INFANT BAPTISM

Hi Parents,

Welcome and congratulations! You are about to embark on one of the key milestones in your child’s life in the Catholic faith. Please do take a few moments to read the following instructions carefully and present the photocopies of documentation as required by the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore. If any of the instructions are unclear, please do approach the Church’s Secretariat for assistance.

Copy of Documents To Be Submitted With Application Form:

Birth Certificate of infant / to be baptised*.
Catholic Marriage Certificate of infant / child’s Parents* (If unable to present certificate for any reason, please make appointment with the Priest)
Godparent(s)’ Catholic Confirmation Certificates*
* Please note, all documentation must be made available on the stipulated closing date. If documentations are not complete on submission, application will be moved to the next month.

Godparent(s) Requirements:
“One Sponsor/Godparent, male or female, is sufficient; there may be two (Godparents), one of each sex” (Canon 873)

To be admitted to undertake the role of Sponsor/Godparent, a person must:

a.		be appointed by the candidate for baptism, or by the parents or whoever stands in their place (proxy), or failing these, by the parish or the minister; to be appointed, the person must be suitable for this role and have intention of fulfilling it;
b.		be not less than sixteen years of age, unless a change has been stipulated by the Archbishop, or unless the parish priest or the minister considers that there is just reason for an exception to be made;
c.		be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has received the blessed Eucharist, and who has a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken;
d.		not labour under a canonical penalty, whether imposed or declared
e.		not be either the father or the mother of the person to be baptised” (Canon 874)

A baptised Christian who belongs to another denomination, MAY NOT be admitted as a Godparent except as a witness to baptism and together with a Catholic Godparent.

General
“The Parents of a child who is to be baptised, and those who are to undertake the office of sponsors, are to be suitably instructed on the meaning of this sacrament and the obligations attached to it. The Parish Priest is to see to it that either he or others duly prepare the parents, by means of pastoral advice and indeed by prayer; a number of families might be brought together for this purpose and, where possible, each family visited” (Canon 851.2)
Both Parents and Godparent(s) are required to attend the Infant Baptism preparation session, failing which the infant will not be baptised.
“Parents, Godparents and priest are to take care that a name is not given which is foreign to Christian sentiment” (Canon 855)