name of the Father..	..and of the Son…	…and of the Holy.	…Spirit. Amen
forehead	chest	left shoulder	Right shoulder

Also, whenever the priest in a church service says the words: “The Lord be with you” or “the Peace of the Lord, be with you always,” the people reply in a nice strong voice: “And with your Spirit”. (note this is a new response, according to the new translation of the mass (2011- ).

Here are a couple of things we ask you to keep in mind for the smooth running of the ceremony. Please be assured that we will make you feel welcome and relaxed and that we want to make this event very special for you.

· Near the very start of the ceremony, the priest will ask a question that is not a trick question. He will ask you: “What is it that you are asking of God’s church for your child?” The answer is: “BAPTISM.”

· When the priest asks the Parents, Godparents and all those present to reply “I DO” in a strong audible voice to a series of questions of faith, we do sincerely ask that people respond to the questions in a nice strong voice that can be heard and in a voice that conveys how special and important this event is to you. These are really key statements of faith, so we would like to hear you reply clearly.

· Please give family members and friends a clear description of where the church is and what time they need to be present. Lost family and late members can throw the whole event into confusion. If you could please aim to be ready to begin the baptism at the time confirmed for the ceremony. The time set down for the Baptism is the time that the ceremony is due to START. It is not the time set down for people to begin arriving. The priest has other commitments following the baptism and often also has other baptisms following afterwards too, so delays may cause a problem. Whilst we do leave a reasonable space of time between different engagements, late arrivals can cause complications.

· Please come into the church and be seated in the front seats of the church, closest to the Altar, ready to begin the ceremony.

· The Parents and godparents are asked to come and stand up on the Sanctuary with the priest. Because the parents and godparents are up the front, it is vital that everyone up on the Sanctuary looks happy and positive about the ceremony. Naturally, we do understand that people can be nervous and anxious but we will make you as welcome and comfortable as possible. In return we ask that everyone be supportive, enthusiastic and able to be heard in what is happening in this beautiful and special ceremony for you. The people standing with you at the baptism need to be able to say positively: “we are” and “I DO” to what is happening here. The reason we mention this is because (believe it or not), we have occasionally had godparents or a spouse who is standing up there in front of everyone and looks extremely unhappy L or looks bored, uninterested or gives the impression that they are not really wanting to be there. As you can imagine this can cast a pall on the day. You and I know this is a very important moment and we take this very seriously. If you have people standing with you who show they don’t want to be there, it looks absolutely terrible and is a dreadful disappointment for the whole family and for the priest on this special day. If you know someone who has that attitude, maybe it might be best to tell them that it would be better if they didn’t come or at least didn’t perform a public role in the ceremony if they are going to act in an ignorant or negative way. We are wanting this day to be special. Baptism is a once in a lifetime event that is not repeated by the church for that person.

If the Godparents would like, I need one of them (or alternatively, a family member or friend) to do a short Bible reading, which is also attached below, and also one to lead us in some “prayers of the faithful” (also attached below).

If when you come to the ceremony, you don’t mention that you have two people to do this job, I will assume that you are not doing it, and I will simply read a gospel passage instead.

Please ensure that your child is dressed in something white. It can either be a Baptismal Gown or anything white, (a white dress or a white shirt etc.). (Alternatively, you could make or buy a little Baptismal “Bib” that is a simple piece of white cloth with a hole for the head. Or you could make or buy a commemorative baptismal “stole” or Scarf that is placed on the child after the pouring of the water.

(some different examples of an extra white baptismal stole that is used in addition to the white baptismal gown worn.

This is slipped over the newly Baptised child’s head after the pouring of water). The reason for this white garment is similar to the meaning of the reading from the Bible where it says: “…..when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes.”

Another part of the ceremony is the presentation of a Baptismal candle. We provide you with a simple baptismal candle for you to keep and take home. Like this….

Otherwise, sometimes a family member or a friend or the parents themselves want to buy a special baptismal candle that is more commemorative. That is fine. Here is a sample of the other types that people buy (eg, from a Christian supplies store or online) or even make themselves…

(but, in any case, we will have a nice simple candle for you on the day).

A few practicalities. When you and your family and friends arrive, please come into the church before the start time and take your seats right at the front of the church. If your baptism is due for a Sunday, please don’t panic if when you arrive the church is closed and everything is locked up. I do a weekly Church service at Tiaro (Sundays) and should arrive back and open up the church at least about five to ten minutes before the scheduled time, hopefully even earlier. Please take with you this number in case you have any worries on the day: Fr Paul, Ph: 041 778 6456. Please note that there is a small car-park attached to the church. The entrance driveway is directly opposite the Post Office in Bazaar Street. If you could ensure that guests know exactly where the church is to avoid them getting lost and missing the ceremony.

Extra Practicalities. The Baptismal Certificate is an important record of the Baptism. Please keep this certificate safe, preferably with other important records such as Birth Certificates and the like. The certificate will be needed at important moments in life, such as enrolment into Catholic Schools, participation in Sacramental Programmes (Reconciliation , Confirmation and Communion) and is also needed much later when preparing for Marriage. Although we do keep the Baptismal details in the Baptismal Register at the church it is always easier if you have kept the certificate for ease of information. Without it, people sometimes forget where and when the Baptism occurred, and that makes it difficult to find the right church in which to search for the necessary details.

If you are bringing your own baptismal candle (don’t forget, we provide one for you, but if you prefer to buy your own..), please remember to unwrap the candle and have it ready for use in the ceremony. Bought candles are wrapped up so tight it’s a struggle to unwrap them if they aren’t prepared earlier. These candles work best if you ‘pilot-light’ them first, that is, light them for a few minutes in preparation prior to the Baptism day so that the wick is ready to light and burn properly. New candles sometimes have the wick coated in wax and are hard to light for the first time.

As I mentioned above, it would be nice if one or two of the Godparents, (or alternatively another family member or friend), would be able to do a reading that we will provide. If you would like that, please let the priest know when you arrive and he will hand you a copy of a set reading or prayer for them to read and let you know when this occurs in the ceremony. Thanks and see you soon, _______________________________

Sincerely

Paul Kelly. Parish Priest, Maryborough.

THE SYMBOLS USED IN THE CEREMONY

There are a few symbolic elements used in the Baptism ceremony. Here is a quick summary, to help explain the meaning of them.

1. OIL OF BAPTISM: Your child will be anointed on the chest (older children and adults we anoint on the forehead) with the oil of Baptism. This is ordinary olive oil that has been specially blessed by our Bishop in an annual ceremony just before Easter. This oil is a symbol of preparing the child for Christian living. Just as an athlete is rubbed with oil to prepare their muscles for the race, this oil is used to strengthen and prepare the child to live a good Christian life. The oil also symbolises protection. Just as it is hard to grab hold of someone who has oil rubbed on them, they slip away from one’s grip, so too we pray that this child will be protected from harm and temptation; nothing bad in life can grab hold of them, it will just slip away.

2. WATER: This is the main symbol of baptism. Water represents washing clean and re-birth and renewal. Water is a perfect symbol, it contains so many meanings: Health and life, danger and threat, power and gentleness, washing and renewing. It is a wonderful way of showing that by following Jesus we want to ‘immerse” or “plunge” ourselves into Jesus’ way of life. Baptism is a word that literally means “Plunge” and we believe that Baptism is not just a sign of following Jesus, Baptism connects us to Jesus and makes us one with his life and with the life of all other believers in Jesus.

3. OIL OF CHRISM: The name “Christian” comes from the name “Christ” who we follow. The word “Christ” literally means “Anointed One.” Jesus is the Anointed and Chosen one of God who was ‘anointed’ by God to be THE Priest, Prophet and King. Oil of Chrism is again ordinary olive oil that has been mixed with beautiful perfumes. This oil symbolises royalty and vocation. This oil is anointed onto the crown on the head of the newly baptised child. This is the same oil that is used to anoint the heads of Monarchs at their Coronation, to anoint Priest’s hands at their Ordination, and is the same oil that is used in Confirmation, which seals and confirms the baptism of the child later in life. This second anointing makes it clear that your child is a royal member of Jesus’ kingdom, as all Jesus’ followers are. The child will be connected and part of Jesus, and share with Jesus in his vocation to be “Priest, Prophet and King” in the world.

4. WHITE BAPTISMAL GARMENT: There is a Bible reading where Saint Paul subtly refers to the white Baptismal when he says : “when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes.” The white Baptismal garment represents cleanliness and purity. As Baptised followers of Jesus we have been washed clean and purified and we are expected to keep our lives “clean” and “pure.” The white garment is a symbol reminding us of how we want to keep ourselves holy the way a person keeps a white garment nice and clean.

