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.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1213
Baptisms are held on the first Sunday of every month at 12:30 pm, following the 11:00 am Mass. Attendance of parents at a Pre-Baptism Program is required. Godparents are to turn their Sponsor Certificates into the
Parish Office two weeks prior to the Baptism.
Parents are reminded that parish & diocesan policy requires parents to complete a Baptism Preparation Class before the Baptism of their child if they have not done so in the past five years. Completion of the class at any parish qualifies the couple to participate in baptism at St. Mary of the Falls.
Please fill and print out the Baptism Registration Form and return it to the parish office. Baptisms are normally held at
12:30 pm on the first Sunday of the month.
A Godparent is a practicing Catholic striving to live out his or her baptismal promises in union with the Catholic Church. In the case of newly baptized infants or children, the role and responsibility of the Godparent is to help the parents/guardians in their child's faith formation. Your child should be able to look to the person you select as a Catholic, Christian role model.
The Catholic sponsor must obtain a Sponsor Certificate from their parish and submit this to St. Mary of the Falls two weeks prior to the Baptism. If you are a member of St. Mary of the Falls, please stop by the parish office to pick up a Sponsor Certificate. If you have any questions regarding Baptism, Godparents, or Sponsorship, feel free to contact us at (440) 235-2222 and ask to speak to a member of the pastoral staff.
That's okay! A baptized person of another faith may act as a Christian Witness together with a Catholic sponsor. While no sponsor certificate is required for the Christian Witness, it is expected that the person is an active participant in the faith tradition in which they are baptized. A non-Catholic may act as a sponsor for Baptism only when accompanied by a practicing Catholic sponsor who is fulfilling each of the requirements noted above.