The Sacrament of Baptism is the foundation of the Sacramental life of the Church. In this sacrament, we are cleansed from original sin and are reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, and are incorporated into the Body of Christ. We live out the promises we make at our baptism by regularly practicing our faith. It is therefore important that you and the baptismal sponsor(s) pray and reflect about the raising of your child in the Catholic faith.

Requirements for the Parents
 - You must be the legal guardians of your child.
 - You must be registered members of Church of the Visitation for at least three months.
 - If your child is seven years old or older, you must contact our parish office at 254.584.4983 to enroll your child in the required class.
 - If you are registered members of another parish but want to have your child baptized here at Church of the Visitation—assuming that you are the legal guardians of your child and that he/she has not yet celebrated his/her seventh birthday—please contact your pastor and ask for a letter giving us permission to baptize your child.
 - Please bring your child’s birth certificate to the church office.

Requirements for the Sponsor (Godparent)
The sponsor must be a Catholic in good standing with the Church. This means:
 - The individual is attending Sunday Mass on a regular basis.
 - If married, the individual’s marriage is recognized by the Catholic Church.
 - The individual must have received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
 - If the sponsors are registered members of St. Ann, they must be members for at least three months.
 - If the sponsors are registered members of another parish, they must ask their parish for a letter stating that they have permission to be sponsors.
Note:  Although the Catholic Church requires only one sponsor for baptism, it is customary to have two. This is entirely your decision.  Please be aware, however, that if you do choose to have two sponsors, the Church mandates that one must be a man and the other a woman.

Attendance at the Baptismal Class for Parents and Sponsors
 - The parents, as well as the sponsors, must attend a baptismal class. This is not optional!  You may attend this class together or separately; it’s entirely up to you and according to your busy schedule.
 - The class date/time will be coordinated with the pastor.
 - After taking the class, please call the office to request the class certificate, which is valid for two years.

Other Important Information
 - All Letters of Permission from other parishes must be current, have the official seal or stamp of the church, and be signed by the designated parish authority.
 - The requirements of baptism here at Church of the Visitation cannot be combined with, or replaced with, the requirements from other parishes.
 - Once all the paperwork is completed, you may pick the best available date for your child’s baptism.
IMPORTANT: Do not set the date of your child’s baptism until it has been confirmed by our office!