Baptism
Please approach Fr John at the end of any weekend Mass, to introduce yourself and arrange an appointment to discuss your upcoming Baptisms. Father John will then forward you on to the Baptism Preparation Group.
The Baptism Preparation Group was formed seventeen years ago to help parents deepen their understanding of this sacrament. The course, which is held every other month, consists of three consecutive one hour meetings on a Saturday from 10.30am - 11.30am. Baptisms take place at 2.00pm on the first Saturday of each month. For further details please contact the Presbytery on 01708-222432 between 9am and 12.30pm.
Below is the Baptism order of service for you to look at and familiarise yourself with, ready for the sacrament.
An example of our Baptism order of service booklet
Please approach Fr John at the end of any weekend Mass, to introduce yourself and arrange an appointment to discuss your upcoming Baptisms. Father John will then forward you on to the Baptism Preparation Group.
The Baptism Preparation Group was formed seventeen years ago to help parents deepen their understanding of this sacrament. The course, which is held every other month, consists of three consecutive one hour meetings on a Saturday from 10.30am - 11.30am. Baptisms take place at 2.00pm on the first Saturday of each month. For further details please contact the Presbytery on 01708-222432 between 9am and 12.30pm.
Below is the Baptism order of service for you to look at and familiarise yourself with, ready for the sacrament.
An example of our Baptism order of service booklet
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Baptism Order Of Service
Reception of the Child
Priest: What name have you given your child?
The parents give the child’s name.
Priest: What do you ask of God’s church for (N)?
Parents: Baptism.
Priest: You have asked to have your child baptised. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him (her) in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him (her) up to keep God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbour. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?
Parents: We do.
Priest: Are you ready to help the parents of this child in their duty as Christian parents?
Godparents: We are.
Priest: My dear (N) the Christian community welcomes you with great joy. In its name I claim you for Christ our Saviour by the sign of his cross. I now trace the cross on your forehead and I invite your parents and godparents to do the same.
Celebration of God’s Word Reading of a gospel passage.
Bidding prayers Response: Lord graciously hear us.
Invocation of the Saints Response: Pray for us.
Exorcism and Anointing
Priest: Almighty and ever-living God, you sent your only Son into the world to cast out the power of Satan, spirit of evil, to rescue man from the kingdom of darkness, and bring him into the splendour of your kingdom of light. We pray for this child(N) set him (her) free from original sin, make him (her) a temple of your glory, and send your Holy Spirit to dwell within him (her). Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Priest: We anoint you with the oil of salvation in the name of Christ our Saviour: May he strengthen you with his power, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: My dear brethren, God uses the sacrament of water to give his divine life to those who believe in him. Let us turn to him, and ask him to pour his gift of life from this font onto this child he has chosen.
Priest: You have called your child (N), to this cleansing water and new birth that by sharing the faith of your Church he (she) might have eternal life. Bless this water in which he (she) will be baptized. We ask this in the name of Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith
Priest: Dear parents and godparents: You have come here to present this child for baptism. By water and the Holy Spirit he (she) is to receive the gift of new life from God who is love. On your part you must make it your constant care to bring him (her) up in the practice of the faith. See that the divine life that God gives him (her) is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in his (her) heart. If your faith makes you now ready to accept this responsibility, renew now the vows of your own baptism. Reject sin; profess your faith in Christ Jesus. This is the faith of the Church. This is the faith in which this child is about to be baptised.
Priest: Do you reject Satan?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: And all his works?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: And all his empty promises?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: Do you believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: Do you believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen
Baptism
Before the baptism itself, the Priest asks parents and godparents
Priest: Is it your will that (N) should be baptised in the faith of the Church which we have all professed with you? Parents & Godparents: It is.
The Priest pours water over the child’s head three times saying
Priest: (N), I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Anointing with Chrism The Christian’s consecration to God.
Priest: God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin, given you a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and welcomed you into his holy people. He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation. As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as members of his body, sharing everlasting life.
All: Amen.
Clothing with a White Garment
Priest: (N), you have become a new creation, and have clothed yourself in Christ. See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you by word and example, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.
All: Amen.
Lighted Candle The child’s candle is lit from the paschal candle.
Priest: Receive the light of Christ.
Priest: Parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. This child of yours has been enlightened by Christ. He (she) is to walk always as a child of the light. May he (she) keep the flame of faith alight in his (her) heart. When the Lord comes, may he (she) go out to meet him with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom.
Our Father
All:
Our Father, Who art in heaven.
