Baptism of Non-Infant Children (Ages 7-17) The Sacrament of Baptism is necessary for salvation and is the gateway to the life in the Spirit and the door to the other Sacraments. It is the way by which a person is freed from sins, is reborn as a child of God, is configured to Christ, is incorporated into the Church, and is made a sharer in the Church’s mission (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1213).
Parents have a grave responsibility to present their infants for baptism as soon as possible, usually within the first weeks after birth. Parishes are to provide a catechetical program of instruction for parents and godparents which includes: the meaning of Baptism, the obligations attached to the Sacrament, the scriptural foundation for the Sacrament, the sacramental life of the Church, and the Rite of Baptism itself (Code of Canon Law, cann. 851 & 867; Children ages six (6) and under are considered “infants” by the Church (Code of Canon Law, can. 97.2). For the Baptism of infants, parents should contact : Michelle Pisacane at (63) 624-1509 to register for instruction and to set a date for the celebration of the Sacrament.
Children who have attained the age of seven (7) must be prepared according to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children Who Have Reached Catechetical Age (OCIC) (Code of Canon Law, can. 852.1