Sacrament of Baptism
Baptism for children in school
Baptism is the first Sacrament of Initiation and it is the sacrament that prepares us to celebrate Confirmation and First Eucharist. If your child is not baptized or if your child was baptized in another Christian Church (Anglican, Lutheran, etc.) and you would like your child to be a member of the Catholic Church please call the parish office at 416 231 6016 extension 34 and leave a message for Patrick Sibley. Updates will also be posted here.
Some thoughts for couples
Our Lady of Sorrows celebrates the sacrament of Baptism at the 12:30pm Sunday Mass with the support and appreciation of those who regularly attend. This form of celebration allows the parish community to provide prayerful support to the newly baptized and their parents through the Sunday Eucharist. It is not the mind of the Church that Baptism be celebrated privately (individually) but as a true celebration of initiation into a particular parish community. While there will certainly be occasions when Baptism is celebrated individually, such occasions are not the norm.
Now and again, former parishioners or the adult children of current parishioners ask to celebrate Baptism at OLS. It is sometimes possible to accommodate them at one of the regular Sunday celebrations. However, for this to take place, the written permission of their parish priest is required; parents will also be expected to complete the Baptism preparation program of their own parish.
When parishioners ask to have another priest or deacon celebrate the Baptism of their child, they will normally be invited to celebrate the Baptism in the parish to which that priest (deacon) is assigned.
The office staff will assist you in these matters.
In welcoming you, your child, family and friends, we ask you to keep the following carefully in mind:
- Seats are reserved for only for parents and godparents.
- Family and friends may find a place within the assembly.
Photography (video or still) is not permitted during the celebration. Parents and guests may remain after the Mass to take pictures at the font.
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops have prepared a document which you may find useful:
Who can be a sponsor (godparent) at Baptism?
A person to be baptized is always assisted by a sponsor (godparent) at the celebration. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with the promises made at Baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.
There is only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.
To take on the role of sponsor a person must:
- be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;
- have completed the sixteenth year of age;
- be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has received the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;
- not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic community participates only with a Catholic sponsor and is a Christian witness of the Baptism. One who is not baptized cannot stand as witness at Baptism.