St. Augustine Parish

St. Augustine Parish

Baptismal Preparation

Baptisms for the following Sundays will be at 2:30 PM instead of 2:00 PM:

January 11th, 2009
March 8th, 2009

Scheduling Baptisms

Parents who wish to have their child baptized should arrange for the baptism of their child at least two months in advance to allow for the required preparation for this sacrament. Parents presenting a child for baptism are expected to attend a preparation class for parents and godparents. Baptisms are held on Sundays at 2 PM except during the summer from the 3rd Sunday in June through Labor Day when they are held at 1 PM.

Click here for a baptismal application which you may fill out online, print out, and mail or bring to the parish office at St. Augustine Church, 35 Essex St., Andover, MA 01810. Please remember to attach a copy of the child's birth certificate.

Choosing Godparents

When selecting godparents for your child, please remember that the godparents represent the faith of the parish community into which the child is being baptized. Thus, the godparent should be a strong role model and witness to the life of a Catholic Christian committed in faith to stand with the parents of the child. Furthermore, Church Law requires that a candidate for Baptism - for membership in the Church community - should be sponsored by a baptized and confirmed member of the Catholic Church who is willing and able to help the child develop and grow in the Catholic Faith. There must be at least one sponsor or godparent. In the case where there are two sponsors, one must be male and the other female. The maximum number of sponsors is two. The minimum age for a baptized and confirmed Catholic to be a sponsor is sixteen (16) years of age. A baptized Christian non-Catholic may not be a sponsor, but may act as a witness. Non-baptized persons may not officially act as a sponsor or a witness to a Baptism of a child in the Catholic Faith.

About the Workshops

The Baptismal Preparation Team seeks to prepare parents for their child's baptism with a one hour workshop that has the following goals:

Welcomes families to their faith community
Educates parents about the history, meaning, and symbolism of the Sacrament of Baptism in the Catholic Church
Acquaints the parents with the rituals of the ceremony itself
Encourages parents and godparents to be actively involved in their faith community
Involves parents in a reflection of the presence of God in their lives

The workshops are held the first Thursday of the month at 6:30PM in St. Augustine Church by Dan and Jacqueline Fague who can be reached at (978) 623-0944 or via e-mail at djfague@comcast.net. Please note that in January, 2009, the Baptismal Preparation class will be held on January 8 (rather than January 1)

Dan and Jacqueline invite any and all interested persons to help them in this rewarding ministry. Contact them for more information.