Baptism is the first and most necessary of the seven sacraments instituted by Christ. By this sacrament, we are washed clean of original sin and given the new life of grace, we are reborn as children of God and incorporated into the Church.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me” and the Church urges parents to have their children baptized soon after birth.
Parents wishing to have their child(ren) Baptized, please follow the steps below.
STEP ONE: Baptism Registration Form and Choosing a Godparent(s).
Start the Baptismal process by completing the Baptismal Registration Form (below). If you have not already registered as a St. Ann Parishioner, please complete the form HERE. If you are outside the St. Ann’s parish boundaries and registered at another parish, (i.e: St. Margaret, Midland), a letter from the pastor is required to baptize outside of your parish. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Then choose your child’s Godparents. A godparents role is to support the parents in the Catholic upbringing of their child and he/she is called to model what it means to live as a Catholic Christian. Therefore, a Godparent must be a practicing Catholic who has received the Sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation and must be mature enough (at least 16 years of age) to undertake this role. Only one Godparent is required, however, if you do choose two, it should be one godmother and one godfather. If choosing a second godparent, they must also be Catholic or a validly baptized Christian and would then serve as a Christian Witness.
STEP TWO: Gathering Required Documents
We will need the following documents:
There is no cost to have your child baptized. Donations made to the Church are always appreciated. It is acceptable to show your appreciation to the Church with an honorarium. This should always be according to your means. The suggested honorarium is $50.
STEP THREE: Meeting with Parish Priest
Once you have all the required documents submitted to the Parish Office, we'll call or email to arrange a meeting with the priest. The registration form & additional documents listed above can be emailed, brought into the parish office or placed in the secure black mailbox outside the front door of the office and we will contact you to arrange an in-person or phone baptism meeting the Pastor.
STEP FOUR: Baptism Preparation Course
First time parents are required to take a baptism prep class. We are looking into offering an in person baptism class for those interested, but are still offering an online course called Belonging, produced by Ascension Press. Upon registrastion, the link will be provided. If you would like to opt for the in person class, please let us know.
STEP FIVE: Baptism Ceremony
Baptisms take place on each Sunday at 2:00pm.
If you are wishing to have your child Baptized, please complete step 1 & 2 listed above, and submit to the Parish office via email - stannspe@archtoronto.org. Upon submission, you will recieve an email response with the links and info for the next steps.
We look foward to working together in welcoming your children into the Catholic Church.
