• Baptisms should be scheduled at least two months in advance. 
• Generally, baptisms are celebrated the 2^nd and 4^th weekend of the month, after the 10:30am Sunday Mass (scheduled at 11:15am, 11:45am & 12:15pm).
• Please note that no baptisms are scheduled during Lent or Advent.

1. Parents must be registered, practicing members of St Mary Magdalen Parish. 
2. Parents must complete the Baptism Registration Form. This form is used to identify the child to be baptized, prepare the baptism certificate, and record the baptism in our Sacramental Record Book. 
3. Parents registered in another church parish who wish to have their child baptized at SMM must first obtain a letter of permission from the pastor of the church parish in which they are registered. 
4. Parents are required to attend a Baptism Class. If you have had a previous child baptized, this requirement is waived. 

Godparents are more than just special friends or relatives of the child to be baptized.  Godparents stand as representative of the Catholic community and act as a special witness to the child of what it means to be a good Catholic.  Church law only requires you to have one godparent; however, it has been tradition to have two. If you choose only one godparent, you are free to choose a male or a female. However, if you wish to have two godparents, there must be one male and one female. 

To be a godparent, a person must be:

1. Be practicing Catholics who is at least 16 years of age and have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. 
2. Able to obtain a Godparent Eligibility Letter signed by their pastor indicating that they are registered parishioners, practicing Catholics, and are qualified to serve as a godparent.  This letter must be received by our office no later than 3 weeks prior to the scheduled date of baptism.  It may either be mailed or emailed. If mailing send to:

A non-Catholic may serve as Christian Witness, so long as there is a Catholic Godparent as well.  A Christian Witness must be:

1. A Be practicing Christian who is at least 16 years of age and has been validly baptized.
2. Able to obtain a letter of eligibility from their pastor/minister stating that they are active members of their church.

Attendance at a parish class is required for all parents having a first child Baptized and any parents who have not had a child Baptized within the last three years. These classes are offered every other month but can also be provided outside the set schedule, if needed.  Any additional questions about class can be directed to Sheila Meara, who oversees these classes.