5. CANDLE: We believe that Jesus is the “light of the world.” Jesus is the light who shows us the way, and helps us in life, especially when we feel we are in darkness of difficulty or temptation or confusion. Every Easter a very large candle is blessed called the “Easter Candle” or “Paschal Candle” (a word meaning Passover: Jesus is the “Passover Lamb” who was sacrificed to save us from sin). This candle represents Jesus who is a light to all in darkness. When a child is baptised, they are said to be “enlightened by Christ” and they have become a “Child of the Light.” A Baptismal candle is lit from this Easter candle and is presented to the family as a sign that this newly baptised person has received Jesus’ light and now must be a ‘light of christ’ to all they meet in how they live and behave. Just as the big light does not lose any of its brightness or power by having other candles lit from it, so we become a carrier of Christ’s light without taking anything from the greatness of the true light who enlightens and guides us all: Jesus Christ.

CEREMONY OF BAPTISM

RECEPTION OF THE FAMILY

(Please note that you can work out the answer expected from you, by the wording of the question asked by the Celebrant… For example, if he asks “do you…” the answer will be “we do”… if he asks “will you” it will be “we will” if he asks “is it….” Then the answer will be “it is”)

To the Parents

CELEBRANT : What name have you given your child? (please note: The celebrant already knows your child’s name, but this is a formal question as part of the ceremony, the official announcing of the FULL GIVEN names of your child. Please give all given names of your child.. first name and middle names included).

PARENTS : (name their child) (please say all given names including any middle names)

CELEBRANT : What do you ask of God's Church for N.

PARENTS : Baptism

CELEBRANT : You have asked to have your child Baptised. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him/her in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him/her up to keep God's commandment' as Christ has taught us by loving God and our neighbour. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?

PARENTS : We do.

To the Godparents

CELEBRANT: Godparents, are you ready to help the parents of this child in their duty as Christian parents?

GODPARENTS : We are.

CELEBRANT : ................................ the Christian community welcomes you with great joy. In its name I claim you for Christ our Saviour by the sign of his cross. I now trace the cross on your forehead, and invite your parents and Godparents to do the same. +

CELEBRATION OF GOD'S WORD

SCRIPTURE READING

Priest then reads the Gospel…. He will words like this…

Gospel

(Read by the priest)

Priest: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your Spirit.

Priest: From the holy Gospel according to Luke

All: Glory to you, O Lord.

(as the people are saying “Glory to you, O Lord” above, they copy what the priest is doing, namely, they use their thumb to trace the sign of the cross on themselves like this…)

Forehead (+)	lips (+)	heart (+)
Silently praying….Lord be on my mind..	.. on my lips…	And in my heart… So that I may hear your word and live it…

PRAYER AND ANOINTING BEFORE BAPTISM.

BLESSING AND INVOCATION OF GOD OVER BAPTISMAL WATER. (If the water has not already been blessed)

RENUNCIATION OF SIN AND PROFESSION OF FAITH.

The celebrant invites the parents, Godparents and everyone present to renew their Baptismal promises on behalf of the child. This is the faith into which this child is about to be baptized. (Please answer “I Do” in a STRONG AUDIBLE VOICE when asked each question).

CELEBRANT : Do you reject Satan, And all his works'? and all his empty promises?

PARENTS AND GODPARENTS : I do

CELEBRANT : Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth

PARENTS AND GODPARENTS : I do

CELEBRANT : Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?

PARENTS AND GODPARENTS : I do

CELEBRANT : Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the Body, and life everlasting?

PARENTS AND GODPARENTS : I do

CELEBRANT : This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Christ Jesus Our Lord.

ALL : Amen.

CELEBRANT : Parents, is it your will that your child be baptised into the faith of the church which we have professed with you?

PARENTS: It is

· BAPTISM (The priest pours water three times saying:

“N. I baptised you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN”).

· ANOINTING WITH CHRISM

· CLOTHING WITH THE WHITE BAPTISMAL GARMENT

· LIGHTING CANDLE - PRESENTED TO PARENTS

·

LORDS PRAYER

· BLESSING

(extra background information)

YOUR CHILD’S BAPTISM

In the Baptism ceremony the Priest will say to you: -

“You have asked to have your child Baptised. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training them in the practice of the faith.”

Elsewhere, at the Blessing, in the Rite of Baptism: -

“The parents will be the first teachers

of their child in the ways of faith. May they also be the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do, in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The Church teaches that an important part of being a Catholic is belonging to the faith community. We are not just individuals. Being Catholic means agreeing to be formed regularly by the message of the Gospel, and regularly listening to how the Catholic community believes and teaches the Faith as handed down by the apostles and cherished by countless generations.

By Baptism a child has a right and a duty to be given the fullness of their Catholic faith. This includes regular contact and participation with the Catholic faith community at Sunday Mass.

If a child is Baptised and then is given only rare opportunities to go to Mass, there is no way that they are being given the fullness of the practice and teaching of their faith.

SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO PONDER:

 One hears (rather frequently), this statement:

PARENT: I am going to let my child choose whether or not to go to church when they are old enough to decide for themselves.

RESPONSE: There are problems with this way of thinking! Parents play a vital role in imparting values and habits for their child’s life. Parents do this as much by example as they do with words. Long before a child realizes the value of going to school or brushing their teeth, the parents have insisted on these practices because the parent KNOWS that this is important for the child and trains them in the practice of what is good for them even if they don’t yet appreciate its importance. To let children ‘decide’ something they don’t know or appreciate and have no practical way of attending without assistance and supportive presence, is simply not going to work. We can tell you what the result will be already, just as a dentist can tell you what happens when a person doesn’t regularly brush their teeth.

Children depend on their parents’ wisdom, example and their rules to ensure that they receive and learn what is good for them. Their religious knowledge and faith formation is no different.

By the time a child is old enough to “decide for themselves” (as if this is something unconnected to the values and practices they have had prior to this point), they will not have experienced growing up as a regular member of a faith community. How can one authentically accept or reject something that they have not fully been immersed in from the start. If church has not been part of their life up to this point and if the Catholic parents do not go to Mass, the child will almost certainly get the powerful message (conveyed by example) that this is not a particularly important value for them either. We implore people to reject this thinking. It is faulty. It is not giving the child of their rightful place in the community and it denies the rest of the community the opportunity to be enriched by their presence too. We support eachother.

I truly believe our modern community (filled with people of goodwill) have fallen into a terrible trap when it comes to accepting unquestioningly the widely-held misunderstanding that one can join a club but never participate in it or turn up for it. It just doesn’t work that way, and even moreso for Christianity, which is a fully integrated way of living, not merely a membership of an exclusive club.

I think of the gospel passage where someone ran up to Jesus and said, “I will follow you, sir, but first let me attend to some matters,” to which Jesus replied “anyone who puts their hand to the plow and then turns back is not fit for the Kingdom.” Why did Jesus say such an apparently harsh thing. Because he KNEW there was no time to be lost and he needed people joining him who fully understood the transformation of attitude and the cost of following him. There is always something pressing that can draw us away from doing what is important.

We welcome you to take your rightful place as members of the worshipping community. God Bless you as you take this next important step in your own and your child’s faith journey.

Mass times at St. Mary’s Parish, Maryborough: MASS TIMES

To contact Fr Paul to start the process for this sacrament. email Fr Paul on holyjoe@ozemail.com.au

Exploring Our Faith:- Catholics and Sunday Mass.

This issue is probably best answered by the question and answer format:

· Q: Is Sunday Mass still obligatory for Catholics? A: As Catholics it is really important that we keep the Lord’s Day holy by attending Mass every Sunday (Either the Vigil or the Sunday mass). Naturally if someone is ill or due to infirmity it would be too onerous to attend, then they are not expected to attend. Communion ministers to the sick take the Eucharist to them.

· Q: But, can’t you be a good person and yet not be a regular mass attender? A: The church does not ascribe moral attributes to “attenders” or “non-attenders”. The church does not say that a person is good because they go to church or bad because they don’t. Rather, it presumes that all are attending, irrespective of judgements or moral states of being (real or perceived).

· Q: What would you say about parents who don’t bring their children to Mass after having their children Baptised into the Catholic faith? A: I would say that they certainly are handing on to their children something “less than the fullness of the Catholic faith and practice” in which they promised to raise them.

· Q: Non-practising Catholics can still be a good witness to the values of Jesus. A: I am sure that non practising Catholics who live lives consistent with Jesus’ message are good people, but it is hard to see how fully they are acknowledging that Christianity is not an individual thing, or how they might be affirming and supporting their fellow Christians, or deepening or stretching or challenging their faith by just keeping it to their own private home prayer life. At best, I think this is really about differing priorities.

An Invitation to a new approach: Nurturing Good Habits

My brother was telling me that a local church in Brisbane had recently had a sudden upsurge in young families and young people attending Sunday ceremonies. I was intrigued about this and wondered what it might have been that had changed. The area was still an older suburb, and the “demographics” hadn’t changed, so what might explain this increase of young people and families? My brother suggested a rather interesting possibility. He said that the street in which the church was situated had now become filled with fashionable coffee shops, cake shops and a bakery. It appears that many people were now developing a special and enjoyable Sunday “habit” to which they really looked forward each weekend. These people would get up and go to Church and gather together with others, and then after the service they would wander down the street for a leisurely breakfast or a morning tea/ coffee break. Church-going had become a cherished and enjoyable part of their Sunday rhythm and it made their whole morning an enjoyable journey from praise to relaxation and time with friends and family.

