ST. Patrick's Old Cathedral

 Procedures for Infant Baptism

The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral

The Sacrament of Baptism welcomes a newborn into the family of the Catholic Church and into a parish community. Therefore, it is highly recommended that your baby is baptized where you currently worship on Sundays. If you are a parishioner at St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral - meaning that you worship here on Sundays – your child should be baptized here. If, for good reason, you want to have your baby baptized at another parish, you will need to fulfill that particular parish’s requirements in preparation for the sacrament AND attend our Baptism Preparation Class.

Keep in mind:

1.  Children over the age of three (3) are to be prepared for baptism in a way appropriate for their age. Consult your Pastor.

2.  Children over the age of seven are to enter a sacramental religious education program to prepare them for Baptism and Holy Communion. Consult your Pastor.

3.  Although you may have attended the Class in preparation for the baptism of a previous child, we ask you to attend the class again for your newborn in order for you to become acquainted with the priest or deacon who will be baptizing your child as well as other aspects of parish life.

4.  Visiting priests are invited to attend the baptism.

5.   Since baptisms are a public welcoming into the Catholic Church as well as the parish, all baptisms are celebrated after the 12:45 Sunday Mass. There are no "private baptisms.”

I. Procedures for Members of the Basilica

A member (or parishioner) of the Basilica is one who (a) worships here on Sundays, (b) participates in its sacramental and social life, and (c) supports our mission. We expect to already know you and to have prayed with you in anticipation of the birth of your child.  Welcoming your newborn into the parish is an occasion of much joy and deserves our attention. Therefore, the purpose of this process is meant to enrich your commitment to the Church and to the Basilica:

At least one (1) parent must be a baptized Catholic. If a parent has not received Confirmation, preparation for the Sacrament should begin soon. Please follow these important steps:

1. Meeting with the Priest or Deacon

Call the Parish Office to schedule a meeting with either a priest or a deacon of the parish. During this meeting, you will discuss with him the importance of your membership in the parish as well as a plan for the religious education of your child.  At this meeting you will be given a Baptism Registration Form.  Before you proceed to the next step, you need to do the following:

 

(1)Complete the Baptism Registration Form and return it to the Parish Office;

(2) Submit a copy of the Baptismal Certificate of at least one parent;

(3) Make an appropriate Offering to the church.

 

2. Attending the Baptism Preparation Class

After you have met with the priest or deacon and have completed submissions in Steps 1,2 &3., call the Parish Office to sign up for the Class. It is generally held on the first Monday of each month starting at 7:00 PM and ending at 8:30 PM.

 

Parents and sponsors (i.e. godparents) must attend the Baptism Preparation Class. If the parents and godparents cannot attend the same class, they may complete the requirements by attending separate classes on different months. If godparents cannot attend the Class here, they can provide us with a letter attesting they have completed a preparation course in their home parish.

 

Godparents must be Catholic. Witnesses can be non-Catholic Christians.

 

3. Scheduling the Date for Baptism

 After you have completed the Baptism Preparation Class, please call the Parish Office to schedule your baby’s Baptism for the last Sunday of any month. All Baptisms occur after the 12:45 pm Mass. Further, please note that there are no Baptisms during Lent. The very best time for Baptism is the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night.

Anticipate receiving a letter from us confirming the Baptism date and related information. It is important that you attend the 12:45 pm Mass and be seated in the front rows at least ten minutes before the start of Mass. Latecomers risk delaying baptism to the following month.

II. Requirements Pertaining to Sponsors (Godparents)

Your child may have one (1) or two (2) godparents (in Canon Law they are known as sponsors). They must be at least sixteen (16) years of age and have received the Sacrament of Confirmation. If there are to be two godparents, one is to be male, the other female.

The godparents are to be practicing Catholics. A Christian of another denomination, whether Orthodox or Protestant, however, may be a "Christian witness" to the baptism along with the Catholic godparent. The reason for this distinction and restriction is that the godparent not only is taking responsibility for the religious education and spiritual formation of the baptized person, but also is representing the Church, the community of faith, into which the person is being baptized. A Christian who is not Catholic, although perhaps a very holy, Christian, cannot fully attest to the beliefs of the Catholic Church.

It should be further noted that the godparents you select will make the Profession of Faith in the child's name at the Baptism and accept the responsibility of instructing the child in the Faith, especially if the parents fail in this duty.

III. If you are a member of the Basilica and wish to have your child baptized elsewhere:

Please call the parish office to make an appointment with a priest or deacon. Although unable to attend the baptism ourselves, we want to assure you of our eagerness for your continued membership and participation at Old St. Patrick’s as well as to assist you in your plans for the religious education of your child. Once you have met with us, a letter from the Pastor will be addressed to the parish where the baptism will be celebrated.

IV. If you are not a member of the Basilica and wish to have your child baptized here:

You are urged to have your child baptized at the parish where you regularly worship.

If there is good reason for your child to be baptized at the Basilica, you need to follow these steps:

1.  Call the Parish Office to obtain a Baptism Registration Form and return it to the Parish Office. keep in mind that the godparent(s) must be both baptized and confirmed; 

2.  Obtain a letter from us to be signed by your Pastor stating that you are a member of the parish and he gives you permission to have the baptism celebrated at the Basilica. You need to obtain a copy of this form letter from our Parish Office;

3.  Submit a copy of the Baptismal Certificate of at least one parent;

 

4.  Make an appropriate Offering to the church.

 

After you have completed these steps, you may call the Parish Office to sign up for the Baptism Preparation Class. The parents and the godparents must attend our Baptism Preparation Class. It is generally held on the first Monday of each month starting at 7:00 PM and ending at 8:30 PM. If the parents and godparents cannot attend the same class, they may complete the requirements by attending separate classes on different months. If the godparents cannot attend the Class, they may provide us with a letter attesting they have completed a preparation course in their home parish. Godparents must be Catholic. Witnesses can be non-Catholic Christians

 

5.  Schedule a date for the Baptism by calling the Parish Office after you have completed the Class. All Baptisms occur after the 12:45 pm Mass. Further, please note that there are no Baptisms during Advent or Lent. The very best time for Baptism is the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night.

We very much want to see you in our pews on Sundays joining us in the rich life of grace offered to Christ to the members of his Church. If you have historical attachments to the Basilica but are a non-practicing Catholic (do not regular attendance at Sunday Mass) or who have not received Confirmation we recommend that you attend sessions that can prepare you for full participation in the sacramental life of the Church. The process is called “The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults” or  “RCIA”. Call the office and make an appointment to see the Pastor.

ADULT BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION

If you are interested in becoming Catholic or if you have already been baptized but have not yet received your First Communion or Confirmation, consider joining St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program.  See more information under the tab “Education”.

 

 

Rectory

263 Mulberry Street
New York, NY 10012

Tel: (212) 226-8075
Fax: (212) 226-1219

E-mail: info@oldcathedral.org

Rectory Hours

Monday - Friday
8:00 am to 5:00 pm

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