THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

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THE SACRAMENTOF BAPTISM
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Baptism is the Sacrament which cleanses us from
Original Sin, makes us children of God, followers
of Christ and members of his Church. At our
Baptism God shares with us his Life and his Love
which Mankind was deprived of by Original Sin.
The word Baptism is derived from the Greek word,
bapto, or baptizo, to wash or to immerse. It
signifies, therefore, that washing is of the
essential idea of the sacrament. Baptism is
intended to signify the sacramental washing by
which the soul is cleansed from sin at the same
time that water is poured upon the body. Baptism
is, therefore, the sacrament by which we are born
again of water and the Holy Ghost, that is, by
which we receive in a new and spiritual life, the
dignity of adoption as sons of God and heirs of
God's kingdom.
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HOW IS BAPTISM ADMINISTERED?
Baptism is administered by pouring water on the
head of the candidate and saying at the same
time I baptise you in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Priests
or deacons administer Baptism, though in a case
of necessity anyone may baptise.
WHAT DO WE PROMISE IN BAPTISM? We promise in
Baptism to reject the devil and to avoid all that
is evil, to believe in God the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit and to live our lives according to
the teachings of Jesus Christ.
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HOW DO INFANTS MAKE THESE PROMISES?
When infants are baptised they are unable to
answer for themselves, so their parents and
godparents make the promises on their behalf. A
godparent is someone who sponsors a child's
baptism. A male godparent is a godfather and a
female godparent is a godmother. The child is a
godchild.
IS BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION? Baptism is
necessary for salvation, because Jesus Christ
said Unless you are born again of water and
the Holy Spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom of
God. However, those who genuinely desire Baptism
or who suffer death for their Christian faith,
but die before they can receive the Sacrament,
are said to have received Baptism of desire or
Baptism of blood. As for those who are not
baptised before they die, we commend them in our
prayers to the infinite mercy of God.
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A CATHOLIC INFANT BAPTISM SERVICE
Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the
Catholic Church. Jesus was baptised by John the
Baptist. People get baptised to show they belong
to the Christian faith. They promise that they
will try to live in a Christian way. Usually it
is a baby getting baptised. Obviously a baby
can't make any promises, so the parents and
God-parents make the promises for the baby. What
happens at a baptism in a Catholic church?
WELCOME The priest welcomes the child and the
parents at the door of the church. At the door,
the priest asks the parents and God-parents if
they are willing to bring up the child as a
Christian. When they say Yes the priest
welcomes and names the child and says, "I claim
you for Christ our Saviour by the Sign of his
Cross". The priest then traces the sign of the
cross on the child's forehead and the parents and
God-parents do the same. The sign of the cross is
a symbol that the child now belongs to God. The
people enter into the church.
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THE WORD OF GOD - THE EXORCISM
THE WORD OF GOD He asks parents what name theyre
going to give their son generally the Roman
Church advices to name the child after a saint,
in order to automatically provide a patron, an
exemplar, and yet another special day to
celebrate God's goodness and grace. There is then
a short reading form the Bible. The priest
explains what it is about. Then there will be
prayers. The prayers will be for the baby and for
the parents and God-parents to help them in their
job of bringing up the child. THE EXORCISM The
priest holds his hand up and says O God, you
sent your Son to cast out the power of Satan, set
this child free from Original Sin. This is the
exorcism. Every human being has free will so it
is a hard job to always act in a loving way like
God wants us to. Sometimes people fail and act in
an un-loving way like Satan (the devil) would
want us to.The priest is asking God to help the
child act in a loving way as much as possible.
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THE ANOINTING - THE PROMISES
THE ANOINTING The priest anoints the child on the
chest with the oil of catechumens. The oil of
catechumens is a sign of strength and
healing. People need strength to fight for what
is right. THE PROMISES The child is brought up
to the font with the parents and God-parents. The
priest asks the parents and God-parents some
questions, and they answer together "I do". "Do
you reject Satan?" "I do." "Do you believe in
God?" "I do." "Do you believe in Jesus Christ,
the son of God?" "I do." "Do you believe in the
Holy Spirit?" "I do."
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THE BAPTISM
After the promises the child is baptised. Water
is poured over the child's head three times. The
priest says the child's name and then I baptise
you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit. The Priest baptises the baby
.Water is used because it is a symbol of new life.
WEARING WHITE When a baby is baptised it wears
white. Long ago, new Christians were given a
white garment to wear as a sign of their new
life. White stands for purity and innocence and
the rejection of sin (doing wrong things).
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THE BAPTISMAL CANDLE
In each Catholic Church is a great paschal
candle, which stands for the resurrection of
Jesus. Jesus said, I am the light of the world,
so the candle is a symbol of this. With light we
see things clearly. Jesus was talking about
showing the difference between right and wrong,
good and evil. In the baptism, a candle is given
to the father or God parents who lights it from
the great paschal candle. The candle is a sign of
how they hope the child will always try to live
the way the Jesus would want.
BLESSINGS At the end, the Lord's prayer is
said. The the priest blesses the mother and
father and all the people in the church.
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MY BAPTISMbyGiuseppe Pezzella
I was baptized in October the 30th, 1994. Some
people may think it is an ordinary day, but for
my family it wasnt. In that very special day I
walked my first step in the Catholic community.
The religious ceremony was like any other one. At
about ten oclock all my family and I went to
SantElpidios Church in SantArpino and I was
baptized by the parish Francesco Pezzella. My
godparents were my maternal grandad Giuseppe
Pezzella and grandma Giuseppina DellAversana. I
received the Baptism together with my cousin
Antonio.
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All the babies, taken in their mothersarms, the
fathers and godparents, had to stand around the
priest, who gave lightening candles to the
godparents. Candles, according to me, symbolize
the route towards God. Then he took away the
original sin from me with blessed water. When the
religious ceremony ended, all my family, my
cousins, uncles and aunts, granparents and other
guests, went to a restaurant to celebrate my
admission in the Catholic Community. Here are
some photos of that special day.