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Preparing for the Sacrament of Baptism: A Welcome into the Church
Starting with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God gave us the right to life. In that right, He also gave us the power to choose to love Him. Adam and Eve were given the Tree of Knowledge so that the choice to love and serve God was theirs. As we know, they chose to eat of the fruit, thus giving each and every person conceived afterward the stain of original sin. However, God in His infinite wisdom and love chose to save us from death through the sacrifice of His Son. Through Christ’s mission on earth, He gave us the Great Commission: “Go, there fore, and make disciples of all nations, baptiz ing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
The Sacrament of Baptism removes the stain of Original Sin and the baptized becomes a member of the church. Jesus was conceived without sin but He was still baptized by John the Baptist. This gave us Baptism as a sacrament that God uses to pour out His graces on us to help us follow Him and live a holy life so we can go to heaven and be with Him. God gives us the sacraments as a means to receive His Grace, not as a gate to withhold grace from us. The gift of Baptism is a gift that upholds our dignity and restores our souls to the perfection that God intended when He created us.
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When Baptism is being sought for a child, the parents attend classes to learn about this important sacrament. First, parents meet with Fr. Joel and then attend a two-hour class with both Fr. Joel and Pete Schlegel. Pete has been a part of this ministry for about five years.
“My role is to let the families know what the Rite of Baptism is,” Pete says. “We explain why the sacrament is done this way and what the different symbols are. We really want them to know that they are welcomed into the church family and how we want them to be a part of it.”
These classes are only required for the first child being baptized in a family. There is a video the class also watches to learn a little more about the in-depth theology surrounding the Sacrament of Baptism. After the video, the class moves to the church to show what the Baptism will look like and explain some of the sacramentals such as the white outfit, oils, and the candle. Afterward, they return to the classroom for a talk from Fr. Joel about Salvation History.
“The importance of Baptism is not only to remove the stain of original sin but to also welcome them into the Church family where they are truly a part of the entire universal Catholic Church,” Pete says. “It puts that indelible mark on their soul that they are a Christian. Even if one falls away from the church or they no longer believe, that mark is still there.”
While Pete has been working with Fr. Joel in this ministry for many years, Deacon Andy Bures and his wife, Stephanie, will be taking over that role.
“We are looking forward to stepping into this ministry,” Deacon Andy says. “Young parents give me so much hope, though they don’t often see that. They sometimes think that they are being judged. But the younger generation is the hope that I see for our future. They are going to be the lamp on the hilltop — the beacon that people will look towards. Seeing them bringing their children to be baptized and bringing their children to church, gives me hope for the future of the world. We need you — the world needs you.”
Recently, the church has seen an increase not only in infant Baptisms but also in older children being baptized. The church welcomes these families with open arms and encourages all who may not have yet had their children baptized to give them the gift of this sacrament.
“Families want to see and hear that they are accepted as they are,” Pete says. “We are here for them. We baptize out of love for the families and out of the love of Jesus that flows through us as we share it with others. Welcoming a new member to the church is always a celebration, whether it is a two-day-old baby or an elderly person baptized at the Easter Vigil. No matter how they got there, it doesn’t take away from the beauty of them being a member of the Catholic Church.”
“We often see people who have drifted away from the church and as a result didn’t see the value of building the church community,” Deacon Andy says. “Then they get to be parents and you see the value of having a faith community to help keep you and your family on the straight and narrow. Through Baptism and having the strength of a good faith community, we have the support to weather the storms of the society and culture around us. The grace of the sacraments is a powerful part of protecting our children from the spiritual dangers in the world.”
The sacraments were instituted by Jesus during his life on Earth. They are a source of God’s grace poured out on us. The Church places a great amount of importance on proper instruction and reception of the sacraments.
