The Sacrament of Baptism makes one a member of the Body of Christ and incorporates them into the Church, forever sharing in its mission. Those baptized are purified from sin and are reborn by water and the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church baptizes people of all ages. 

To learn more about this beautiful sacrament, we invite you to take some time to watch the series Reborn: You, Your Child, and the Heart of Baptism from FORMED!

For parents seeking for their child to be baptized, the Church offers formation and catechesis in preparation for the baptism of their child through both weekly Mass attendance as well as a pre-baptismal class. Those wishing to have their child baptized are encouraged to attend class prior to the birth of their child, and both parents are highly encouraged to attend. The course covers the theology of baptism, the explanation of the rite, and the role of both parents and godparents. To register for a baptism class, parents are invited to contact their respective parishes:

Baptisms at St. Joseph and Sts. Peter & Paul: Julie Schmidt, 563-872-3234 or [email protected]

Baptisms at St. Catherine and St. Donatus: Mary Beth Wagner, [email protected]

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
 

The Baptism of Infants

1250 Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called.⁵⁰ The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth.⁵¹

1251 Christian parents will recognize that this practice also accords with their role as nurturers of the life that God has entrusted to them.⁵²

1252 The practice of infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church. There is explicit testimony to this practice from the second century on, and it is quite possible that, from the beginning of the apostolic preaching, when whole "households" received baptism, infants may also have been baptized.⁵³

Faith and Baptism

1253 Baptism is the sacrament of faith.⁵⁴ But faith needs the community of believers. It is only within the faith of the Church that each of the faithful can believe. The faith required for Baptism is not a perfect and mature faith, but a beginning that is called to develop. The catechumen or the godparent is asked: "What do you ask of God's Church?" The response is: "Faith!"

1254 For all the baptized, children or adults, faith must grow after Baptism. For this reason the Church celebrates each year at the Easter Vigil the renewal of baptismal promises. Preparation for Baptism leads only to the threshold of new life. Baptism is the source of that new life in Christ from which the entire Christian life springs forth.

1255 For the grace of Baptism to unfold, the parents' help is important. So too is the role of the godfather and godmother, who must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptized - child or adult on the road of Christian life.⁵⁵ Their task is a truly ecclesial function (officium).⁵⁶ The whole ecclesial community bears some responsibility for the development and safeguarding of the grace given at Baptism.

Guidelines for Baptism in the Roman Catholic Church

Godparent Form (Please also check out this article referring to the role of Godparents.)

Pre-Baptism Form