Baptism
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism; one God and Father of all... Ephesians 4:4-6

Sacramental Preparation

Baptism incorporates us into Christ and forms us into God’s people. This first Sacrament pardons all our sins, rescues us from the power of darkness, and brings us to the dignity of adopted children…” (Rite of Christian Initiation, General Introduction, 2). ​

Infant Baptism requires that parents... 

make a solemn commitment that they will raise the child in the Catholic faith. In practical terms this means that the parents promise to:

• Bring the child to Sunday Mass each week starting the Sunday after Baptism. 
• Enroll the child in Family Faith Formation classes starting no later than the first grade and continuing through Confirmation
• Teach the child by word and example at home to love God and neighbor as Jesus taught.

Parish Celebration

Baptism of infants is normally celebrated following the 11:30 AM Mass on most Sunday's at Saint Patrick's Church.  For a child to be baptized at Holy Angels Parish his/her parents must be registered and practicing Catholics.
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Parents requesting Baptism of their children should ordinarily be registered members of the parish.  With special permission of the pastor, they may request Baptism in another parish.
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Parents are expected to participate in a Baptismal Preparation Class.  These classes are held on the second Sunday of every month at 11:30AM  in the Parish Center.  (Parents are to enter on the side door of the Worship Center and meet in the upstairs meeting room) Please call the Parish Office, Monday thru Friday,  to register for the class and to schedule a Baptism.

​Before you ask someone to be a Godparent(Baptism) or sponsor(Confirmation), or before accepting this honor, please consider reading the following On Godparents and Sponsors.

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Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.   Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission..." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1213).

Baptism is the first of the three Sacraments of Initiation, the other two being the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Once baptized, a person becomes a member of the Church. 

Youth Baptism

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Adapted for Children/Youth
Children who have reached the age of 7 and have not been baptized are invited into the process of Christian initiation based on the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA.)

This process will prepare young people and their families for the celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Children should be enrolled in the parish Family Faith Formation, or a Catholic school (parish or private) prior to beginning this preparation.

For more information, please contact Irene Clark, Family Faith Formation, 856-845-1660 or familyfaith@holyangelsnj.org

Adult Baptism

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the process in which a person who is not baptized or baptized in another faith denomination, has not received instruction, first communion, or confirmation, journeys with others like them and other Catholics to be fully initiated in the Catholic faith.  It is a time of prayer, study, reflection, faith sharing, ongoing discernment and participation in the life of the parish.

​To learn more about the RCIA process, or contact Deacon Vince Latini at dvlatini@outlook.com

What the Church Teaches - Catechism of the Catholic Church

-Summary: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Sacraments of Initiation, 1275-1284

1275  Christian initiation is accomplished by three sacraments together: Baptism which is the beginning of new life; Confirmation which is its strengthening; and the Eucharist which nourishes the disciple with Christ's Body and Blood for his transformation in Christ.
        
1276  "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" (Mt 28:19-20).
        
1277  Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord's will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism.
        
1278  The essential rite of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water or pouring water on his head, while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
        
1279  The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ.
        
1280  Baptism imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual sign, the character, which consecrates the baptized person for Christian worship. Because of the character Baptism cannot be repeated (cf. DS 1609 and DS 1624).
        
1281  Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, can be saved even if they have not been baptized (cf. LG 16).
        
1282  Since the earliest times, Baptism has been administered to children, for it is a grace and a gift of God that does not presuppose any human merit; children are baptized in the faith of the Church. Entry into Christian life gives access to true freedom.
        
1283  With respect to children who have died without Baptism, the liturgy of the Church invites us to trust in God's mercy and to pray for their salvation.
        
1284  In case of necessity, any person can baptize provided that he have the intention of doing that which the Church does and provided that he pours water on the candidate's head while saying: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."