Baptism

Congratulations on the birth of your child. You are most welcome here in our parish community of Toukley/Lake Munmorah.

We recognise you want the best for your child and so, in desiring to have your child baptised, you also want your child to have a loving relationship with our ever loving God.

Baptism is a most wonderful sacrament, marking the beginning of a new kind of relationship between God and your child. It is the first Sacrament of Christian Initiation and through baptism we enter into the life of Christ and the Christian faith community; and, as such, have a right to the love and help of the faith community to live out our baptismal calling.

The Church’s ordained minister calls the candidate to be baptised, by name, and pours water over the forehead saying I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

And so, through baptism we belong to the Church, the body of Christ; it is a new beginning for us and starts our relationship, with Jesus and the parish community, which is meant to be ongoing.

On the day of baptism parents and godparents accept the responsibility of bringing up the child in the practice of the faith. And so, there is the expectation and solid hope that your child will be brought up in the practice of the Catholic faith.

Preparation for Baptism
Parents and, where possible, godparents are to attend an information session prior to baptism. There must be at least one Catholic parent and one Catholic Godparent, who is over the age of 16 and fully initiated into the Catholic faith.

Baptism preparation sessions are held at St Mary’s Catholic Church Toukley one Saturday per month at 10:30am and one Thursday per month at 5:30pm (excluding January). Please call the Parish office on 4396 4455 for upcoming dates.

It is important to inform the parish office, prior to the day, which session you will be attending.

Parents are to attend a Sunday Mass, of their choice, prior to the baptism and present their child to the faith community into which your child is to be baptised.

Requests for baptism within Mass are always welcome, and are generally accommodated.

Please note: Children over the age of 7 can be baptised with Catholic parental support, but receive their own instruction, given in a separate process. Please contact the parish office

Celebration of the Sacrament
The sacrament of infant baptism is celebrated at St Mary’s Toukley on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at 11:00 am and at St Brendan's Mass Centre, Lake Munmorah during the 8am mass, by appointment.. Other times and days are also acceptable with prior arrangement with the parish office.