For information on Infant Baptism or to a request for a certificate of Baptism, please contact Rosa at the parish office.

In his dialogue with Nicodemus, Jesus taught that Baptism was necessary for salvation. "No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit" (Jn 3:5). After his Resurrection, Jesus met with the eleven Apostles and gave them the commission to preach the Gospel and baptize, telling them, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mk 16:16). 

The word baptism in its origins is Greek and means "immersion" and "bath." Immersion in water is a sign of death and emersion out of the water means new life. To bathe in water is also to undergo cleansing. Saint Paul sums up this truth when he says, "You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead" (Col 2:12).

The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters. "He comes to sanctify the Jordan for our sake . . . to begin a new creation through the Spirit and water" (St. Gregory Nazianzen,Liturgy of the Hours, I, 634). 

Jesus' immersion in the water is a sign for all human beings of the need to die to themselves to do God's will. Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. 

By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin—Original and actual—and begin to live a new life with God.

—From the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

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For information on Infant Baptism or to a request for a certificate of Baptism, Please contact Rosa at the parish office.

Baptism is normally held on the last Sunday of the month after the 10:30am Mass.

The Baptism of your child is an opportunity for you:

• to renew your own baptismal vows;
•  review your relationship with the Church and Parish;
•  plan for the religious education of your family.

You are at the center of this endeavor and, as parents, are the principle providers of Catholic faith and values to your child. We, your parish clergy and staff, are here to help you. The process leading up to the Baptism of your child is a time for you to enrich your relationship to the Church, especially now that you have a “new soul” for whom you are responsible. In seeking to define your own identity as a practicing Catholic, you will fulfill the vows you will make in the Rite of Baptism.

The way we come understand the true meaning of the universal Catholic Church is through the living and worshipping community called “the parish”. We rejoice that you have come to the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral and chosen us to be your spiritual home.

Keep in mind:

• Children over the age of three are to be prepared for baptism in a way appropriate for their age. 
• Children over the age of seven are to enter a sacramental religious education program to prepare them for Baptism and Holy Communion. 
• Since baptisms are a public welcoming into the Catholic Church as well as the parish, all baptisms are celebrated after the 10:30am Sunday Mass. 

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What is The Sacrament of Baptism?

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 be baptized where you currently worship on Sundays. If you are a parishioner at St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, 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 Session.

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 parent must be a baptized Catholic. If a parent has not received Confirmation, preparation for the Sacrament should begin soon.

1.  Meeting with the Priest. Call the Parish Office to obtain a Baptism Registration Form. You will present this to the pastor after Sunday Mass. The next steps include:

• Attending a baptism preparation class
• Submitting sponsor certificates for the godparent(s)
• Making an appropriate offering to the church.

2.  Scheduling the Date for Baptism. After you have met with the priest, please call the parish office to schedule your baby’s Baptism for the last Sunday of any month. All Baptisms occur after the 10:30am Mass. It is important that you attend the Mass and be seated in the front rows at least ten minutes before the start of Mass. Latecomers risk postponing baptism to the following month.

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 that 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. Make an appropriate offering to the church;
4. Schedule a date for the Baptism by calling the Parish Office. 

All Baptisms occur after the 10:30am Mass. 

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 Order of Christian Initiation for Adults” or “OCIA”.