St. Joseph & St. Jerome
“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water and in the word.” (CCC 1213)
Baptism is the first of the sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church. It makes us adopted children of God, incorporates us into Christ, pardons all our sin, and forms us into God’s people. It confers a permanent relationship (“character”) with Christ and his Church which lasts even should one cease to be an active member of the Catholic community. For this reason a validly baptized Christian is never re-baptized and has the right to a Christian funeral.
According to aboutcatholic.com baptism does five things:
- It forgives all sins that were committed before baptism including original, mortal, and venial sin.
- It makes the baptized a new creature.
- It turns the baptized into a newly adopted son or daughter of God and a member of the Church.
- It brings them to share in the royal priesthood of Christ. (1 Peter 2:9)
- It leaves a spiritual mark (or character) of belonging to Christ on the soul of the baptized.
The Catholic Church baptizes at any age, infants through adults, though the requirements vary based on the age of the person to be baptized. For baptism requirements, click one of the buttons below.