Thank you for enquiring about having your child baptized at St. Joseph’s Parish, Malvern.
Baptism is the sacrament by which a child is not only welcomed into the Church but are also initiated into and become part of a local parish community. As a result, baptism normally should take place either in the parish where the person lives or in the parish where the family they live with actively participate. At the baptism of their children, parents are called to accept their responsibility for their faith formation, with the support of Godparents and the local parish community.
Following on from this, the requirements for seeking baptism at St Joseph’s Malvern are as follows:
- The person being baptized lives in St Joseph’s Parish, Malvern or the family that the person lives with have been registered parishioners of St Joseph’s Malvern for at least the past six months.
- In the case of infant baptism that parents attend one baptism preparation night prior to the baptism taking place. In the case of children 6 years of age and over that both the child and the parents would be required to attend a baptism preparation session prior to the baptism taking place. During these sessions parents will be prepared for the celebration of their child’s baptism and helped to explore the implications of their role as first teachers of their child “in the ways of faith.” It is only upon attending and completing the baptism preparation session that the date of baptism is confirmed.
- All Baptism Preparation Sessions will be limited only to those who are seeking baptism at St Joseph’s Parish, Malvern.
- The family attend the Sunday 10am Mass on the Sunday prior to the Baptism taking place to present their child to the parish community. This gives the parish community an opportunity to formally welcome the child, meet the family and to pray for the parents and their child. This may be waived if the COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time means that this requirement can no longer be met.
- Other enquiries can be discussed with the Parish Priest on a case-by-case basis. In these instances, if a child is accepted for baptism at St Joseph’s Malvern then a letter of permission will be required from your local Catholic Parish. Additional requirements are attendance at a Baptism Preparation Session and presenting your child at the Sunday 10am Mass on the Sunday before the Baptism takes place.
Baptisms are normally scheduled in the parish on two Sundays each month at 3pm in the afternoon. Please contact the Parish Office for dates.
We recommend that you notify us of your intention to organise the baptism of your child as early as possible. This gives time for parents to attend one of the pre-baptism formation sessions which are held regularly in the parish.
More information about the process of Christian Initiation is available here.
If you are planning to have your child baptised in the near future, please fill out the form below and a member of the Baptism Preparation Team will contact you.