Hallowed be Thy Name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Blessing
Priest: God the Father, through his son, the Virgin Mary’s child, has brought joy to all Christian mothers, as they see the hope of eternal life shine on their children. May he bless the mothers of these children. They now thank God for the gift of their children. May they be one with them in thanking him for ever in heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Amen
Priest: God is the giver of all life, human and divine. May be bless the fathers of these children. With their wives they will be the first teachers of their children in the ways of the faith. May they be also the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Amen
Priest: By God’s gift, through water and the Holy Spirit, we are reborn to everlasting life. In his goodness, may he continue to pour out his blessings upon all present, who are his sons and daughters. May he make them always, wherever they may be, faithful members of his holy people. May he send his peace upon all who are gathered here, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Amen
Priest: May almighty God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit bless you.
All: Amen
Recessional Hymn
Reception of the Child
Priest: What name have you given your child?
The parents give the child’s name.
Priest: What do you ask of God’s church for (N)?
Parents: Baptism.
Priest: You have asked to have your child baptised. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him (her) in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him (her) up to keep God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbour. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?
Parents: We do.
Priest: Are you ready to help the parents of this child in their duty as Christian parents?
Godparents: We are.
Priest: My dear (N) the Christian community welcomes you with great joy. In its name I claim you for Christ our Saviour by the sign of his cross. I now trace the cross on your forehead and I invite your parents and godparents to do the same.
Celebration of God’s Word Reading of a gospel passage.
Bidding prayers Response: Lord graciously hear us.
Invocation of the Saints Response: Pray for us.
Exorcism and Anointing
Priest: Almighty and ever-living God, you sent your only Son into the world to cast out the power of Satan, spirit of evil, to rescue man from the kingdom of darkness, and bring him into the splendour of your kingdom of light. We pray for this child(N) set him (her) free from original sin, make him (her) a temple of your glory, and send your Holy Spirit to dwell within him (her). Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Priest: We anoint you with the oil of salvation in the name of Christ our Saviour: May he strengthen you with his power, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: My dear brethren, God uses the sacrament of water to give his divine life to those who believe in him. Let us turn to him, and ask him to pour his gift of life from this font onto this child he has chosen.
Priest: You have called your child (N), to this cleansing water and new birth that by sharing the faith of your Church he (she) might have eternal life. Bless this water in which he (she) will be baptized. We ask this in the name of Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith
Priest: Dear parents and godparents: You have come here to present this child for baptism. By water and the Holy Spirit he (she) is to receive the gift of new life from God who is love. On your part you must make it your constant care to bring him (her) up in the practice of the faith. See that the divine life that God gives him (her) is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in his (her) heart. If your faith makes you now ready to accept this responsibility, renew now the vows of your own baptism. Reject sin; profess your faith in Christ Jesus. This is the faith of the Church. This is the faith in which this child is about to be baptised.
Priest: Do you reject Satan?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: And all his works?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: And all his empty promises?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: Do you believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: Do you believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting?
Parents & Godparents: I do.
Priest: This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen
Baptism
Before the baptism itself, the Priest asks parents and godparents
Priest: Is it your will that (N) should be baptised in the faith of the Church which we have all professed with you? Parents & Godparents: It is.
The Priest pours water over the child’s head three times saying
Priest: (N), I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Anointing with Chrism The Christian’s consecration to God.
Priest: God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin, given you a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and welcomed you into his holy people. He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation. As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as members of his body, sharing everlasting life.
All: Amen.
Clothing with a White Garment
Priest: (N), you have become a new creation, and have clothed yourself in Christ. See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you by word and example, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.
All: Amen.
Lighted Candle The child’s candle is lit from the paschal candle.
Priest: Receive the light of Christ.
Priest: Parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. This child of yours has been enlightened by Christ. He (she) is to walk always as a child of the light. May he (she) keep the flame of faith alight in his (her) heart. When the Lord comes, may he (she) go out to meet him with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom.
Our Father
All:
Our Father, Who art in heaven.
Hallowed be Thy Name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Blessing
Priest: God the Father, through his son, the Virgin Mary’s child, has brought joy to all Christian mothers, as they see the hope of eternal life shine on their children. May he bless the mothers of these children. They now thank God for the gift of their children. May they be one with them in thanking him for ever in heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Amen
Priest: God is the giver of all life, human and divine. May be bless the fathers of these children. With their wives they will be the first teachers of their children in the ways of the faith. May they be also the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Amen
Priest: By God’s gift, through water and the Holy Spirit, we are reborn to everlasting life. In his goodness, may he continue to pour out his blessings upon all present, who are his sons and daughters. May he make them always, wherever they may be, faithful members of his holy people. May he send his peace upon all who are gathered here, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Amen
Priest: May almighty God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit bless you.
All: Amen
Recessional Hymn
