Baptism

What is baptism?

Baptism is a Sacrament of Initiation by which we become members of the Body of Christ, the new people of God, the Church. Those who are baptized experience the beautiful symbol of “living water.” In the waters of Baptism, a person truly participates in the dying and rising to new life with Jesus.  It is through Baptism that we begin our journey of faith with God, supported by our Catholic Christian community.

For more information on what baptism is, and what it does, please see these references:

• From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
  • The full article on Baptism
  • The necessity of Baptism
  • The effects of Baptism
• Some articles from BeginningCatholic.com:
  • On the sacraments in general
  • On the sacrament of Baptism
• The "ultimate guide" to the sacrament of Baptism

What is the role of parents and godparents?

In Baptism, the Church sees the role of parents and godparents as extremely important.  As representatives of God and the Catholic Church, parents will serve as the primary teachers of faith and will care for the spiritual needs of their child throughout his life.  Godparents, for their part, assist the parents in this task.  (See below to find out the requirements for godparents.)  For this reason, a preparation class is required to help parents and godparents fulfill this role.

To baptize your child at St. Clare:
Summary Check List

1. Parents:
   • Parents must take a preparation class.
   • Parents must read and sign the Baptism Requirements and Consent Form.
   • Parents must be parishioners at St. Clare to baptize their child here.  (See below for more details)
   • If not parishioners at St. Clare, then parents need a letter of permission to baptize their child outside their parish, sent directly from their pastor.
   • If you have difficulty with the third or fourth points above, you may need to consult directly with the pastor of St. Clare, Fr. Vincent.  See below for more details.
2. Godparents:
   • Godparents must take a preparation class.
   • Godparents must meet qualifications.  (See below for more details)
   • Godparents must fill out and sign the Godmother and Godfather Baptismal Covenants.
3. Checklist of documents to be turned in to the parish office at least one week before the date of your baptism:
   • A copy of both parents’ photo ID (driver’s license, passport, visa, etc.)
   • A copy of (both) godparent’s photo ID (driver’s license, passport, visa, etc.)
   • State-issued birth certificate for the child being baptized. The baptism cannot take place without this.
   • Baptism Requirements and Consent Form
   • Godfather and/or Godmother Baptismal Covenant Form(s)
   • Letter of permission from your pastor, if you are not a St. Clare parishioner.
   • Documentation for the parents and/or godparents, if you’ve taken a class at a different parish, or if you’ve taken a class within the past three years.
   • The appropriate fee for the class and/or the baptism. (See below for more details)

Please note the following regarding the preparation classes:

• Both parents and the godparent(s) need to take a baptismal preparation class.  These classes are offered every other month at St. Clare.  Please see the schedule below.
• Classes from other PARISHES will be accepted if the parish sends us a letter or certificate indicating that you have taken the class.  Please send the letter (or fax, 281-286-1256) to the attention of John Kovacs.  We do NOT accept online classes that were found on the internet.
• Classes taken within the past three years, whether at St. Clare or at another parish (but NOT online), will be accepted.
• Parents are strongly encouraged to register and attend their preparation class before their child is born.
• Register online for both the baptism class, as well as for the baptism.  See below.

Is you child older than seven years?

Parents requesting Baptism for a child who is seven years or older should ask to speak to John Kovacs at 281-286-7729, ext. 125, concerning RCIA for children and youth.

Are you only interested in taking the class?

If you are the parents (or the godparents), and you plan to baptize your child at a different parish, you are welcome to take the preparation class here.  There is no need, in this case, to be parishioners at St. Clare or to have a letter of permission.  This requirement is only if you plan to do the baptism here.  Moreover, you do NOT need to turn in the birth certificate, the Baptism Requirements and Consent Form, nor the Godfather and/or Godmother Baptismal Covenant Forms.  We still need a copy of your photo ID, however.

Please register for the class, then, and select “Baptism will not take place at St. Clare” for the desired date for the baptism.

A certificate of completion for the preparation class will be mailed to the address you give us when you register, usually within a week.

What is the cost?

Fees are as follows:

• Please make checks payable to “St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church,”  and put “Adult Faith Formation: Baptism” in the memo line.
• Please place your check in an envelope to the attention of John Kovacs.
• You can mail or drop off the fee at the parish before the class takes place.  Or else, please bring the appropriate fee to the baptism class.
• We can only take cash or check, not a credit card.
• If you are taking the class at a different parish, or if you have taken a class within the past three years, then please turn in the requested donation for the baptism before the baptism takes place.

