Baptism

In the Catholic tradition, Baptism is one of the seven sacraments we celebrate, instituted by Christ himself. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is the 'basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments' (n. 1213).

Most infant baptisms at Bayside Catholic Mission are celebrated outside of Mass.
Baptism is a public ceremony by nature of the Sacrament. It is incorporation into the Church of God and one becomes a member of Catholic Church. Hence is not appropriate to speak of 'private baptism' as it is never 'private', it is always public as members of a family are never private. To be baptised into the community of faith of the Catholic Church is a public event and one should be proud of this. Hence, 'private baptisms' (without other people present) are not possible in the churches of the Bayside Catholic Mission.

Preparation for Baptism

Choosing Godparents

Every baptised child must have at least one godparent. A godparent's role is to support the child in the development of the Catholic faith. He or she is responsible for teaching and setting a good and holy example of living the Catholic faith. Therefore, at least one godparent MUST be a Catholic who has been Baptised and Confirmed. Non-Catholic Christians who serve as an important support to the faith life of the child may be considered as Christian witnesses. If a godparent is not able to be present at the baptism for whatever reason, then someone else may stand in as a proxy witness during the ceremony.

Godparents: Who can be a Godparent/Sponsor:

Anyone over 16 years old, baptised and Confirmed Catholic
Not the parent of the one to be baptised.
A Catholic male or a female or one of each but not two of the same.
Christian Witness – in addition to the Catholic sponsor a non-Catholic Christian may serve to support the faith life of the child.

Choosing time and place of Baptism

Baptisms take place on Saturdays at 11am and 12pm.
Below is a list of the days that Baptisms take place in our various churches.

- St Joan of Arc, Brighton (1st Saturday of the month)
- Stella Maris, Beaumaris (1st Saturday of the month)

- Immaculate Heart, Hampton East (2nd Saturday of the month)
- St Mary's, Hampton (2nd Saturday of the month)
- Sacred Heart, Sandringham (2nd Saturday of the month)

A pastoral Note

As a pastoral note, it's best not to coincide your child's baptism celebration with their birthday celebration, to conflate the two occasions together. Baptism, as a new birth into the divine life of God, should be celebrated separately on it's own right. As St Paul exclaims: 'So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!' (2 Cor 5:17).

Preparation

Parents, and if also possible godparents, are required to attend an information session, we will contact you to inform you of the details of sessions running in 2023.

If the child is over 7 please contact Bayside office before enrolling for more information as he/she must attend the Children Preparation Program in person.

Parents, and again if possible godparents, are also required to attend a Presentation Mass (details below). Your child will be welcomed by the parish community, along with all the other children who will be baptised in the following weeks.

Adult Baptisms

Bayside Catholic Mission offers instruction all year round for adults wishing to be baptised. Adult baptisms generally occur at the Easter Vigil Mass, but they can also be arranged at other times.

How to Book a Baptism

Step 1: Read all the information on this page.

Step 2: Complete the booking form here:

Baptism booking form

An infant baptism usually takes about 30 minutes. Baptisms take place on Saturdays at 11am and 12pm.

Step 3: Obtain a permission letter IF you live outside of the Bayside Catholic Mission parishes.

If you are not a current parishioner in the Bayside Catholic Mission a letter is required from your current parish priest granting permission for your child to be baptised here at one of the Bayside Catholic Mission churches. Please bring this letter to the preparation session.

Step 4: Attend a Presentation Mass followed by the Baptism preparation session.

Families are presented during the 10:30am Mass at Stella Maris, Beaumaris on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Preparation Session follows the Mass and concludes around 12:30pm. You may attend any session prior to the Baptism date (please select a date on the booking form).

Donation
Although there is no fee for the Sacrament of Baptism, it is customary to offer a donation ($150 suggested), to cover the cost of materials provided and preparation giving.

Psalm 42:1

As the deer longs for running streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.