Baptism
Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 1213
Baptism is a sacrament that can only be celebrated once. The reason for this is baptism bestows upon us a gift that can never be lost, we call this (1) the baptismal ‘character.’ What this means is that the sacrament of baptism maps on to the human soul the image of Christ, his likeness drawn at the centre of who we are, and that can never be lost. Now because in baptism we are given the likeness of Christ several other things happen as a result of this. (2) We are freed from original sin, because we now bear the image of the Jesus, the new Adam, rather than the old Adam who first sinned. If someone is baptised as an adult all their other sins up until that point are forgiven as well. (3) We become children of God. Because our soul has been marked with the image of the only Son of God we now share in that relationship with God, he becomes our Father, because we are a part of his Son. (4) We become members of God’s Church, the Church is the ‘body of Christ’ and so by sharing in his image we are made a part of it. (5) Finally we are bonded to other Christians. The same image of Jesus that is drawn on the soul when we are baptised is found at the heart of everyone who has been baptised. We share something very precious in common and that creates a special bond between us.
If you wish to have your child baptised you first need to attend a baptism preparation course. At Saint Philip Neri, Mansfield, a baptism course is run regularly and is advertised and the dates are available from the Parish Office. If you want baptism at the churches of Saint Joseph’s, Shirebrook, or Saint Teresa’s, Warsop, then please contact the Parish Office to arrange for baptism preparation. Please note that baptism should take place within the Parish at which you reside, or otherwise the church at which you regularly worship. Please do not make plans for the baptism until a date and time has been agreed with the priest, which will happen after the completion of the preparation class. Baptisms are typically celebrated on a Saturday in our churches.
Prepare for Baptism by scheduling an appointment with Mrs. Ann Marie Pearson through the Parish Office. Whether you’re considering it for yourself or your child, take this step to begin the process. Mrs. Pearson will provide guidance and assistance with all necessary preparations for this significant sacrament. To obtain information on contacting the Parish Office and setting up your appointment, click here.
