Baptism

And people were bringing children to Jesus that He might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this He became indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter it.” Then He embraced them and blessed them, placing His hands on them (Mark 10:13-16)

In the Catholic Church, each of the seven Sacraments is linked with at least one passage from the Gospels. The above citation from Mark 10 is often associated with the Sacraments of Baptism. In the passage we see that parents who obviously have already encountered our Lord want their children to meet Him as well. Much to the chagrin of the disciples, Jesus graciously receives the children and both embraces and blesses them.

Through the Sacraments of Baptism the same dynamic unfolds in the Church today. Parents who themselves have encountered Christ through the Catholic Church and the Sacraments desire the same for their children. Baptism is the foundational sacrament that provides the sacred context whereby our Lord receives a child with great joy, embraces that child and offers him every love and grace He has to give.

Regarding Baptism, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches the following:

• Baptism is the birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord’s will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter in Baptism (#1277).
• The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit (#1278).
• Since the earliest times, Baptism has been administered to children, for it is a grace and a gift of God that does not presuppose any human merit (#1282).

From time to time questions and controversies arise as to who may serve as a Godparent for the Sacrament of Baptism. Please take some time to review the guidelines established by the Catholic Church concerning Godparent eligibility. These regulations should be considered before the parents of the child ask someone to be a Godparent for their son or daughter:

1. The decision as to who should be a Godparent should be based upon who would provide the best example of Catholic living for the child and not merely for reasons of maintaining family harmony. A Godparent is chosen not primarily to honor the Godparent, but for the well-being and faith development of the child.
2. In order to be a Godparent for Baptism, an individual must be a practicing Catholic, at least 16 years of age and have received the Sacraments of Initiation (i.e. Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation). Furthermore, if this person is married, then the marriage must be a valid, sacramental marriage (i.e. one recognized and blessed by the Catholic Church).
3. The potential Godparent must be registered in a Catholic parish and able to obtain from his and her parish priest a letter of eligibility to be a Godparent.
4. Only one Godparent is required by Church law. This Godparent may be a man or a women. However, if two Godparents are selected (the more common practice), then there must be one man and one woman chosen. In other words, a child cannot have two men and two women as Godparents.
5. In extraordinary situations when two Catholic Godparents cannot be found, then a baptized person who belongs to another Christian denomination (e.g. Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian) may serve as a Christian Witness. However, former Catholics who have left the Catholic Church for another Christian denomination are not permitted to serve as Christian Witnesses.

Since Baptism is the initial, foundational Sacrament in the life of a Catholic, great care must be taken in deciding who will serve as a Godparent. The guidelines above are meant to assist parents in making a reasonable and secure decision as to who will fulfill this critical role for their child. Since they are provided by the universal Church and individual priests are not vested with the authority to dispense from them, these guidelines are strictly followed at Saint Catherine Labouré Parish.