Baptism
Baptism is the beginning of our faith and our gateway into the Church. It is the first of three Sacraments of Initiation. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word". (CCC 1213)
Availability
In our parish we offer the opportunity to celebrate Baptisms on 2 Sundays of the month:
The 1st Sunday of the month at Sacred Heart Church – St Albans
And the 3rd Sunday of the month at Emmaus Church – Sydenham
They are at 12pm and are community baptism services with several families in each ceremony.
Bookings are required and usually at least 2 months’ in advance.
To baptise a child into the Catholic Church at least 1 parent must be a baptised Catholic and will be asked to provide a copy of their baptism certificate.
It is compulsory that parents attend a baptism preparation session before the date of their child’s baptism. The sessions are organised by the volunteers who support the baptism program. You will be contacted in the month prior to your requested baptism date with details of your session. Each session runs for approximately 1 hour. At least 1 parent must attend but the whole family, including godparents, are welcome.
We are delighted to support your family as you prepare for your child’s baptism. To book a baptism at Sacred Heart – Emmaus Parish, please complete the three steps below.
1. Complete the online registration form. Only the dates listed on the form are available.
2. Make the baptism payment and include your family name and your child’s name in the payment reference.
3. Attend the baptism preparation session at least one month before your preferred date.
Your child’s baptism will be confirmed once all three steps are completed.
Candle and Stole
The parish provides a candle and stole for each child. Of course, you are welcome to source your own but for safety reasons the parish candle will be used on the day. Both the candle and stole will be made available to each child on the day of their baptism.
Baptism Offering
Each family is asked to give a gift of thanks in support for the baptism program. This goes towards the ongoing support of the baptism program including but not limited to administration, resources, cleaning, priest’s stipend, and the baptism candle & stole.
$100 for the baptism of 1 child
$175 for the baptism of 2 children, an additional $50 for each child there after.
Please make payment once your baptism date has been confirmed. Payments need to be made prior to the day of the baptism ceremony.
You can pay online by clicking the blue “Donate online” button on the top right hand side of our website. Alternatively the Parish bank account details are as follows:
Acct Name: Sacred Heart Parish (it may come up as Archdiocese of Melbourne – CDF this is also acceptable)
BSB: 083-347
Acct No: 652 125 853
Ref: Child’s name & surname
To book a baptism for your child please submit the form below, one child per form. At least 1 parent must be a baptised Catholic, a copy of your baptism certificate is required. A confirmation email will be sent to you from the Parish office to confirm your details, please allow at least 14 days.
Dates are released as required every few months.
Letter of Permission
If you are not currently residing in the Sacred Heart-Emmaus parish but wish to have your child baptised here, please request a letter of permission from your current parish and forward it to the Sacred Heart-Emmaus parish office. Please include the details below in your request. If you wish to baptise your child in another parish please contact the parish office directly to request a letter of permission This a courtesy that all priests extend to one another.
Child’s full name
Child’s date of birth
Parents names and religion
Current home address