St. Monica Church

• Baptism
  • Requirements for Parents
  • Steps for Preparation
  • Frequently Asked Questions
• Youth Confirmation
  • Confirmation Service Events
  • Confirmation Sponsors
  • Parent Meetings
  • Confirmation Rehearsal & Date
• Adult Confirmation
• First Confession and First Holy Communion
• Marriage Preparation
  • Getting Started
  • Practical Considerations
  • Preparing for Marriage
  • Helpful Marriage Links
  • Marriage Enrichment
• Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
  • Additional Resources for Becoming Catholic
• Religious Education

Steps for Preparation

1. Birth Certificate: Parents should submit a copy of their child's birth certificate to the Faith Formation office (a verified hospital certificate is acceptable).
2. Registration form: Fill out a Registration form for each child being baptized. If the child has already reached 7 years of age, the child must go through Religious Education classes before celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism. Please call the Office of Faith Formation for more information on Religious Education classes at (214) 357-8549.
3. Select Godparents. One Godparent is required but two are permitted. If Godparents are married, a copy of the Godparents marriage certificate must be submitted to the Office of Faith Formation. See below for requirements on who can be a Catholic Godparent.
4. Attend Baptism Preparation Class
5. Attend the Ceremony

Qualifications to Serve as a Godparent

• Only one sponsor is required but two are permitted.
• If there are two sponsors, they must be male and female and they cannot be the parents of the child being baptized.
• Sponsors must be at least 16 years of age.
• Sponsors must be fully initiated into the Church. This means they have received Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.
• Sponsors must be practicing Catholics. This means that they receive the Sacraments with frequency and will be good Catholic role models for the person being baptized.
• If married, sponsors must be married in the Catholic Church.

Proxies

On occasion a family may choose a Godparent who is not able to be present at the ceremony. In such cases, parents can choose proxies to answer the parts of the godparents during the ceremony itself. On the baptismal record and on the Baptism certificate, the names of the Godparents will appear.