Sacrament of Baptism

Dear Parents:

We rejoice with you in the birth of your child. In addition, we are delighted that you desire to have your child share in the fullness of life promised to us by Christ through baptism. We invite you to embrace this time of preparation for your child's Baptism as a special moment to renew your own faith in God and your participation in the community of faith, the Church. Know that we desire to support and encourage you in all your efforts to nurture your child in the ways of faith. We pray that God will bless you and your family!

Parents can make arrangements for their child's baptism by contacting the Parish Office at 617-244-0608. Office hours are from 10:00 am-3:30 pm, Monday-Friday.

The Baptism of infants is generally celebrated on the second Sunday of every month, usually during the celebration of mass. The celebration of Baptism may also be arranged to take place at Sunday Mass. Parents are expected to participate in an instruction session in preparation for their child's Baptism.  The session is conducted on the last Saturday of the month preceding the celebration of baptism.

Parents presenting their child for Baptism should be registered as parishoners of Corpus Christi-St. Bernard Parish.  Parents living outside the parish are welcome to have their child baptized at one of our parish churches once they have provided a letter of introduction/permission from their local pastor and indication that they have participated in a baptismal instruction session within their home parish.

What is Baptism?

Baptism is the first sacrament received and it is called, along with Confirmation and Eucharist, a Sacrament of Christian Initiation. Baptism lays the very foundation of the Christian life. Baptism means a "plunging or immersion into the water symbolizing a burial into Christ's death and arising as a new creature as in Christ's resurrection" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1214). It is also called the washing of regeneration and renewal, because in the case of adults, not only original sin but also personal sins are removed completely through the sacrament (Catechism, #1215).

What are the effects of Baptism?

The effects of Baptism are truly monumental: The individual is filled with the presence of God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Because all sin (original and personal, if any) is taken away completely in Baptism, the individual has a complete and fresh start in his or her spiritual life. In and through Baptism, the person becomes an adoptive child of God, a member of the Body of Christ, and a Temple of the Holy Spirit. By this fact, he or she is incorporated in the Church and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ. Finally, Baptism imprints on the soul an indelible sign, the character (a kind of identity), that consecrates a person for Christian worship. Thus, Baptism is never repeated.

It is significant that the Church sees Baptism as a gift of God, as is faith. This is why in the Catholic tradition there is no hesitation in baptizing infants though they may not be conscious of what is happening. As they grow, they will make many acts of faith in God, in the Eucharist and more, and respond to the gift of God's life they received as infants.

The Sacrament of Baptism initiates us into our journey of life with God. It is God who leads and God who guides, and God who waits to embrace us for all eternity.

top of page