Congratulations and Thank You!

Please watch this video

on preparing for the Sacrament of Baptism:

Congratulations on the birth of your child! The Parish Community shares in your joy. Thank you for wanting to have your baby join the family of the Church through Baptism. By asking for your baby’s Baptism, you are publicly thanking God for His gift to you and making a commitment to bring up your child in the Christian faith. We will help you carry out your decision by giving you our wholehearted support.

Baptism Dates and Arrangements

Baptisms are celebrated in St. Brigid’s Church on Sundays at 12.30pm (though not on the first Sunday of the month). You and your family are encouraged to join us for 11.30am Mass on the day.

Booking Your Child’s Baptism

You must give at least 4 weeks’ notice for the Baptism

The date is confirmed only when you receive confirmation of the date from the parish

Baptism is a Sacrament by which the newly baptised becomes a member of their local parish community. If you are not resident in the Parish of Dunleer then you are required to have a letter from your home parish stating that you are free to have the Baptism outside of your home parish community

You can return this completed form via email to dunleerparish@gmail.com, you can send the details in a standard email to dunleerparish@gmail.com or you drop it in / post it to Parish of Dunleer, Parochial House, Old Chapel Lane, Dunleer, Co. Louth A92 W29X

We’d like to share the joy of the Baptism with the parish community – please see the booking form regarding consent for photography and use in parish media

A Note on Choosing Godparents

Who can be a godparent?

The godparents are the link between the family and the Church in the Baptism of an infant. The custom of having godparents is an ancient one in the Church. (In the early days of Christianity, a sponsor was chosen from the community to encourage and support an adult who was being baptized, both before and after the Baptism.) In addition to representing the Christian community, godparents help parents to bring up their children in the faith by their witness and prayers. To be a godparent is a privileged service in the Church and a special ministry.

Church law (Canon Law #872-874) asks that a godparent be at least sixteen years of age and have received the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist). He or she should lead a life of faith in harmony with the duty undertaken. The godparent may not be one of the parents of the person being baptized.

Only one godparent is required for Baptism (can be either male or female) and a maximum of two can be recorded in the baptismal record. Where there are two godparents, one must be male and one must be female. When pastoral circumstances warrant it, one of these sponsors may be a baptized non-Catholic Christian as a witness of the Baptism.

You can download the form here:

PDF Format: baptism-booking-form_august-2024

Your Baby’s Baptism

Your child’s baptism is a time of celebration and joy. Naturally, you want the best for your child. We want to help you plan and prepare for the Baptism in the best possible way…

An important Question…An important Question…An important Question…

Why have you requested baptism for your child in the Church?

There may be many reasons… Seems to be the thing to do? Someone else in the family wants it? It’s on my “to do” list? I’m afraid something might happen my child? It’s a significant step that starts the faith journey?

How the Church sees Baptism

The Church sees Baptism as the first important step on the Christian journey. On the day your child was born, he/she was welcomed into their family. On the day of baptism they are welcomed into the bigger family of the Lord, the Church. In baptism we enter into a unique and special relationship with the person of Jesus Christ and we try to live out that relationship in and through the people around us. Or put another way … In Baptism we become

A son/daughter of God the Father
A brother/sister of Jesus Christ
A temple of the Holy Spirit
A member of God’s family, the Church.

The Symbols Used in the Baptism Ceremony

The Sign of the Cross:

A stamp or imprint on something is a sign of its origin or ownership. The sign of the cross which we make at the beginning of the ceremony on the child’s forehead, claims him/her for Christ.

Oils:

In the Celebration of Baptism TWO different oils are used:

The Oil of catechumens – The child is anointed on the chest with this oil as a sign that the Lord is giving them strength for the Christian journey they are beginning.
The Oil of Chrism – A very sacred oil, which the child is anointed with on the top of the head. Oil is used to anoint kings and monarchs, it sets people aside for a mission. We are set aside for the Christian mission on the day we are baptised.

Profession of Faith:

YOU have requested baptism for your child. In doing this YOU ARE MAKING A COMMITMENT to bringing up your child in the faith. – We promise to live by Christian values and pass on those values to our child. We promise to bring our child to Mass and the Sacraments, for this is what it means to belong to the Christian family. Therefore we profess the faith that we promise, before the community gathered, to pass onto our child. We pray for the grace to live as good Christian witnesses before our child.

Water:

Water is essential for life! In Baptism, water symbolises the new life we receive in Christ. Just as we nurture and care for a plant or shrub, in order for it to live a healthy life, we too must nurture and care for our faith in order for it to grow healthy and strong.

Baptism Robe/Shawl:

The White Robe is a symbol of Christ. After they were baptised, the early Christians used to clothe themselves in white garments to show that they had “put on Christ”. In the same way, the child, during the baptism ceremony, is clothed in the white shawl to show that they are “clothed in Christ” or “wrapped up” in the love of Christ!

The Baptism Candle:

The large Easter Candle (or Pascal Candle) is lit for the Baptism ceremony. This light symbolises Christ, the Risen Lord, who overcame the cross and rose to new life. It is a symbol of hope! A smaller Baptism Candle is lit from the Easter Candle. This light, love and hope of Jesus is being passed on to the new Christian through YOU the parents.

AFTER THE BAPTISM CEREMONY…

As your child grows it is important to pray with them, share some bible stories (maybe purchase a Children’s Bible), visit the Church to light a candle for someone who is sick, attend Mass…etc.

We pray God’s blessing upon you in the challenge ahead of bringing up your child in the faith….

Registration of Baptism

The parish records the baptism of your child in the Baptismal Register of the parish. This record includes the full names of the child, parents and godparents, the child’s date of birth, the date of the baptism and the name of the officiating priest or deacon. A Certificate of Baptism can be issued by the Parish as and when required. Just email dunleerparish@gmail.com.