Baptism is one of the three sacraments of Christian Initiation (along with Holy Eucharist and Confirmation) through which Catholics are initiated into the Catholic Church.
Baptism is the foundation for the Christian life; in Baptism we enter into the life of Christ. We begin a relationship with the Lord that grows throughout our lives and leads to eternal life. Baptism gives us God's life and frees us from original sin. The Church teaches that parents are the primary educators of their child in the faith. In keeping with this belief, all parents presenting an infant for Baptism must participate in a Baptismal preparation session. The Preparation Program gives parents and godparents an opportunity to reflect on their own faith, to learn more about the meaning of the Sacrament of Baptism, and to be made aware of the responsibilities of being Catholic parents or sponsors at Baptism.
Congratulations! Your baby's Baptism will be a special moment for you and your family. It will also be a special moment for our parish as we welcome your child into God's family. We look forward to helping you prepare for your baby's baptism so that it will be a day to remember for everyone.
If you have not previously registered as a member of St. Stephen Parish, we encourage you do so.
Please click here for information on how to register.
Godparents play an important role in a child's Catholic upbringing. You may find the following documents helpful when considering whom to ask:
Baptisms are currently offered at the following times:
In English - on the first and third Sundays of the month at 2:30 PM.
Parents who have made the decision to baptize their child in the Catholic faith and would like to have the Sacrament of Baptism held at St. Stephen should complete the Baptism Information Form. (Click on the highlighted words or on the words Baptism Information Form in the drop down menu to the left.)
Once you complete and submit the Baptism Information Form, our parish office will contact you to schedule your child's baptism date within 10 days of completion of the form.
Three weeks prior to your child's Baptism date, parents need to bring the following to the baptism coordinator at the parish office during business hours:
St. Stephen would like to celebrate your child's very special Baptism day with our parish community by publicizing photos in the parish bulletin. (Please note - electronic versions of the parish bulletin appear on the parish website.)We are asking parents to submit a baptism photo to St. Stephen if they would like their child's photo to appear in the parish bulletin and on the parish website. Please follow these guidelines when making your submission: