“Go therefore and make all nations my disciples: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you to observe” (Matthew 28:19-20).
In baptism, a person is born into a new life in Jesus Christ, he becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit and he is joined as a member of God’s family, the church. According to the Lord’s will, baptism is necessary for a person’s salvation, as is the church that gives baptism itself. In this sacrament, a person is forgiven of original sin and all his personal sins. Baptism once validly received cannot be repeated.
A Catholic parent has a serious obligation to baptize their child through the Catholic Church and to bring it up in the Catholic faith. Baptism should not be delayed unnecessarily, but the child should be baptized as soon as possible after birth. Baptism is usually performed in a church. It is not a naming ceremony, but the parents already give their child a name, which the christening official asks at the beginning of the event and with which he addresses the child to be baptized. Adults are usually baptized on Easter night after about a year of teaching or catechumenate.
There must be at least one godparent who must be 16 years old and a confirmed Catholic. In addition to him or them, there can be a non-Catholic witness at the baptism, who must be a Christian.
If the life of an unbaptized child is in danger, baptism must be provided immediately. Any non-Catholic can then baptize, as long as the baptism is performed with clean water in accordance with the intention of the Church. The baptist pours a little water on the child’s head saying: “I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”. The baptism performed in this way is reported to your own parish as soon as possible.
Practical matters:
The sacrament of baptism is celebrated in conjunction with Sunday mass or on Saturday without mass. For those who live far from Helsinki, the priest can also administer the sacrament of baptism at the family’s home. Contact the parish office 1-2 months before the baptism ceremony. Find suitable godparents for the child. They must be active members of the Catholic Church who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation and regularly participate in the Sacrament of the Eucharist and the sacrament of penance.