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EspañolBaptism
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“Then Jesus approached and said to them, ‘All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).
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What is Baptism?
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Baptism is the door to eternal life and the Kingdom of God which Christ offered to all through his death and resurrection. It incorporates us into Christ and His Church, pardons our sins as well as all punishment for sin, rescues us from the power of darkness and bestows on us the dignity of being children of God. Christ entrusted this sacrament to the Church when he told his apostles to “Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
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- Baptism for Infants (under age 7)
- Baptism for Children Ages 7+ and Adults
- Baptism Preparation
- The Role of Godparents
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We welcome and congratulate those families wishing to pass on the faith to their children through the sacrament of Baptism.
The celebration of baptism is a public ritual of initiation and a celebration of faith that requires faith. Therefore, preparation is indispensable to ensure that parents and godparents know what they are doing and committing themselves to when presenting infants for baptism.
The Sacrament of Baptism presumes that parents are registered and participating parish members.
The actual ceremony is scheduled upon completion of the preparation process for parents which provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning, commitment, and practical aspects of the baptism of their child.
Prior to attending a baptism preparation session, parents are to follow these steps:
- Contact the parish office to express their request for the Sacrament of Baptism.
- Choose godparent(s) and assure they meet the requirements established by the Diocese of Raleigh. (please refer to The Role of Godparents tab below)
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People who are no longer infants must be taught about the sacrament before they can receive it.
Parental support is required for all minors (under age 18) seeking the sacrament.
To fully prepare for the sacrament, candidates participate in a 20-month journey that begins in September and finishes in April of their second year.
Candidates for Baptism are incorporated into the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) or the corresponding initiation process for minors.
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Baptism Preparation sessions are scheduled every other month. Prior to registering for a session, please
contact the parish office and let us know that you are requesting baptism for your child.
If you have been asked to be a godparent, please read over the instructions on the godparent form (located in the Role of Godparents tab below), and make certain qualifications are met.
Our next session is scheduled for July 19, 2026, at 2:00pm
Sessions meet in the Parish Hall.
Please contact the parish office (910)488-1797 if you have any questions.
Baptism Prep Session Registration
Mark and Meredith Gronski facilitate Baptism Preparation.
They have been active parishioners at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
since 2016. Mark is also our Safe Environment Coordinator.
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The role of godparents in infant baptism is especially important since their role as guardians of a child's faith after baptism is different from the role of godparents in adult baptism, who serve as guarantors of a candidate's faith. Consequently, the Church specifies minimum requirements of all godparents. All godparents are:
- specifically designated by the parents or the person who takes their place or in their absence by the pastor or minister
- A member of the Roman Catholic Church
- usually a minimum age of 16 years of age
- recipients of the three sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist
- A Catholic in good standing
- in a marriage recognized by the Church as valid, if married
- living a life consistent with a single person as defined by the Church, if unmarried.
In addition, the parents may not serve as godparents for their children.
Godparent Testimony Forms
Click on the link below to download the required godparent form. Please read the instruction page thoroughly. A separate form must be completed for each godparent. Forms are also available in the parish office.
Godparent Form
Formulario de Testimonio de Padrinos
Other questions concerning godparents
How many godparents should there be? Church law only requires you to have one Godparent; however, it has been tradition to have two.
Can the same Godparents have responsibility for more than one child in the same family? Yes, as long as they take seriously their responsibility and intention to help the children grow in faith.
What gender should the Godparent be? If you choose only one Godparent, you are free to choose a male or a female. However, if you wish to have two Godparents, there must be one male and one female.
Can a non-Catholic serve as a Godparent? A baptized, non-Catholic may serve as an “official witness” to the baptism, only if there is a proper Catholic sponsor who fully meets all requirements of a Godparent. The non-Catholic who is selected as a witness should be an active and participating member of his/her church community. During the baptism, a non-Catholic witness may perform all the parts of the ceremony that a Godparent does. His or her name will be entered into the Sacrament Record Book as an “official witness”, together with the name of the Godparent.
What is the difference between a Godparent and a witness? Canon (Church) Law describes a witness as “A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community.” A Godparent is a confirmed, practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church.
Can someone serve as Godparent by proxy (stand-in) if the Godparent is unable to participate in the baptism ceremony? If a Godparent cannot attend the baptism ceremony, a proxy can stand in the place of the missing Godparent. The name of that person will be entered as “proxy” in the Sacramental Record Book, along with the name of the missing Godparent.
