Baptism for Children
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Baptism is the premier sacrament of the Church, giving all of us our beginning
in the life of Christ and in the Church
As the first of the sacraments, Baptism prepares for the regular sharing in the Eucharist. Neither sacrament can be understood in isolation from the other. This implies that for an infant to be baptized, there must be some real expectation that the Eucharist will follow. Without at least one parent living this 'practice of faith' in his or her own life, there would be no living link to lead the baptized child into the experience of Eucharist.
The normal and practical 'sign of faith' is that parents be registered in the Parish and regularly sharing in the life of that community at the Eucharistic table.
At least one parent must be a registered parishioner one month prior to the actual baptism. When the parent's wedding has not been celebrated 'in the Church,' steps can be taken to have it 'blessed' and honored as a fully Christian marriage and sign of Christ's love.Godparents
Because godparents support parents in the important task of raising their child in the Catholic faith, at least one of the godparents must be a confirmed, practicing Catholic, sixteen years of age or older. We ask that godparents prepare for their role in this child's sacramental life by registering for the baptism seminar.
The Parents' Baptism Seminar is a preparation for parents who are expecting a child or have young children to present for Baptism. These sessions will present the theological and historical, as well as the practical aspects of Baptism.
The live seminar takes place on a weekday evening, 7:00 to 8:00pm at St. Thomas Aquinas. You must register in advance for this. Call Debbie at (517)332-0064 to find out which live session or online session you will choose.
If you have attended a baptism seminar within the last three years you are not required to attend the seminar again.
Baptismal Celebrations
Baptisms are celebrated during the Sunday liturgy at any of the Masses at either parish site three times a year: Labor Day weekend, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (early January), and on Mother's Day weekend.
Baptisms are generally celebrated at St. Thomas Aquinas Church after the 11:00am Mass and at St. John Student Center after the 12:00pm Mass.
Parents provide an environment and the personal example that will foster and nurture the child's faith. We hope that this experience of sacramental preparation helps provide a foundation for the future of your family.
For more information, please contact Debbie Lewis at
(517)332-0064 or email her at [email protected].
From Bishop Barron regarding the Gospel of John 1:29–34
Friends, today’s Gospel reports John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus.
One of the earliest descriptions of Baptism is vitae spiritualis ianua, which means “the door to the spiritual life.” To grasp the full meaning of this is to understand something really decisive about Christianity.
For Christianity is not primarily about “becoming a good person” or “doing the right thing” or, in Flannery O’Connor’s famous phrase, “having a heart of gold.” Let’s face it: anyone—pagan, Muslim, Jew, nonbeliever—can be any of those things.
To be a Christian is to be grafted on to Christ and hence drawn into the very dynamics of the inner life of God. We become a member of his Mystical Body, sharing in his relationship to the Father.
It is so important that we are baptized “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” For Baptism draws us into the relationship between the Father and the Son, which is to say in the Holy Spirit. Baptism, therefore, is all about grace—our incorporation, through the power of God’s love, into God’s own life.