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SIX HELFUL QUESITONS REGARDING INFANT BAPTISM AT
ST. MARY, BIG RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
What should the parents do to begin the process? Parents are to contact the parish office 796-5202 (St. Mary) to request an application of Baptism and to enroll in a Baptismal Class.
Who should attend the Baptismal Class? Parents, who had not attended any Baptismal catechesis, are required to attend the Class, together with the godparents of the child. Parents who have attended a class before are encouraged but not required to attend again.
What happens if the godparents are out-of-town and cannot be here for the Baptismal Class? It then will be the duty of the parents to explain to the godparents about the sacrament and their duty to help the parents bringing up the child in the practice of the faith.
When and how the Sacrament of Baptism being celebrated here? The Sacrament is celebrated every second Sunday of the month (except during Lent) during the Sunday Mass. Therefore, you have a choice of which Mass on the second Sunday of the Month your child will be baptized. Our time for Sunday Masses are: 5PM Saturday Vigil and 9AM Sunday at St. Mary; 11AM and 5PM Sunday at St. Paul. For pastoral reasons and special needs, Baptism may be celebrated outside of Sunday Mass on the Saturday evening. To make this request, please contact the Fr. Lam.
Who should be the godparents of my child? According to the Sacramental 
Handbook of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, policy no. 202 states: In choosing godparents, parents should select persons at least one of whom is (a) 16 years of age and mature enough to fulfill this role, (b) a fully initiated catholic (received Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) and leading a life in harmony with the faith, (c) free of any impediment of the law in fulfilling the role of godparents, and (d) willing to accept the responsibility of being godparents. All prospective godparents must either attend a baptism class at the parish or have a 15 minute phone interview with the parish priest in order to be considered for this role.
When will the Baptism Classes be offered? To aid in your planning, the Baptism classes will be offered on the following dates in the upcoming months: Saturday, October 2 at 10:00 am to 11:00 am Mary’s Parish Room. Subsequent classes are scheduled for:
| Sunday, Jan 29, 2012 | 7:00 pm to 8:00 PM | St Paul Lounge |
| Saturday, Mar. 10, 2012 | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | St Mary Parish Room |
| Saturday, Apr. 21, 2012 | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | St Mary Parish Room |
| Tuesday, May 1, 2011 | 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm | St. Paul Lounge |
Please feel free to attend any class.
For more information, please contact the parish 231 796 5202 or bmorawa@stmarybr.org