St. Pius X Church at 5075 Bigner Road, Beaumont, TX 77708 US - Baptism

Guidelines for Parents  A Catholic parent (or the guardian who has the legal custody of the child) who is a member of St. Pius X Parish may seek Baptism for their child in this parish community. To be a member of St. Pius X Parish you must live within the boundaries of the parish and be a registered and practicing member of the parish for a period of at least six months prior to the date of the Baptism. The Church emphasizes the role of parents as the first and best teachers of their child in the ways of faith and Christian values. During the Baptism, the parents of the child promise to do their best to raise their child in the practice of the faith. Therefore, the parents should manifest their faith by participating in the weekly Sunday Mass and financially support the faith community into which their child is to be received. We look for an honest and wholehearted commitment on the part of the parents.  It is never our intention to deny Baptism to anyone. However, there may be circumstances that would lead us to suggest the postponement of the Baptism until the parents are ready to carry out the promises they must make at the Baptism ceremony. Baptism initiates the baptized person into the Catholic community. Hence it is most appropriate to celebrate Baptism at a time when the community is together, which is when we come together to celebrate Eucharist. Thus, Baptisms are celebrated at one of our weekend celebrations of the litury.  After the parent(s) complete the process of preparing for the Baptism, a date and time will be arranged for the celebration.  Completion of Pre-Baptismal Preparation is required of at least one parent. Since the Baptism is celebrated within the context of the weekend Mass, it is essential that each family arrive well before the Mass begins so that they can be properly instructed about what to do during the ceremony.  Guidelines for Godparents   As you choose godparents for your child, remember that it is a lifetime commitment. We do not change the baptismal register if you are unhappy with the person later. Please consider the following guidelines when making your decision:  Since godparents serve as role models for your children as Catholic Christians, a godparent should be a practicing Roman Catholic at least 16 years of age, who has received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist. The godparents are to obtain a godparent letter from the parish in which he/she is registered stating that they are registered members of the parish and eligible to be a godparent. Parishes readily provide this certificate. If you are not able to obtain a godparent letter, then that person will not be able to serve as a godparent. There should be at least one Catholic godparent. If there are two godparents, then they should be male and female. If you want a non-Catholic Christian to serve as a Christian witness, then that person should be baptized. Obviously a person who is not a Christian cannot serve as a Christian witness. Please note that these are requirements of the universal Church, not just the Church of the Immaculate Conception. If a godparent cannot attend the Baptism, a proxy should be present at the celebration to take his/her place. The name of the godparent, however, not the proxy, will appear on the child's baptismal certificate.     For more information, questions or scheduling concerning any sacrament, please contact the Pastoral Minister's office at 892-3316.

Matthew 3:16 16 Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.