Baptism of Infants and Young Children (0-6 Years)
As the great poet and Anglican divine John Donne wrote, “The church is catholic, universal, so are all her actions; all that she does belongs to all. When she baptizes a child, that action concerns me; for that child is thereby connected to that head which is my head too, and engrafted into the body whereof I am a member.”
We celebrate baptisms of young children approximately six times per year at the Sunday Eucharist. First time parents/guardians are asked to participate in a Baptism Preparation Class to update their understanding of baptism, the important responsibilities of Christian parenting, and learn more about the many ways our parish supports families. All families and godparents are asked to participate in the baptismal preparation class whenever possible.
For information about Infant Baptism please contact Molly Hiro at 503-289-2419 or mhhiro@gmail.com. Initiation catechists are Carmi Lyon, Angela Kremer and Molly Hiro.
Dates for Infant Baptism and Preparation St. Andrew Church
Note: preparation sessions are 11:00 AM to noon in the chapel. The baptisms are during the 9:30 AM liturgy on Sundays.
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Commonly Asked Questions
Are there any requirements in order to have my child baptized at St. Andrew?
Parents/Guardians are required to be a registered parishioner here or have a personal connection with a registered parishioner (i.e. grandparents are members of the parish). If a family is a member of another parish, a letter must be received from their own parish granting permission for the baptism indicating that they are registered and have participated in that parish’s baptism preparation class.
Who can be a godparent?
Church law requires that there is at least one godparent for the child baptized. Godparents need to be active, practicing and confirmed Catholics at least 16 years in age. Godparents should submit written proof of registration from their parish.
Can a non-Catholic be a godparent?
No, only a Catholic can be a godparent because they are asked to promise to help support raising the child in the Catholic faith. A non-Catholic Christian can witness the baptism as long as there is one Catholic godparent. A non-baptized person cannot be a godparent or witness.
What if the godparents can’t come to the actual celebration?
You can have a proxy stand in for the godparent(s). Please let the staff know so they can record the name of the proxy on the certificate.
Can I schedule a private baptism?
No, unless there is an exceptional circumstance. Baptism celebrates the initiation of the child into the parish community and it is very important that the community is present at the time of the celebration.