Welcome!

How blessed you are to be preparing to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism for your child! We hope you are finding Our Lady of Light to be a warm and welcoming faith community where you and your family can grow together in your Catholic faith. From first contact to baptism can take 3-4 months, but you can get things rolling with the information below. 

The steps involved are:
1) Be registered and participate in the parish. To register, go online (click here) or fill out a paper form (found at the office or from an Usher at Mass). As a demonstration of your commitment to raising your child in the faith, we ask that you be active in the life of the parish for several months before Baptism. 
2) Fill out our baptism Inquiry Form (click here) to let us know you are interested. You will see a section asking about your older children – your commitment to raising your child(ren) in the faith is for the whole family, and we can help you get plugged in. Note their names and ages along with any sacraments they are ready to prepare for. Once submitted to the Faith Formation department, it can take up to two weeks for a reply, especially in summer. In the meantime, parents and Godparents can get started on your online class, detailed next.
3) Online Baptism Class (if you have not completed a Baptism class in the last 3 years or so). It’s free and done on your own time, and you can get started anytime. (click here for instructions) (haga clic aquí para instrucciones). Both parents and Godparents should participate and send in the completed discussion pages. If you or the Godparents took a class in the last 3 years, please request a letter of proof to be sent to us from the Parish at FaithFormation@Ourladyoflight.com.
4) Attend an in-person class offered about every 4-6 weeks. In a small group-style setting, parents and Godparents just like you participate in faith-sharing about your own upbringing to dream great dreams about raising your child(ren) in the faith. Contact the Baptism Office for upcoming dates.
5) Consider Godparents for your child. Mindful that Godparents are intended to represent the Catholic faith to your child, you’ll want to choose Godparents that are active in the Catholic faith and intend to continue to be so. Godparents are asked to be adequately formed in the faith for this role, and will do this via the online course like you. There is an exemption if they have taken a Baptism class in the last three years or so.

Godparent specifics:

• Choose at least one actively practicing Catholic who meets all of the eligibility criteria on the Godparent form (see links below).
• Each Godparent completes their own eligibility form, checks all relevant boxes, signs and gives to their home parish. The home parish signs, seals, and returns to us. This can take some time, so it is good to get this part going. Choose from the following forms: 
  • if Godparent is a member at OLOL for a baptism occurring at OLOL (OLOL Parishioner GP form)
  • if Godparent is registered at a different Catholic Church but will be a Godparent for Baptism occurring at OLOL (Godparent at OLOL from another parish form) 
  • If Godparent is an OLOL Parishioner serving as a Godparent for a different parish (OLOL Parishioner for other parish form)
  • si el Padrino es Miembro de OLOL para bautizo en OLOL (Forma para Padrinos Miembros de OLOL)
  • si el padrino es Miembro en otra Iglesia Catolica y va a ser Padrino en un bautiso en OLOL (Forma para Padrinos No-Miembros de OLOL)

Parents, it is recommended that you begin the process at least a few months before the birth of your child. Submit all of your paperwork to the Baptism Office and someone will be in touch with you shortly. For urgent questions about the sacrament of Baptism, please contact Lori or 239-267-7088, x242.

And each year on the anniversary of their baptism pray:  Baptism Anniversary Blessing

Godparents

Congratulations on the honor of being asked to serve as a Godparent. What are you saying “yes” to? You will represent the Catholic Church to the baptized individual for life! Here are some resources and articles that can help form you:

• The What, Why, and How of Godparents article on Catholic Answers
• Bishop Barron preaches on Baptism (video) (article)
• Free online class for Godparents (click here for instructions) (haga clic aquí para instrucciones). 
• Need a Godparent Form or eligibility letter? Print, sign and return one of these forms to us:
  • if Godparent is a member at OLOL for a baptism occurring at OLOL (OLOL Parishioner GP form)
  • If Godparent is an OLOL Parishioner serving as a Godparent for a different parish (OLOL Parishioner for other parish form)

Youth & Adult Baptisms

Seeking Baptism in the Catholic Church as a young person or an adult? The Rite or “Order” of Christian Initiation of Adults is the way in which children and adults are prepared to celebrate the sacrament of Baptism. Contact the Faith Formation Office for more details.

Baptism Stoles

Baptism stole

Stoles are given to babies baptism as a sign of new life in Christ and as a reminder that we are baptized into be “priest, prophet, and king” in our holy lives. If you’d like to join the team, contact the Faith Formation Office for info. Click here for patterns and instructions for making the stoles: How to make stoles