Baptism is the sacrament that marks the beginning of our life of faith. In Baptism we are welcomed into God’s family and begin the journey of getting to know and understand the meaning of God’s love. At East Coast Bays Parish, there are two programmes of preparation of the Sacrament of Baptism depending on the age of the person wanting to be baptised.
Please contact our Baptismal Co-ordinators at baptism@ecbcatholic.org.nz for further information.
Baptism of a Child
For a baby to be baptised there needs to be a ‘well-founded hope’ that the child will be nourished in the knowledge and practice of the faith. Parents may ask themselves about the ‘dream’ they have for their children and how faith is going to be nurtured in their child’s life. At East Coast Bays Parish, the baptismal preparation programme for a child is in three parts:
- Participation in a Baptism Preparation Programme.
Parents participate in this programme to explore their role as ‘first educators of faith’.
Please contact our Baptismal Co-ordinators (baptism@ecbcatholic.org.nz) and complete online our Baptismal registration form to book the preparation course.
It is essential to complete our online registration form. We use the information on the registration form to prepare the Baptismal Certificate and to make a note of the date you have chosen for your child to be baptised.
The Baptismal Preparation Programme runs bi-monthly. See the 2024 dates here below on this webpage. - Presentation of your child to the Christian community at East Coast Bays at one of Sunday Masses (either at the 5:30pm Saturday Vigil Mass, or the 7:30am, 9am or 10:30am Sunday Mass). The presentation is a simple ritual that involves presenting your child, the naming and anointing with the Oil of Catechumens (no special clothing is required and Godparents are not required to be present, but are most welcome).
“When children are presented to be given spiritual grace, it is not so much those holding them in their arms who present them – although, if these people are good Christians, they are included among those who present the children — as the whole company of saints and faithful Christians…. It is done by the whole Mother Church which is in the saints, since it is as a whole that she gives birth to each and every one of them” (St. Augustine)
- The celebration of Baptism then takes place the following Saturday at 11am.
Due to the large number of requests for Baptism at East Coast Bays, the Rite of Baptism is celebrated communally on either the 1st Saturday of the month at St. John the Baptist Church, Mairangi Bay, or on the 3rd Saturday of the month at St. Francis de Sales Church, Torbay, at 11am.
You will confirm the date/location you have chosen for your child to be baptised with the Baptismal Co-ordinators and on the registration form. Individual Baptisms can occur at East Coast Bays Parish, however, it is the exception not the rule, and needs to be agreed by the Parish Priest.
If this is not your first child to be baptised and you have already completed a preparation programme, you are not required to participate in another programme. You will only need to take part in the Presentation and Baptism steps as outlined above.
Please book directly with the Baptismal Co-ordinators and complete online our Baptismal registration form so that we can prepare the Baptismal Certificate.
If East Coast Bays Parish is not your usual place of workshop, we recommend that you contact your local parish. Baptism is an important way of making a connection with your local parish and priests, and the future support your local community offers. This is especially important if you will be looking to send your child to a local Catholic school. If you already belong to another parish, then the baptism should take place there.
For further information, please contact our Baptismal Co-ordinators at baptism@ecbcatholic.org.nz.
Baptism of an adult
The majority of Catholics are baptised into the membership of the Church as a baby or child and grow up in an environment where the Church is always part of their lives. Some people, however, are moved by the Holy Spirit to consciously and freely seek Baptism later in their life journey.
During the first centuries, the growth of the Church grew largely through the Baptism of adults. In recent years, the Church as returned to many of these first-century ceremonies for welcoming adults who seek baptism into the life of Christ. The church teaches that through the application of Holy Water (Baptism) a candidate is cleansed from sins and begins a new life. Before baptism, adults undergo a preparatory period to introduce them to the church’s teachings, creeds and prayers.
This journey of faith, this period of reflection and discovery, and the ceremonies that accompany it have been brought together in a programme the Church calls “The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults’ or ‘RCIA’. Please contact the office to book your place on this.
Click here for more information regarding the RCIA programme
The Celebration of Baptism
Gathering
Those who are being baptised, their families, friends and the community gather together.
Welcome
Words of welcome are exchanged. The names that have been chosen for Baptism are announced and the parents’ desire to have their child baptised is expressed.
The Word
Everyone present listens to the Word of God (readings from Sacred Scripture)
Oil of Catechumens
To prepare for Baptism, the candidate is anointed with the Oil of Catechumens as a sign of Christs’ protective power.
Vows
All present renew their own baptismal vows. Therefore, all Godparents need to be Christian, with at least one of them a baptised, practising Catholic.
Water
The Baptism takes place as the priest pours holy water over the forehead three times as he says the words of Baptism.
Oil of Chrism
The newly baptised are then anointed with Sacred Chrism as a sign of sealing with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Like Christ, the one baptised is now an ‘anointed one’.
White Clothing
As a sign of being a new creation clothed in Christ, the one who have been baptised is now covered in a white cloth.
Candle
As a sign of the light of Christ now present in the newly baptised, a candle is presented and lit from the paschal or Easter candle.
Blessing
Final prayers and a blessing are given so that all present may love and serve the Lord in peace and goodwill.
If you would like to get your child baptised, one parent (ideally both parents), need to attend a Baptism Course prior to the baptism of their first child. One parent must be a baptised Catholic.
The regular days for Baptisms are:
First Saturday of the month, 11am: St John’s church
Third Saturday of the month: 11am: St Francis church
For further information, please contact the office or leave a message at 09 478 4565 or contact us via email.
To enrol, please fill in our online form.
The next Baptism Preparation Course is scheduled for Tuesday, 5 December 2023 at 7pm.
