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The Sacrament of Baptism is administered on the 2nd Sunday of the
month at 1:30 p.m. in the Old Church, and the 3rd Saturday of the month after the 4:30
p.m. Mass. Special arrangements can be made for other times. First time parents are
required to attend a Baptismal Preparation Session, which is held on the first Friday of
every month at 8 p.m. Couples in our Baptismal Preparation Program host these session in
their homes.
Baptism is administered by one of the 3 priests of the parish or by Deacon John Polizzi. You must be a member of St. Stephen's Parish. Out-of-town baptisms can only be performed with the permission of the Pastor of the parish in which you belong. Since the child is being initiated into the Catholic Faith, it is expected that the parents (or the Catholic parent) are practicing their faith by attending weekly Mass. If there is some doubt concerning this matter, one of the parish priests will discuss this with the parents at length. To qualify as a Godparent, one must be attending weekly Mass, have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist, and, if married, be in a marriage recognized by the Catholic Church. Godparents from other parishes must receive a Letter of Recommendation from their parish priest. One Non-Catholic Christian is permitted to serve as a witness, provided they are not a former Catholic. Call the rectory to make arrangements 3 to 4 weeks in advance. One of the parish priests or Deacon John will visit the home to gather the proper information about the baptism. |
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