This really sparked off my memory. I recalled how our family used to go to morning Mass and, even though I was always a little slow at waking up and getting going in the morning, after we had been to church I felt renewed for the coming week and then we would stop off at the hot bread kitchen and get a piping hot loaf of bread and go home and have a delicious morning tea and lunch with this fresh bread. (Sometimes we would be tricky and scoop out the soft, hot centre from a large slice, leaving the outer crust intact). This is not meant to trivialize the importance of Sunday worship as an important gathering of the community to pray and to praise God in its own right, but it reminds me that it is in developing habits and making our activities part of our daily rhythm that it is most likely that we will eagerly continue (long-term) to make it part of our daily life, rather than some burdensome “duty” that otherwise “puts our lives on hold”. Church becomes part of the fabric of our week. If it were not to happen, something would feel like it is missing!

Perhaps we can all take steps, if we aren’t already, to enshrine Sunday worship as a part of our family’s enjoyable weekly habit. I suspect it is more likely to be something that future generations will then also want for their families too.

Some further thoughts:

- I am too busy to go to mass. What’s another way of looking at this? Does one REALLY have no time for the things that matter? We find time for other things that are vital for us. If it is worthwhile, let’s find the time.

- I pray best at home. I don’t need to worship in public. What’s another way of looking at this? Jesus prayed very well alone, but Scripture says that he went every Saturday to the synagogue. He knew that praying alone and praying as a community are both essential. Jesus is God and he needed to pray in the community and worship the Heavenly Father and be supported and support others. They are two sides of the one coin. If God the Son went to worship every week, who are we to say we don’t need it?

- Eucharist and Mass is so special I save it for special occasions. What’s another way of looking at this? It is so special a gift, that we need to partake of it as a regular part of our weekly lives. The church invites and teaches that every Sunday needs to be kept holy by church attendance.

- Mass is boring and I don’t get anything out of it. What’s another way of looking at this? Mass is primarily the community of faith giving worship to God. It is not about us and what we get out of it, it is about what we GIVE to God. An hour or less once a week is really not enough to fit in all the prayers, intentions, prayers for blessings, requests for forgiveness, prayers for others and praise of God that fill our hearts. Mass will finish before we finish offering these and more prayers. Mass is a regular re-synchronisation of our hearts to ensure they are consistent with Jesus’ gospel.

- I want to give my children the chance to CHOOSE if they want to be part of the church. What’s another way of looking at this? You cannot choose what you have not deeply experienced. Please, don’t do this. It won’t work.

- The church is full of people who pretend to be better than others and who then go and do the wrong thing. What’s another way of looking at this? We are all in need of God’s sustaining love and forgiveness. Even the greatest saints of the church knew their utter dependence on God. Sadly, yes people often don’t live up to what they proclaim. It is shocking when Christians who profess love and concern fail to live up to this. But we don’t give up, we keep returning and ask God to form us more and more into the truly loving, consistent and good people God calls us to be. If a person thinks the church is full of hypocrites, well – (as the joke goes) - there is always room for one more!! J

- People aren’t friendly to me and I gave up. What’s another way of looking at this? It is your church too. You belong here just as anyone else. People are usually not intending to be unfriendly. They may be even more shy than you. It doesn’t matter how long a person has been part of a community. In any case, the BEST way to become part of a community is to join in different activities or join a ministry and participate.

We could probably sit here all day thinking up good reasons (and some of them might even be poor excuses as well), but rather, let’s change the script and embrace membership and participation as a vital and necessary part of the faith we are handing on to future generations. We hold a treasure in earthen vessels, but it is of inestimable value. Let us not fail to utilise this priceless gift in our lives and the lives of our loved ones.

ONLINE APPLICATION FORM (PLEASE CLICK HERE)

READINGS AND PRAYERS

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Galatians

[Pronounced: “Gal- ayy- shuns”]

All of you are God’s children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other.

This is the word of the Lord.

(ALL RESPOND: Thanks be to God)

++

Prayers of the Faithful. (Intercessions)

The response after each of these prayers is: “LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.”

(where it says ‘this child’ please replace these words with the child’s given name)

Inspire this child* to hear and follow your gospel, and to give witness to you by living a life of love, hope and care.

Let us pray to the Lord:

( LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER)

Help this child* to love God and neighbour as you have taught us.

Let us pray to the Lord:

(LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER)

May this child* grow in holiness and wisdom by listening to fellow Christians and by following their example.

Let us pray to the Lord:

(LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER)

Let all your followers remain united in faith and love.

Let us pray to the Lord:

(LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER)