Baptism
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Rejoice!
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We rejoice with you at the birth of a new member of your family, and wish to extend a loving welcome to you and your child as members of God’s Family and the Reading Catholic Community of St. Agnes and St. Athanasius parishes! This is an especial joyous time when new life is born calling to mind the vastness of God's goodness by witness of new life and love.
We live in Hope! The baptism of your child reminds us that we, as a faith community, share this hope and joy with you, and we want to do everything possible to make it a lived truth all the days of your life, and the life of your child.
Adults who have never been baptized take part in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), and will typically be baptized at the Easter Vigil. Learn more about Baptism as part of RCIA ...
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1:00 PM Baptism Service
A 1:00 PM Baptism Service takes place on two Sundays each month. There is a maximum of 6 babies at the 1:00PM Baptism Service. Parents attend a Parent Baptism Meeting prior to the Baptism (see Parent Baptism Meeting tab).
- March 23 at St. Agnes Church
- March 30 at St. Athanasius Church
- April 13 (Palm Sunday) at St. Agnes Church
- April 27 at St. Athanasius Church
- May 18 at St. Agnes Church
- May 25 (Memorial Day Weekend) at St. Athanasius Church
- June 15 at St. Agnes Church
- June 29 at St. Athanasius Church
- July 20 at St. Agnes Church
- July 27 at St. Athanasius Church
Your child's Baptism is also possible at one of our Masses, with prior approval. Please call the Office to discuss.
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To get started please fill out the Schedule a Baptism form
Upon receipt of your online submission, our Baptism Coordinator will contact you to set the date and answer any questions you may have.
If you have more questions, call us at 781-944-0490 or visit the Parish Office.
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Parent meetings are held at the St. Agnes campus, 184 Woburn Street, Reading MA, and are taken prior to the Baptism. Parents that have had a child baptized within the past 3 years are not required to attend.
Call the Parish office for more information at 781-944-0490.
Upcoming Parent Classes - Classes meet in the St. Agnes LOWER CHURCH
- Sunday, March 9, 12:30 PM
- Sunday, April 6, 12:30 PM
- Sunday, May 4, 12:30 PM
- Sunday, June 8, 12:30 PM
- Sunday, July 13, 12:30 PM
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Sponsors (godparents) represent the Catholic community in Baptism and express the witness of the whole community to help the parents in their rearing of their children. They are selected by the parents of the child and should be living the Christian faith as examples of God’s love.
It is usual to have two Sponsors, but it is acceptable to have just ONE Catholic Sponsor.
Baptized and confirmed, the Catholic sponsor is assumed to be living our faith. A baptized non-Catholic may be a godparent in company with a Catholic sponsor. Godparents should have the intent to take an active part in the Christian formation of the child to know God’s love for us!
Guidelines for Sponsors for Baptism and Confirmation in the Archdiocese of Boston Based on Synod Guidelines for the Archdiocese of Boston and the Code of Canon Law
Baptism is a moment of great joy for Christian families and for the Church, since the Sacrament of Baptism is the foundation of our sacramental life as Catholics. The following clarification concerns Sponsors at Baptism and Confirmation in the Archdiocese of Boston.
Q: Can a non-confirmed Catholic serve as a “Christian witness” if the other sponsor for baptism is a confirmed Catholic?
A: A godparent or sponsor is required by Canon Law to be a fully initiated Catholic in good standing, that is, they must have received all three sacraments of initiation in the Catholic Church. When Catholics do not meet the qualifications (see below) to serve as a godparent or sponsor, they are not permitted by law to serve as a “Christian witness” and to have their names recorded in the baptismal registry.- “Christian witness” is a term mentioned in Canon 874, and is described as, “A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community.” The term “Christian witness” is intended only to apply to baptized non-Catholics. A Catholic who does not meet the requirements to be a godparent cannot serve as a Christian witness.
- The role and qualifications for baptismal sponsors and godparents are defined in canons 872- 874 of the Code of Canon Law, and include that the sponsor or godparent be:
- a confirmed Catholic, who is living a life befitting the role of sponsor,
- and who is not under a canonical penalty,
- and who is not a parent of the person being baptized,
- and who is, ordinarily, sixteen years of age or older.
- These qualifications are to be explained to the catechumens, or to the parents of those to be baptized as infants, early in the formation for this sacrament, so that they can choose suitable sponsors or godparents.
- It is also worth noting that only one sponsor is required for Baptism, who, of necessity, must fulfill all of the canonical requirements for this role. Also, there can be no more than two sponsors, one of each sex. One of these sponsors may be replaced by a “Christian witness”, that is, a baptized non-Catholic Christian. As noted above, a “Christian witness” would not include Catholics who have not received the sacrament of Confirmation.
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