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Baptism Preparation

- Baptism
  
  Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are freed from sin and reborn as children of God. We become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church, and made sharers in the Church’s mission. Through the waters of Baptism, sin is forgiven and the new Christian, having died with Christ, rises to new and everlasting life.
  
  The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters. . . . Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin – Original and actual – and begin to live a new life with God.
  
  In Baptism, the Holy Spirit moves us to answer Christ's call to holiness. In Baptism, we are asked to walk by the light of Christ and to trust in his wisdom. We are invited to submit our hearts to Christ with ever deeper love.
- Infant Baptism (Age 0-6)
  
  Congratulations on the birth of your child, and thank you for inviting the Church into your child’s spiritual journey! In the Catholic Church, Baptism is an initiation into a community of faith. Baptism is a ritual act that affirms that it is not just an act of/for an individual, but an act of/for a faith community.
  
  This is why the Church directs that baptism be celebrated in the specific church community to which a family belongs: the local parish. It is in the parish community that a family can “put down roots” for themselves and grow not only the child’s initiation into the Roman Catholic Church, but also help in the growth of the life of that Parish community. The parish can provide a place to foster and help grow the faith of the child to whom you are seeking baptism.
  
  If you are a parent and you would like to schedule a baptism at St. John XXIII, you will need to contact Angela Holt at [email protected] or (505)293-7756. We will need:
  
  The parents' contact information (names, address, phone number, and email),
  
  A copy of the child's birth certificate,
  
  A sponsor affidavit for each godparent (these are provided by the parish where each godparent is registered), and
  
  A copy of a certificate of completion of a baptism class for each parent and each godparent.
  
  Parents, when choosing godparents, please remember, godparents should be baptized members of the Catholic Church, at least 16 years of age, have made their First Holy Communion and received the Sacrament of Confirmation. They should not be married outside of the Catholic Church, nor be cohabitating (living outside of marriage with someone). They should normally attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, receive the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) at least once a year, and go to Holy Communion at least once a year in the Easter Season, and be registered at the parish where they attend Mass. You may choose only one godparent of any gender. If two are chosen, they may not be the same gender.
  
  For information on our Baptism Classes for parents and godparents, please read below.
- Child Baptism (Age 7-17)
  
  Children who have reached the age of reason (7) are asked to make the decision to be baptized with the assistance of their parents. We offer classes in conjunction with our regular Religious Formation program that run from September through April. They typically receive their sacraments at our Easter Vigil.
  
  If you have a child who would like to be baptized, you will need to register them in August for Religious Formation and indicate they need the Sacrament of Baptism on the form. Please note, the paperwork requirements are the same as listed above for ages 0-6. For more information, please contact our Religious Formation Director at [email protected] or (505)293-7756.
- Adult Baptism (Age 18+)
  
  Adults who seek to become members of the Roman Catholic Church join through the process of RCIA (The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). For more information on RCIA, please click here.
- Baptism Classes for Parents and Godparents
  
  Parents and Godparents of children who are planning to be baptized are asked to attend a baptism class. These classes are offered at most parishes across the country. If you have taken one within the last 2 years, you may contact the parish where you attended and provide a copy of your completion certificate. These certificates are only good for 2 years.
  
  At St. John XXIII, we offer our Baptism Class online. The class consists of watching 3 videos and answering questions for each. It takes approximately 2-2.5 hours to complete and can be completed in sections or all at once. Once you have completed the course, we will send you your completion certificate and also follow up with you to make sure all your questions have been answered.
  
  To access the videos for this class, you will need to sign up for FORMED. To do so, please go to www.formed.org, click "sign up," click "I belong to a parish or organization," and when prompted for the parish, choose "John XXIII" in Albuquerque, NM. You will have to confirm your account through your email address.
  
  There is no specified fee for this class. If you find it valuable or if you would like to help contribute to our parish, you are welcome to give online at https://www.osvhub.com/johnxxiiicc/funds.
  
  To sign up for the class, you will need a valid gmail account. If you do not have one or are unable to take the course online, please contact Angela Holt at [email protected] or (505)293-7756. Please note: each person must take this class individually unless previously discussed with our Religious Formation Director.
  
  To begin the course, please go to https://classroom.google.com/, click the plus sign at the top right, click "join class," and enter the code bxrlafo.
  
  Once you have completed the course, a certificate will be mailed to you in approximately 2 weeks*.
  *PLEASE NOTE: Certificates will not be processed from July 1st-31st. Any classes completed during that time will have certificates mailed the first week of August.