Baptism

But when they believed Philip’s message about the good news of the Kingdom of God and about Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.  Acts 8:12

Baptism with water is a sign of our faith in Jesus, and the tradition in the Catholic Church is to baptise infants in their first few months, a sign of the commitment of their parents.

Baptism is the Sacrament which initiates us into the Church, the body of Christ. It is a symbol of the love and trust that we put in Jesus and his Church, in this case the support that the parish, community and schools of St Catherine’s will provide. Baptism is the outward sign of a developing love for Jesus within the community of the Church.

Baptism ceremonies, or Christenings as we often say, usually take place after the 11 o’clock Mass (at about 12 noon) with family and friends there to support the parents in their wish to have their child become a Christian. Parents, and godparents if possible, are expected to prepare for this big day in a baby or young child’s life, so speak to Father John after one of the Sunday Masses.

Adult Baptism
When adults ask to be baptised, a sign of their potential conversion to faith in Jesus, a period of preparation, often together with other adults making the same commitment, is required. This preparation and the ceremony itself are known as the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults or RCIA and is intended to introduce those asking for baptism to the teachings, beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church. Again, those considering being received into the Church should contact Father John after Mass.

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Those who accepted his message were baptised. Acts 2:41