Schedule of Baptisms and Classes

Preparation classes and group baptisms are offered on the following dates.

Classes:  Saturdays, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. in the Conference Center

• December 14, 2024
• February 8, 2025
• April 5, 2025
• June 14, 2025
• August 9, 2025
• October 11, 2025
• December 13, 2025

Baptisms:   Sundays, 1:00 p.m. in the Church

• November 10, 2024
• January 12, 2025
• March 9, 2025
• May 11, 2025
• July 13, 2025
• September 14, 2025
• November 9, 2025

How To Register

Both parents and godparents must attend a preparation class, and are encouraged to attend before the baby is born (remember, you’ve got at least nine months, so plan ahead!). An infant should be baptized within the first weeks after birth, unless there is a serious reason for delay. (C.867.1).

Click on a button below to register for a preparation class or for a baptism.

After You Register

Classes

The baptism classes are held from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Conference Center.  Click here to see a map of how to get to the Conference Center.

Baptisms

The baptisms take place at 1:00 p.m. in the Church.  Please show up at least 30 minutes early in order to check in with the priest or deacon, to get settled, and to prayerfully prepare for the celebration.

St. Clare will provide a white bib/stole for your child, as well as a baptismal candle, but you are free to provide your own if you wish to do so.

Requirements for Godparents:

Choosing Godparents is a very important step. Godparents should be chosen prayerfully and should be individuals who will provide examples of faith, and who will support the spiritual growth of your child.

• A godparent must be a practicing Catholic.  A non-Catholic Christian may not be a godparent, but may serve as a Christian Witness to the Baptism.  See below for the requirements for Christian Witnesses.
• There are three options:  you can have one godparent, two godparents, or one godparent and one Christian Witness.
• If two persons are chosen (whether two godparents, or a godparent and a Christian Witness), they must be male and female.
• A godparent should be registered in a parish and attending Mass weekly.  
• A godparent (and Christian Witnesses) must be at least 16 years old.
• A godparent must have received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
• A godparent, if married, must be married in the Catholic Church and be in good standing with the Church.  Likewise, a Christian Witness, if married, must be in a marriage that is recognized by the Catholic Church.
  • A godparent can be married to a non-Catholic Christian, but the marriage must have taken place in the Catholic Church.
  • A godparent, if married, need not be married to the other godparent.  For example, a blood brother and a sister could serve as godparents.  But in either case, if a godparent is married, the marriage must have taken place in the Catholic Church.
  • A civil marriage, by itself, is not considered a valid marriage for a Catholic.
• Similarly, a Godparent or a Christian Witness should not be cohabiting with someone they are not married to.

The role of godparent must be taken seriously. To help godparents fully understand this responsibility, we ask them to attend the Baptism Preparation Session at St. Clare, or to attend an equivalent preparation class in another Catholic parish.  If at another parish, a certificate or letter of completion should be mailed or faxed here, to the attention of John Kovacs

Requirements for Christian Witnesses

If you want a non-Catholic friend or family member to be an official witness to the baptism, in addition to a Godparent, they can serve as a Christian Witness.  The following are the requirements:

1. The Christian Witness must be baptized (with a baptism that is recognized as valid by the Catholic Church.  See here or here.)
2. The Christian Witness must be at least 16 years old.
3. The Christian Witness must be actively involved in his or her ecclesial community.
4. If the Christian Witness is married, the marriage must be one that is recognized by the Catholic Church.
5. The Christian Witness must not be cohabiting with someone he or she is not married to.

Not a St. Clare Parishioner?

It is strongly recommended that both the baptism class and the baptism of your child take place at your home parish.  The reason is simple:  your home parish is “local,” and your pastor and baptism team can minister to you in a way that is more personal and effective.

However, that being said, it is possible to baptize your child here, even if you’re not a parishioner.  In this case, though, we will need a letter from the pastor of your parish, giving you permission to baptize your child here.  This letter should be mailed or faxed to us.

If you are not a formally registered parishioner at any particular parish, then you automatically belong to the parish within whose geographical boundaries you live.  You can look at a map of parishes in Houston to see which is the nearest parish to where you live here or here.  Usually the parish nearest you would also be the parish within whose boundaries you live, but it is not always the case–you might live just over the boundary.  So be sure to call the parish to make sure.

