Baptism
To schedule a baptism or register for a class, please call the office at (573) 793-6550
Classes
New parents are asked to attend a baptism preparation class.
Godparents
During the Rite of Baptism, the sponsors (godparents) make the profession of faith with the parents and promise to assist the parents in raising the child in the Catholic faith. Their role continues as a support to the parents’ role as the first educators of their children in the faith.
The Church’s Code of Canon Law specifies the requirements for sponsors (godparents) as follows:
There is to be only one godfather or one godmother or one of each.
A godparent must:
- be designated by the parents or guardians of the child;
- be at least sixteen years old, unless the bishop, pastor, or the minister of baptism has granted a special exception;
- be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;
- not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;
- not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
An Orthodox Christian may serve as a godparent together with a Catholic godparent A non-Catholic Christian may serve as a witness to the baptism in conjunction with a Catholic godparent.
Emergencies
In danger of death, anyone can validly baptize by pouring water over the head of the person to be baptized while saying the words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”