Baptism for Infants
The Sacrament of Baptism presumes that parents are registered and participating parish members. The actual ceremony is scheduled upon completion of the preparation process for parents which provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning, commitment, and practical aspects of the baptism of their child.
Preparation sessions are held on the third Sunday of each month following the 11:00 am Mass at church. It is preferred that the preparation session take place during the period of pregnancy. Please register by the Wednesday before the scheduled session by contacting the church office (see below).
Baptism for infants is celebrated first or third Saturday of each month at 10:00 am at the church.
Contact: Mary Adams at 704-545-1224 x 10
email: MaryAdams@stlukecatholicminthill.org
Baptism for Adults
Baptism for adults is received through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program. Reception of this sacrament through RCIA is an on-going process based on pastoral readiness, which includes a thorough period of parish-based catechesis.
Godparents
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What are the requirements to be a Godparent? A Godparent should be a confirmed, Catholic Christian who is at least 16 years of age, faithfully practices and believes in the Catholic faith, is either married within the Church or unmarried, divorced or widowed and not living with a partner and is a participating member of a parish community.
How many godparents should there be? Church law only requires you to have one Godparent; however, it has been tradition to have two.
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Can the same Godparents have responsibility for more than one child in the same family? Yes, as long as they take seriously their responsibility and intention to help the children grow in faith.
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What gender should the Godparent be? If you choose only one Godparent, you are free to choose a male or a female. However, if you wish to have two Godparents, there must be one male and one female.
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Can a non-Catholic serve as a Godparent? A baptized, non-Catholic may serve as an “official witness” to the baptism, only if there is a proper Catholic sponsor who fully meets all requirements of a Godparent. The non-Catholic who is selected as a witness should be an active and participating member of his/her church community. During the baptism, a non-Catholic witness may perform all the parts of the ceremony that a Godparent does. His or her name will be entered into the Sacrament Record Book as an “official witness”, together with the name of the Godparent.
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What is the difference between a Godparent and a witness? Canon (Church) Law describes a witness as “A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community.” A Godparent is a confirmed, practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church.
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Can someone serve as Godparent by proxy (stand-in) if the Godparent is unable to participate in the baptism ceremony? If a Godparent cannot attend the baptism ceremony, a proxy can stand in the place of the missing Godparent. The name of that person will be entered as “proxy” in the Sacramental Record Book, along with the name of the missing Godparent.