Baptism is the first of three Sacraments of Initiation (followed by First Holy Communion and Confirmation) which complete an individual’s membership to the Catholic Community.  Cleansed and freed from sin,  all those baptized become members of the Church's body and enter into a new life in Christ.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church recommends that preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism begins three months in advance of the anticipated date of the ceremony.  Preparation may begin before the birth of the child. 

(For children over the age of seven years, please see the information for Older Children.)

For the parents/guardians
Baptisms are celebrated the first and third Sunday of each month at 1:00 PM.  

To prepare for the Sacrament of Baptism, parents are asked

• to meet in person with a staff member to complete paperwork and confirm dates
• attend a baptismal catechesis class to deepen their understanding of their roles in the religious formation of the child. (Godparents may also attend a baptismal catechesis class, but are not required at this time.) 
• bring a copy of the child's birth certificate to the meeting with staff member

About Godparents

The parent or guardian of the child chooses the godparent(s). Two godparents may be chosen, but only one is required.  If two godparents are chosen, there must be one male and one female. Each godparent must meet the following criteria:

• At least 16 years old at the time of the Baptism
• Not a parent of the child
• Fully initiated Catholic, having completed Catholic sacramental initiation through Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation
• Registered member of a parish, regularly participating in Sunday Eucharistic liturgy and giving witness to faith in Jesus Christ by taking an active role in the parish, especially in receiving the Eucharist
• Commits to support the godchild by continued interest and prayer for his/her Catholic Christian growth and by the Catholic Christian example of daily life

Christian Baptismal Witness

If a family wishes to include one person who is a baptized Christian, but not Catholic, they may include that person as a Christian Baptismal Witness.   They follow all the Godparent requirements, except they are not required to have received all three Initiation Sacraments.  

Please complete and submit the registration forms and review the Godparent and Christian Baptismal Witness forms as necessary to begin the process.

• Catholic Godparent Form
• Christian Witness Form (non-Catholic participant in a Roman Catholic Baptism)  

Questions?  Please contact us at 650-593-6157 or rlang@ihmbelmont.org. We look forward to learning more about your family!