People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)
Baptism is the first of three sacraments of initiation or ‘belonging’. It is an important decision, among many, that you will make on behalf of your child. As parents, you make choices for your children - how they are to be cared for, the sort of food they eat, the clothes that they wear, the schools they will attend, the company they will keep. Importantly, you are now considering how best to care for them spiritually by introducing them formally into the life of Christ and his Church. As a church community we share in the well -being of your children.
For a child to be accepted as a candidate for baptism there needs to be a ‘founded hope’ that he or she will be brought up in the practice of the Catholic faith. This includes giving them a sense that they are loved deeply by God. Introducing your child to personal prayer and also to the life of the ‘community of faith’ which meets each Sunday for Eucharist is a part of this ‘well founded hope’.
Please reflect on your reasons for having your child baptised. It is a significant step and we firmly hope that as your child grows, they will have a wonderful sense of God’s presence and action in their life.
Infant Baptism
(Children 6 years and under)
For children under the age of 6 years, parents are required to attend baptism preparation. Infant baptisms take place on the 2nd or 4th Saturday of the month at 11am. Please note the requirements:
- One parent must be a baptised Catholic (A copy of the parents baptism certificate is required)
- Parents & Godparents are required to take the Baptism Preparation Course (normally on the 3rd Saturday of the month at 9:45am). 2025 dates are: 15 Feb, 15 Mar, 17 May, 21 Jun, 19 Jul, 16 Aug, 20 Sep, 18 Oct, 15 Nov
Baptism of Children 7+
(Children 7 years and over)
At Our Lady of Fatima, we run two children baptism programmes each year. This is a fun and interactive way for children aged from 7 years to learn and understand the sacrament of baptism. Please note that one parent must be baptised a Catholic. (A copy of the parents baptism certificate is required)