Holy Family Church

South Pasadena, California 91030

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The Rite of Baptism

RITE OF BAPTISM (For Children Under the Age of 7)

Rite of Baptism

Congratulations on the birth of your child!

We look forward to welcoming your child into God’s family and as a member of the Holy Family community.

Please follow the instructions below to have your blessed one baptized:

  1. Complete the BAPTISMAL REGISTRATION FORM and send a copy to reception@holyfamily.org.
  2. Call Andrell Panconi at 626-403-6107 to set up an appointment to meet with Fr. Albert (Pastor) or Fr. Andrew (Associate Pastor). Be sure to bring a copy of your completed BAPTISMAL REGISTRATION FORM and your child’s birth certificate to the meeting.
  3. Sign up for the Parent Class by calling Reception at 626-799-8908 or emailing reception@holyfamily.org.
  4. Sign up for the Godparent and Parent Class by calling Reception at 626-799-8908 or emailing reception@holyfamily.org.
  5. After both classes have been completed, you will then be able to schedule the Rite of Baptism. Please call Holy Family Reception.

Please note:

  • Registration as Parishioners at Holy Family Church:  You do not need to be registered as members of the parish, however, at least one parent should be Catholic.
  • Godparents: A maximum of two godparents (one male and one female) will appear on the Baptismal Certificate.  At least one needs to be Catholic. If a Catholic godparent is married, their marriage must be witnessed in the Church.
  • Schedule of Baptisms:  Baptisms usually occur on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sunday of the month at 2:00 p.m. See the Baptism Pamphlet 2021 for the specific dates
  • Required Parent Class:  The Sacrament of Baptism is a wonderful time in your child’s life. They are welcomed into God’s Church and the Holy Family Community.  As a parent, you are the first example of God’s grace and love to your child.  Being attentive to the lessons offered in the classes affords you the opportunity to connect with the grace and the love of God.  We ask that you give the 90 minutes in the class your full attention, free from distractions and interruptions, so that the information can flow freely.

ZOOM and in-person classes are scheduled multiple times per month. ZOOM classes require access to a computer, tablet or smartphone and requires the ZOOM Application be downloaded.  The ZOOM contact information and password will be supplied a day or so before the meeting. The in-person classes are scheduled at a facilitator’s home or the Holtsnider Pastoral Center.

  • Required Godparent and Parent Class: This class can only be taken in person. Once the first class has been attended, families can then schedule the class for Parents and Godparents in the Church.  Please send a request to  reception@holyfamily.org to obtain the date for the next upcoming Parent and Godparent class.  This class is scheduled once a month.
  • Certificate of Class Completion: If your child will be baptized at a parish other than Holy Family or you are a godparent for a child who will be baptized at another parish, these certificates will be available at the completion of your class or mailed from the Church to the physical address you supply.

Below is a summary of the traditional Rite of Baptism for children under the age of 7:

The rite of baptism for infants begins with the parents asking the church to baptize their child. The bishop, priest, or deacon, in turn, makes the sign of the cross on the child and invites the parents and godparents to do the same. A lector, or the priest or deacon, then reads a passage from Scripture. Following the reading, the priest or deacon anoints the child on the chest with the oil of the catechumens. The anointing is to protect the child from spiritual harm and prepare the child for the baptism itself.

Everyone present at the baptism is invited to make a profession of faith. The parents and godparents make this profession on behalf of the child and promise to provide for the child’s religious formation.

The family is invited near the baptismal font. The celebrant (bishop, priest or deacon) blesses the water. Usually, the parent holds the child over the baptismal water font as the celebrant says, “[Child’s name] I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” All present respond “Amen.” At the threefold prayer, the celebrant three times pours water over the child’s forehead.

Following the immersion, the celebrant (priest or deacon) anoints the newly baptized with the sacred Chrism (a perfumed oil), by which is signified the royal priesthood of the baptized and enrollment into the company of the People of God.

After the anointing with Chrism, the child is given a white garment, a sign of the child’s new identity as a child of God. A lit candle is given to the child’s family to remind the child and all of us that as baptized people, we are to be the light of Christ in the world.

Holy Family Church