Infant Baptism Preparation
Parishioners wishing to have a child baptized at Holy Spirit Church should show a minimum of three months active registration at Holy Spirit Parish. Active participation includes weekly Mass attendance and tithing. There are guidelines for families who are members of another parish who would like to baptize their child at Holy Spirit. Please refer to the Overview page and discuss with the Baptism Coordinator at the welcoming discussion.
Celebrating the Sacrament of Infant Baptism at Holy Spirit Church
Step 1: Contact Kathy Polowski at the Parish Office at (480) 838-7474, email parish@holyspirit-tempe-az.org. Include BAPTISM is the subject line.
Step 2: Your message will be returned by phone or e-mail to discuss the baptism process and to schedule a welcoming discussion. During the interview, parents will select a baptism date
Step 3: Following the welcoming discussion for parents, select Godparents. The Godparent Verification Form is to be completed by godparents. The godparents need to request a Certificate of Baptism with notations from the church where they were baptized (See SAMPLE on the website.) This form validates that godparent received the required sacraments (baptism, first communion, confirmation and, if married, the marriage was performed in the Catholic Church). Godparent then brings this Certificate with the signed Godparent Verification Form to the parish where they are registered members to have the pastor certify that they are in good standing in that parish and that they met the requirements to be a Godparent for Baptism.
Step 4: Attend a baptism preparation class (if needed).
Step 5: All paperwork is submitted, approved and the baptism date is confirmed by the Baptism Coordinator.
Infant Baptism Requirements
These requirements apply to parents wishing to have their child, who is less than seven years old, baptized at Holy Spirit. Parents should familiarize themselves with these requirements and then call Kathy Polowski, our Baptism Coordinator, at the parish office, 480-838-7474 x114 or email baptisms@holyspirit-tempe-az.org to begin the process to have their child baptized.
Parents who are members of Holy Spirit, or who reside within the Holy Spirit boundaries (the boundaries are North to Baseline; South to Warner; East to Price Road; West to Kyrene) and wish to have a child baptized at Holy Spirit should call the parish office as soon as possible to schedule a “welcoming discussion” with the parish Baptism Coordinator. In that conversation, the Coordinator will go over the specific requirements for preparation for the sacrament for your child. The initial paperwork will be completed at this time. A provisional date will be set for the baptism. The date will not be final until all preparation requirements have been completed. Please check the Baptism Calendars on the website for dates.
Parents registered in a parish other than Holy Spirit, but who desire to have their child baptized at Holy Spirit, should complete the baptism preparation requirements at their home parish. The parents should then ask their home parish to send a letter to the pastor of Holy Spirit stating that the requirements for baptism preparation at their parish have been satisfied and request that the baptism be performed at Holy Spirit.
Unless otherwise determined by the Baptism Coordinator, because of a previous baptism preparation class or the equivalent, parents are required to attend a baptism preparation class. The class may be taken at Holy Spirit or at another location. If the class is not taken at Holy Spirit, you must provide the Baptism Coordinator with a copy of proof of attendance. You may complete the baptism prep class during pregnancy if desired. Baptism preparation classes at Holy Spirit are usually held on the second Saturday of the month from 10am to 11:30am during the months of January, May, and September; the second Sunday of the month from 3:00-4:30 in March, July and November and on the last Tuesday of the month from 6:00pm to 7:30pm during the month of June. The date for class attendance should be scheduled with the Baptism Coordinator. Please check the current Baptism Prep Class Schedule on the website.
Parents will need to bring a copy of the child’s government-issued birth certificate to the welcoming discussion (or after the child is born). The baptismal record is the primary record of the person’s status within the Church and the birth certificate is to be used as supporting documentation for the baptismal record. If the government issued birth certificate is not possible to obtain, the hospital record can be used to verify the date of birth and names of the parents.
The Catholic Church requires that there be at least one practicing Catholic godparent. If the parents would like to have two godparents, one must be male and the other female. A godparent must be a fully initiated (baptized, confirmed, and first Eucharist), practicing Catholic at least 16 years of age. If married, the godparent must be married in the Catholic Church. Copies of their sacramental documents or a Certificate of Baptism with Notations should be submitted. The godparent should be a practicing member of a Catholic faith community. Godparents are encouraged, but not required, to attend a baptism preparation class. Godparents are required to complete the Godparent Verification Form, affirming that they meet the requirements to serve as a godparent. The lower portion of the form must be signed and dated by the Pastor of the church where the godparent is a member and returned to the office no later than TWO weeks before the provisional baptism date.
In some cultural traditions, there is a desire to have additional honorary godparents be part of the ceremony and continue to be an important part of the child’s life. This is permitted; however, the honorary godparents will not be officially recorded in the baptismal record.
Parents selecting only one godparent may have a “Christian Witness” serve with the godparent. A Christian witness must be a baptized Christian of a denomination recognized by the Catholic Church. Catholics cannot serve as a Christian witness. A Christian Witness is encouraged, but not required, to attend the baptism preparation class. The Christian Witness must sign and submit the appropriate form.
Remember that the date of the baptism is PROVISIONAL until all preparation requirements, including the baptism preparation class for the parents, signed Godparent Verification Form with the additional signature of the pastor from the Godparent’s parish, copies of their Sacraments or Certificate of Baptism with Notations, Christian Witness form (if applicable) and the birth certificate, have been received and verified by the Baptism Coordinator. To avoid any inconveniences to you and your guests, please complete ALL requirements no later than two weeks before the provisionally scheduled baptism. If the requirements are not met at least TWO weeks before the provisional baptism date, the baptism will be rescheduled for a later date.
Celebration
Baptism of infants will generally be celebrated in English on the fourth Sunday of each month at 12:30pm in the church and in Vietnamese on the third Sunday of the month at 3:00 pm in the church. If the parents desire another date or time for the baptism, this should be discussed with the Baptism Coordinator at the welcoming discussion.
There is no charge for baptism preparation or the sacrament itself. However, many families make a donation to the church in thanksgiving for the gift of new life in baptism received by their child. Although a donation of $75 per family is suggested, any donation is appreciated and will also help defray costs associated with the baptism. You may also consider donating your time as a volunteer to one of the many ministries at Holy Spirit.