Baptisms are scheduled on the 4th Saturday of the month.  
Los bautismos están programados para el cuarto sábado del mes.

And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” (Acts 2:37-38)

Baptism is the first of the three Sacraments of Initiation; the other two are Confirmation and Holy Eucharist.  In the waters of Baptism, we become members of the Body of Christ–God’s People; we are configured to Jesus Christ the High Priest and share in his prophetic, kingly, and priestly mission; original sin is remitted.

If you have questions and desire to have your child baptized at Sacred Heart,
contact Norma Plaugher at (209) 892-9321 ext. 1003.

If you are an adult seeking baptism as a Catholic, please visit our RCIA page.

What do we need to do to have our baby baptized?

1. Pick-up information packet.  You must be a Sacred Heart Registered Parishioner.  Stop by the parish office to pick up the Baptism information.
2. Schedule an appointment with Norma Plaugher (209) 892-9321 ext. 1003.
3. Reserve a Date for the Baptism.  You must register for the class date you wish to attend!
4. Attend the Pre-Baptism Class.  Parents and Godparents must attend the Pre-Baptism class.

Important information about Infant Baptism

Godparents

The role of the Godparent is, “together with the parents, to present an infant at baptism, and help the baptized to lead a Christian life in harmony with baptism, and to fulfill faithfully the obligations connected with it”(Canon 872).

In addition to being a fully initiated Catholic (i.e., having received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) the Sponsor must

• be a person of faith—regularly attends Sunday Mass;
• if married, is married according to the norms of the Catholic Church;
• and strives to deepen his or her relationship with God through Jesus.

A good question to ask: “Does this person take good care of their own faith?”

Parent & Sponsor Preparation

Baptism preparation is a time of reflection for the parents on their relationship with God, Jesus, and the Church. Before the celebration of baptism, the Church expects the parents, and Sponsors if possible, to be formed in the meaning of the Sacrament as well as its responsibilities (Canon 851). Sacred Heart Parish offers on-site classes facilitated by a team, usually a husband and wife, who makes the presentation and leads group discussion. The Church earnestly desires families to participate in the weekly liturgical and pastoral life of the community, thereby raising the child to practice the faith into which he or she has been baptized.

Why does the Church baptize infants?

It has always been the practice of the Church to baptize infants. From the earliest days, when an adult was baptized so was everyone else in that person’s household (see Acts 10). Along with the growth of Catholicism in the Fourth and Fifth centuries came a decrease in the number of adult baptisms and infancy became the primary time for baptism. The Church considers anyone who has not yet completed their seventh year to be an infant. Therefore, the parents of children under the age of seven may request baptism and attend the parish’s infant baptism preparation session.

When is infant baptism celebrated at Sacred Heart Parish?

Advance registration is required; and as baptism signs forth entrance into the Christian community, several are normally baptized in one celebration. Sunday is the day the Church celebrates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Baptism, which is the dying and rising of the infant into the Pascal Mystery of Jesus, is most fittingly celebrated on this day, although baptisms at Sacred Heart are celebrated on the fourth Saturday of the month (Canon 856).