Baptism, the first and fundamental sacrament and the gate to the other sacraments, is the purifying and sanctifying sacrament of rebirth. It is the means by which its recipients are brought into the church in a bond of unity. As Catholics we believe that the wellspring of grace brought about by baptism is given by God to those who are open to receive Him, whether they are infants, children, teens or adults.
Baptism for Infants/Young Children
We welcome any parent who wishes their child to be brought into the grace of Jesus and His Church through baptism!! Parents who do this make a promise to support and raise their child in the Catholic faith.
We celebrate infant baptisms twice per month on Sundays at 1 PM. These are group baptisms led by our Deacons or Priests, and we normally limit them to 6 families per baptism. Those who are first time parents or new to our parish will need to participate in our baptism preparation class.
Those parents who are interested should take the following steps:
- Contact our parish office at 586-781-6525: Speak to one of our staff members to request that your child be baptized.
- Register for a class: If you are required to take the baptism class, our office staff will assist you in getting signed up for the class.
- Become a member of St. John Vianney or another parish: Being part of a faith community and practicing your faith is a crucial piece of helping your child to grow in Christ. As such, it is expected that any parents who come forward to have their child baptized belong to SJV, or another parish.
- Consider who you would ask to be Godparents: By Church law, Godparents are a male and female, other than the parents, who are 16 or older and practicing Roman Catholics that have received their confirmation. This is someone who is making a solemn promise to help bring your child up in the Catholic faith and relationship with Christ.
Baptism for Adults
Adults who desire to be baptized are brought into the Church through a process called the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). Click the button below for more information about this process.
For information about Baptism contact Jennifer Kowalski at
jkowalski@sjvshelby.org or call 586-781-6525