If you cannot get a letter of permission from the pastor of the parish within whose geographical boundaries you live–perhaps because you do not actually attend there, or because you do not attend frequently enough for the pastor to know you–then you will need to consult directly with Fr. Vincent, the pastor of St. Clare.  To set up a meeting, please call the parish office and ask to speak with Fr. Vincent.  Please also contact John Kovacs in the parish office and let him know.

If you are not a registered parishioner anywhere, however, consider that God is calling you to become a part of a stable community–one where you can grow as a family, make friends in Christ with other Catholic families, take part in faith formation programs, and be supported through the Word of God and the sacraments of the Church.  God calls each of us to daily conversion and lifelong growth in our relationship with Him, and the best place for this is within a stable parish community.

In Summary:  There are two ways to qualify as being a St. Clare parishioner:

1. You live within the geographical boundaries of the parish of St. Clare.  Please see this map, or the Decree of Erection of the parish.
2. Or, you will need to have been formally registered here for at least six months.
   • If you’ve been registered for less than six months, please contact Fr. Vincent, the pastor of St. Clare, to set up a meeting to consult directly with him.
   • If you’ve just moved to the area and haven’t had a chance to register, you can try to get a letter of permission from the parish you used to attend.  If you cannot, then please contact Fr. Vincent to set up a meeting to consult directly with him.

Not an Active Catholic?

Many times parents approach the Church and they want to baptize their child, but they are not practicing Catholics.  This can be a problem, because once the new life of Christ is given to the child through baptism, this new life must be cultivated and supported.  Just as a child must be fed, clothed, given shelter, education, and love, on the natural level, so must the supernatural life of grace be cultivated.  This means, first of all, that the child needs to be brought to Mass every Sunday, to fulfill the minimum obligations of Catholics to worship God. This also means enrolling the child in faith formation at your parish so that the child can grow in both the knowledge and practice of the Catholic faith.  Ultimately, though, the parents are the primary teachers of the faith to their children, and so it is their obligation, before God, to raise their children in the Catholic faith.  If you think you may have problems doing this, contact John Kovacs, the Pastoral Associate for Adult Faith Formation, so that you can discuss your situation.

Please consider carefully the following situations, which are problematic for the supernatural life of Christ within the child:

• When the parents request Baptism for merely social reasons.
• When the parents show no intention of raising and educating the child as a Catholic because they have not done so with other children.
• When the parents have little knowledge of Catholic belief and practice and refuse further discussion or instruction.

The bottom line is:  we want you to be active, because this is what God wants!  The baptism of a child is a special time of conversion for the parents, a time when God gives many graces. He is mercy and love!  So if you find yourself not actively practicing as a Catholic, please consider that now is the time to begin.

Want some inspiration?  Check out these video series:

• The Search, from The Augustine Institute
  • Sign up for a FREE account to view the above series. (Search for St. Clare using the zip code, 77059, then follow the instructions.)
• The Quest, from The University of Dallas
• The Rescue Project, from ACTS XXIX

The Search Trailer

The Quest Trailer

The Rescue Project Trailer

If you have further questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact John Kovacs, the Pastoral Associate for Adult Faith Formation.

Not Married in the Church?

Sometimes people ask whether they need to be married in the Church in order to baptize their children.  The answer is no, it is not required. BUT...this is a great opportunity to do so, if you are presently not married in the Church. After all, the parents are the primary teachers of the faith to their children, and baptizing your children means that you want them to be raised as Catholics. So the example you set will have a deep impact on them. Just call the parish office and ask for Laurie Tragni, the director of liturgy, who is our intake person for marriage preparation, and she will guide you through the rest of the process.

Here are some articles to help you learn more:

• Must Catholics marry in the Church?
• Why marry in the Catholic Church?
• Catholic marriage FAQ's

If you would like to get married in the Church, but you were previously married and divorced, visit our page on annulments to find out what the next step is.

Baptism of Adults

Adults requesting the Sacrament of Baptism will receive preparation through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).  Please contact John Kovacs for more information, and to set up an initial interview, at 281-286-7729 x. 125, or [email protected].

Non-Catholic Christians Who Want to Become Catholic

Parents who are not Catholic but who wish to learn more about the Catholic faith may also take classes through the RCIA. Contact John Kovacs for more information: 281-286-7729 x. 125, or [email protected].

updated 3.21.2024/jwk