How to Have a Child Baptized Catholic
A baptism welcomes a child into the Catholic faith. It celebrates new life and innocence with rituals, symbols and community and should be approached seriously. The christening represents the parents' willingness to raise the child in the Catholic faith.
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Instructions
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Pick the church where you wish to have your child baptized. In most cases, at least one parent will have to be a member of the parish. In some rare cases, exceptions might be made if other family members, such as grandparents, belong to the parish.
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Contact the church to check the specifics of their requirements. This eHow article should cover the requirements but parishes, archdioceses and even priests can differ.
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Select a godfather and a godmother. And, yes, you do have to choose a man and woman, respectively. The role of the godparents is to help the parents raise the child in the Catholic faith. At least one of the godparents will have to be a Catholic in good standing, and should be able to prove that. Your church will most likely provide a form for one of the godparents to have signed by their parish. Most parishes will allow more than two godparents, though. Just talk to your celebrant about it.
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Attend any classes your church offers for the baptism. These classes usually discuss what to look for in godparents, who can be a godparent and what to expect during the ceremony.
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Pick a date, one that works for the godparents, too. Ask how often baptisms are performed. Some churches might offer baptisms every weekend, but some might only have them once a month. Most churches will also offer you the option to have the baptism during a regular mass or as a separate celebration.
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Select the celebrant, if possible. Many churches just assign a celebrant (a priest or a deacon) to the date you choose.
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Purchase any outfits your child will wear that day. White outfits, whether they be elaborate gowns or simple suits, are traditional, but not mandatory. Most children will be in their white outfits for the entire ceremony. But, some celebrants like to have the child come into the ceremony in regular clothes, and change into their white outfit during the ceremony. Make sure the outfit can be opened at the neck, though, so the child's chest can be anointed with oil during the ceremony.
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Bring plenty of quiet, little toys to amuse children in attendance. The ceremony can be difficult for little ones to sit through.
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