Baptism is the Sacrament which cleanses us from original sin, makes us Christians, children of God and heirs of heaven.

Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5) 

Parents should schedule their child’s Baptism either before, or soon after, the child’s birth.  The child does not have to be born yet to prepare for the Baptism.  English Baptisms are generally celebrated at St. John's on the 3rd Sunday of each month, 12 pm in the Church.  Instruction classes for parents are scheduled with the Deacons and the parents.  

Spanish Baptisms are usually scheduled on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month during the 1PM Spanish Mass.  Instruction classes for the parents and godparents are on Sunday at 11AM and Tuesday at 7PM.  Arrangements must be made prior to classes.

Role of the Godparents:
The godparents, together with the parents, must be willing to help the baptized grow in love for Christ and neighbor. By word and example, the godparents will encourage the candidate to live the Christian life and fulfill faithfully the obligations connected with it (cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 872).
A Godparent/Sponsor assumes a very serious obligation.  At a Baptism a Godparent responds for the infant renouncing Satan, his works and empty promises.  The Sponsor expresses faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the child’s name.   A Sponsor does the same with his/her Godchild at Confirmation.  Other duties of a Godparent/Sponsor are to pray for his/her Godchild, to be an example of integrity and sincerity in practicing the Catholic Faith, and – if the child’s parents are unable – to see to it that the child is educated according to the teaching of the Catholic Church.  In order to fulfill such duties, the Church maintains certain conditions are a prerequisite for a Godparent/Sponsor.
Church law permits two godparents for Baptism. Only one is necessary. If one godparent is chosen who has been baptized but belongs to a non-Catholic Christian community, they may act as a Christian witness at a baptism, provided there is also one Catholic sponsor. However, a baptized Catholic who does not meet the below mentioned requirements may not act as a Christian witness. A Catholic not in good standing with the Church (for example, one who does not attend Mass, divorced and remarried without the Catholic Church’s canonical procedure, or has left the Catholic Church to practice another religion) may not serve as a Christian witness. In addition, a baptized Catholic under the age of 14 years or a baptized Catholic who has not yet received the sacrament of Confirmation cannot be a Christian witness. Therefore, a Catholic not in good standing cannot participate in the baptism ceremony as Godparents. If two Catholic godparents are chosen, there must be one of each sex (cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 873). If both godparents are Catholic, original sponsor certificates (testimonial letter) from the pastor of the sponsor must be submitted by mail or delivered to St. John.

Please keep in mind the following requirements for Baptismal sponsors when choosing Catholic Godparents:

• A sponsor must be fully initiated into the Catholic Church. That is, they have received the three Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Holy Eucharist, and Confirmation.
• A Sponsor must be at least 14 years of age.
• A sponsor should be a participant in the community life of the Church. This means he or she must be registered in a parish. Since the sponsor is seen as a faith role model, a person who has been asked to be a sponsor should be living according to the codes, canons, laws and teachings of the Church. For example, if the person is married, it should be in a marriage that is recognized as valid by the Catholic Church.
• One must practice the Catholic faith by: believing all the Church teaches on matters of faith and morals, participating in Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation (unless hindered because of some illness), fulfilling one’s Easter Duty.
• A sponsor for Baptism cannot be the mother or father of the one to be baptized.

 Sponsor certificates are ONLY issued by the Parish Priest; during office hours Monday to Friday, to parishioners who have been registered at St. John for at least three months.  Please contact the Parish Office.
Click here for the Sponsor certificate application.