St. Bernard Parish at 500 Route 22 East, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 US - Baptism Preparation

Congratulations on this most Blessed Event! We are pleased and privileged to have a part in the preparation for your child's Baptism, and welcome into the Catholic Community of St. Bernard Church in Bridgewater. It is best to call the parish office about four months before your baby's birth or if you are adoptive parents, as soon as the adoption process is completed. Joan San Giovanni can be reached at 908-725-0552, ext. 800. She will be happy to register you for our Baptism Preparation Class, which is a very enjoyable gathering of clergy and other parents and which you will find to be most helpful as you prepare for this blessed and most happy of occassions. She will also give you materials and some other very important information regarding Baptism preparation. Joan will be prepared to answer any questions or concerns you may have and finally to schedule the date of the Baptism. In the event that you are not yet registered here at St. Bernard, Joan will also help you to become registered members of the St.Bernard faith community. Choosing Godparents There is much confusion about the role of godparents in the sacramental celebrations of Baptism and Confirmation. We hope that the following information will help to dispel some of that confusion. It must be stressed that the role of a godparent is strictly a spiritual one, with the main responsibility being for the godparent or sponsor to be an example and role model of the Catholic faith for the person they are sponsoring, and to be a support to the parents in the spiritual development of the child in their mutual faith. Therefore, the following is required of anyone seeking sponsorship eligibility, whether for the sacrament of Baptism or Confirmation. The person must be a baptized Catholic, committed to and actively practicing their faith, meaning that they must be attending Mass and receiving the Eucharist regularly, and the sacrament of Reconciliation when needed. If the chosen godparents reside outside of the territorial boundaries of St. Bernard Church, they must be able to obtain a sponsorship eligibility certificate from the pastor of the parish in which they reside. The person must not be in any situation which may compromise their sacramental life. For instance, if married, their marriage must be recognized by the Church as a valid sacrament. The person must be fully initiated into the Church, meaning that they must have received First Communion and Confirmation. It is preferred that the person be 16 years of age or older, but this age can be changed at the discretion of the pastor, if he believes there is sufficient reason, and judges the younger person to be otherwise qualified. Parents cannot act as sponsors, as their role is to assist the parents. For Baptism, if you choose to have two godparents, it is necessary to have one male and one female. The person chosen cannot be a Catholic who has elected to leave the Catholic Church and practice a different Christian faith. In the case of the Sacrament of Baptism, only one godparent is required. If you choose to have only one godparent, he or she must be a Catholic. Most people choose to have two godparents for their child. Whether you have one or two Godparents they must both confirm to the above requirements. In the event that you have a friend or relative who is a baptized Christian, but not Catholic, and you believe that they would be a good example of Christianity to your child, that person may act as a Christian Witness as long as the other sponsor is a Catholic godparent. The Christian witness must provide proof of their Baptism, and should get a note from their own pastor or minister, stating that they are active participants in that community. Please note that a Christian Witness may not be a non-practicing Catholic nor may they be a baptized Catholic who has chosen to practice another Christian faith. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With all of this in mind it should be made clear that in the event that a person does not qualify to act as a godparent, it is by no means a "quality judgement" against that person, nor does it mean that they are not "good enough" to be a godparent. Many good people, because of different circumstances, do not qualify for the particular role of godparent. We are hoping that a clearer understanding of the role will help you in making your choice of a godparent for your baby, or in choosing sponsors for Confirmation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Return to News)

(Back)