"Baptism is the door that permits Christ the Lord to make His dwelling in us and allows us to immerse ourselves in His mystery." ~ Pope Francis
"Baptism is a precious, beautiful, grace-filled moment. [We should] approach this sacrament - and every sacrament with awe, humility and a sense of gratitude." ~ Deacon Greg Kandra
Congratulations on the birth of your child! We are happy to celebrate his/her Baptism at St. Matthew the Apostle Parish. Baptism is a time to welcome your child to the Catholic Church. We hope and pray that you and your child find a welcoming home in the St. Matthew's Parish family. We have instituted a Baptism Preparation Program to ensure a greater outreach and opportunity for evangelization of our young parents. Our Deacons will meet with the couple to help ensure awareness of the authentic meaning of the sacrament and their role as Catholic parents. The program is the beginning of the child’s journey towards full initiation into the Catholic Church. The overall focus of the program is to offer the opportunity to deepen one’s faith commitment, to better understand the gift and challenge of Christian parenting, and to come together to find support in knowing other members of our parish. We do our best to pair the Deacon who will be baptizing the child/children with you, so that you know who is baptizing your child and that the day of the Baptism is not the first time you will be meeting with him.
The process is as follows:
Baptisms are celebrated on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at 12:30 pm or 1:15 pm. We also offer the option to schedule Baptism on the 4th Sunday of the month during the 11:00 am mass. Note that we do not schedule Baptism on Holidays (Christmas, Easter, Mother's/Father's Day, etc.) or during the season of Lent.
Please contact the Parish secretary to schedule a Baptism. The secretary will provide the information needed to celebrate a Baptism at St. Matthew the Apostle Parish. The Parish Secretary will provide a list of available dates. Note that baptisms are typically scheduled 2-3 months in advance and slots fill quickly. The Secretary will do her best to accommodate all requests; however, please be mindful that Baptisms are scheduled individually on a first-come, first-scheduled basis.
Family Information Sheet: Families must complete the Family Information Sheet (link found below) and submit the form to the Parish office. To avoid any delays, please read the form and complete all family information. The information requested is needed to complete the Baptismal certificate. Please be sure to select a first and second choice for the Baptismal date. The form will be processed and you will receive a confirmation email to secure the date. Note that the date is not confirmed until you receive an email from the secretary.
Baptism Preparation Class: Prior to celebrating Baptism, parents must attend Baptism Preparation Class. The class is an informal session held at St. Matthew’s on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm. The class is run by one of our Deacons. The Parish Secretary will provide a list of class dates. Parents need only attend one class of their choosing.
Godparent Selection: Parents must select Godparent(s) for their child. It is important to understand that being a sponsor is not just an honor given to a friend or relative. Sponsorship implies an appreciation of faith, a practice of the same and a sense of responsibility toward the person being baptized or confirmed. The Godparent bears the responsibility of providing spiritual witness to your child as to how to live the Catholic faith in everyday life.
If you would like information about having your child baptized at St. Matthew's or if you have any questions, please call MaryAnn Spagnuolo in the parish office (973) 584-1101, ext. 205 or via email: [email protected].