One of the seven Sacraments of the Holy Catholic Church.
A Gift from God for our Salvation; Baptism is one of the "three" sacraments of Christian initiation - Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist.
Preparing to have your child baptised
Any child up to the age of 7 can be presented for baptism as long as one parent/guardian is already a Catholic, or else a regular attender at our parish who is preparing to become a Catholic.
Children over 7 are usually mature enough to need their own preparation course, and would be prepared for
First Communion
together with baptism.
How do I apply for a baptism?
If you regularly attend St Philip Evans Church, wish to present a child aged up to 7 for baptism, you can make a direct approach to Fr Keith to arrange the baptism and, if necessary, an individual preparation discussion.
Why do I need preparation?
In a baptism ceremony, parents make solemn promises to God that the child will be raised as a Catholic.
What do those promises mean?
In other words, what will be different about your child's life because they are Catholic?
Most parents understand that this includes teaching their child to be a “good person” – caring, considerate, putting themselves out for the needs of others.
Of course, lots of other religions believe in this, too! So what makes us distinct as Catholics? it's about a life which includes prayer, knowing Jesus as a person who loves us, and choosing to be part of a church family which gathers every week to do what Jesus asked us to do.
For this reason, Catholic parishes run a Preparation Course for parents before they can make promises to raise their child as a Catholic.
What if I live outside the parish?
If you live outside St Philip Evans Parish (which covers Llanedeyrn, Pentwyn, Pontprennau and St Edeyrn's Village), please be aware that the permission of your local parish priest is needed for the baptism to take place here.
What if I live in the parish but wish to have the baptism elsewhere?
If you live in Llanedeyrn, Pentwyn, Pontprennau or St Edeyrn's Village, but approach another priest or deacon about having the baptism elsewhere, they will ask you to come for the Parish Priest's permission for the baptism. The best time to see him is at the end of one of the parish Masses.
Who can be a godparent?
Every child being presented for baptism must have one godparent whose parish priest affirms that they receive Holy Communion regularly. Other baptised Christians (Catholics or other denominations) can be listed as witnesses alongside the certified godmother and/or certified godfather. Friends and relatives who are not baptised are welcome to stand alongside you as 'honorary godparents' at the ceremony but will not be listed on the baptism certificate.
When can I have the baptism?
Baptism are usually held on at 3pm on a Saturday or 12.30pm on a Sunday.
When you request a baptism, you will be given a Baptism booking form to complete. Once we receive your completed form we will put you on our waiting list. We will then be in touch when we are in a position to offer you a date.
How much will it cost?
There is no fee for attending the Baptism Preparation Course.
The Catholic Church does not charge for its sacraments, but it is customary to make an offering to the minister conducting the baptism, and a donation towards maintenance costs of the church. (If paying by cheque, the first is made out to the minister by name, and the second is payable to the “Parish of St Philip Evans”.)
Separate fees and booking arrangements apply if you wish to hire the Parish Hall for a reception afterwards.
How can I get a Baptism Certificate?
When children are baptised, parents can expect to receive a copy of a baptism certificate in the post about 2 weeks later.
If you need to order baptism certificates or other sacramental records, please see here.