The origin and foundation of Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist.

The waters did not purify Him; He cleansed the waters.

Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin – Original and actual – and begin to live a new life with God.

Who: Baptisms can be celebrated for all ages, infants through adults. Note: When an adoption is in process, the natural parents must give consent, except in cases of imminent death. Once an adoption is finalized, the adoptive parents can give consent for Baptism. Foster parents are not permitted to present a foster child for Baptism.

Where & When: At Holy Spirit Parish, baptisms are celebrated before, during, or after Masses, with some exceptions. They can also be scheduled outside of Mass according to the availability of our priests.

Godparents (for children): One of the most important tasks before a Baptism is to choose godparents for your child. You only need one, but often two are chosen (one male and one female). Godparents will assist you in raising your child in the Catholic Faith and therefore must meet certain qualifications as set forth by the laws of the Catholic Church. According to Canon Law, a Godparent must:

• Be designated by you and must have the intention of performing this role
• Be at least 16 years of age (unless his/her pastor sees just cause for an exception)
• Be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received Holy Communion
• Be a Catholic who leads life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken
• Not be bound by any legitimately imposed canonical penalty
• Not be the father or mother of the child
• Not have left the Catholic Church for another Christian denomination.

Additional Info. - Godparent Eligibility: Proposed Godparents must be verified as eligible by their pastor. Instructions on how to attain this eligibility vary by parish, and your Baptism contact person here at Holy Spirit will guide you in this matter. Note: Non-Catholic Godparents are generally not recommended due the duties of godparents in helping you raise your child in the Catholic Faith. However, in some cases, a non-Catholic can be listed as a Christian Witness for the child as long as there is one Catholic Godparent. Additionally, if a Godparent has good reason for not being able to attend a Baptism, a proxy can be used but must also meet the eligibility requirements listed above, including being verified by their pastor.

Baptismal Records: Baptismal, and all Sacramental Records, are held either in the Diocesan Archive Center or here at Holy Spirit Parish. Click the button below to find out more and/or request the record you are seeking.

Sacramental Records Info.

Contact Persons: Expectant parents, or those interested in baptizing infants through pre-schoolers, should contact Jan Book at 724-652-3422 ext. 2210. Those interested in baptizing kindergartners through adults should contact Cathy Frank at 724-652-3422 ext. 1102.