The Catholic Church baptizes infants as soon as practical. No one is as pure and innocent as a child so the concept of original sin seems hard at times to grasp. But, as the child grows, he/she will face many choices in life. We are called as the family, godparents and the faith community to assist in the spiritual and moral growth of the child so when those life decisions occur they will consider them in the context of love of God and neighbor. The family is the primary focus. Pope John-Paul called the family the domestic church for it is here that the child learns about love based on the love and care of his/her parents and extended family. The godparents and community are there to provide support to the family in this most important calling. To learn more about the Preparation for Baptism of an infant or to schedule an infant baptism contact Tim Bergevin at 727.726.8477 x326. Please allow 2-3 months for preparation prior to your child’s baptism beginning with Baptism Class.  Please don’t place any unnecessary pressure on you or your out of town family and friends by selecting a date for the reception of the sacrament before you’ve been to class and have all the necessary documents returned.  Since we have nearly 200 Baptisms a year here, we ask that you complete the class and paperwork before a date is selected..

Baptism of adults is provided via the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). The rite focuses on conversion to Christ through the discovery of the real presence of Christ in our lives. We all have a story and Christ has been and always will be part of that story. The rite assists the candidates for baptism in making that discovery. Through the rite, adults are incorporated into the body of Christ as explained above and provided teaching concerning Catholic Christian living in our complicated world by providing a framework for making those choices; love of God and neighbor. For information contact Mary Scott at the Church Office 727.726.8477 x325.