2) Matt. 3:13-17 tells us about the baptism of Jesus. Jesus, though sinless, permitted himself to be baptized as a way to show solidarity with sinful humanity. He joined himself to our sinful humanity, so we would take on his likeness. At his baptism, Jesus received the Holy Spirit and was called the “beloved Son.” At baptism, we also receive the Holy Spirit to help us live like Jesus and we celebrate our spiritual adoption as children of God. 

3) Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he commanded his Apostles “to go forth and make disciples of all the nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19-20). 

4) In Acts 2, Peter, after being baptized in the Holy Spirit, goes off and preaches the Good News. Hearing Peter’s homily, people were “cut to the heart” and asked: “what must we do?” “You must repent,” answered Peter, “and you must be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37-41). 

5) In the following years, baptism, a word which can be translated as “to wash” or “to immerse” became the religious ritual by which interested persons became Christians. It was a rite of entry into the Christian community. In many churches, the baptismal font or pool is located at the entrance of the church (to symbolize that baptism is our rite of entry into Christian community). 

6) In the early centuries, it was mainly adults who were baptized, though the Acts of the Apostles speak of “households” being baptized which we can assume included children. (Acts 16:15,33) 

7) Initially, adults went through very little preparation for baptism. If they were touched by a great homily, they asked to be baptized. But it seems many fell away from living their new Christian way of life. The became “backsliders”.. So, the church initiated a three-year-process for those who wished to become Christian. During this time, they received lots of instruction and had lots of time to see if they really wanted to change old ways and begin to follow the ways of Jesus. Those, who showed concrete signs of conversion, were ‘elected’ (through a Rite of Election) to be baptized during the Easter Vigil. Before they entered the baptismal pool, (full immersion was the normal form of baptism), they renounced Satan and sinful ways and professed their faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then they took off all their clothes (symbolizing shedding an old lifestyle). They were fully immersed three times in a pool of water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. After they came forth from the pool, they were clothed in a white robe – symbolizing their new life in Christ. The presider said to the newly baptized: “N., you have become a new creation and clothed yourself in Christ. See in this garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity.” In time the ritual that became the Sacrament of Baptism was the way that adults and children were received and immersed into the life of the Trinity and into the life and mission of the church. On the recipients’ side, it assumed a real conversion of heart, a decision to put aside sinful ways and a decision to live according to the ways of Christ. When people were baptized, they were publicly committing themselves to become a part of the Christian community and to embrace its values and mission. 

8) Infant Baptism: How did it develop? Spontaneously. There was no church law that suddenly said “you will baptize your child as an infant.” Parents who had adopted the Christian way of life wanted the same for their children and they wanted the process to begin as soon as possible. In time, a practice that started spontaneously became the normal practice in our church. In infant baptism, the parents and godparents speak for their child. In time, the child will have an opportunity to ratify or reject the Christian formation the parents offered. In 215, the writer Hippolytus said:  

“When they come to the water, let the water be pure and flowing.
And they shall put off their clothes.
And they shall baptize the little children first.
And if they can answer for themselves, let them answer.
But if they cannot, let their parents answer or someone from their family.” 

Baptizing an infant dramatically states that salvation is God’s free gift and not some human achievement.

Just as parents make many decisions for many other aspects of their child’s life, in baptism, parents who ask to have their child baptized in the Catholic Church are making a decision to raise their child in the Catholic Faith Tradition. 

As you come to the church seeking to have your child baptized into the Catholic community, you are invited to take time to reflect on the following questions.