RITE OF BAPTISM- AFTERNOON LITURGY -ST. ALOYSIUS
Begin with all seated in pews and stand mid Church so they can see you…
GREETING (priest/deacon): Welcome everyone to the celebration of the
Sacrament of Baptism. As we begin, I’d like to invite you into a Spirit of
reverence as we are gathered in God’s sanctuary. Please, at this time, turn
off your cell phones and pagers as we quiet ourselves to invite God’s Spirit
upon this celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism. Let us now stand and
sing together our Gathering Song….
Opening Song: cantor announce opening song – DO ONE VERSE ONLY
Stating of namesPriest/Deacon: I will now ask the parents to state the name of their child.
(repeats name after each time).
To each family: What name do you give to your child?” ____________
And what do you ask of God’s church for ______________ ?” “Baptism”
Dear parents and godparents, you have asked to have your children baptized.
In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of bringing them up in the
practice of the faith. It will be your duty to help them keep God’s
commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and loving our neighbor.
Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking? “We do.”
Godparents, are you ready to help these parents in their duty to bring their
children up in the practice of our faith? “We are.”
My dear children, the Christian community welcomes you with great joy. In
its name I claim you for Christ our savior by the sign of his cross. I will now
trace the cross on your foreheads, and I invite the parents and godparents to
do the same.
Go to each pew/ child make sign of the cross then come back to center where
you began for opening prayer and readings…
At this time OPENING SONG CONTINUES- second verse as sign of the
cross is made on the children.
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Opening PrayerLet us Pray …
Lord, send us your Spirit
Lift up this gathered community to celebrate the
Sacrament of Baptism,
as we welcome these newest members of our family
into the family of the Church.
Help us to celebrate your love and presence with open hearts.
Bless these children now and always,
Bless their families and all who are gathered here,
We pray to your Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit,
One God forever and ever. Amen.
Please be seated for our readings from Scripture…
LITURGY OF THE WORD:
Reading – done either by one of the Baptism team, an assisting deacon, or a
lector from the parish…
A Reading from the letter of Paul to the CorinthiansThe body is one and has many members, but all the members, many though
they are, are one body; and so it is with Christ. It was in one Spirit that all of
us were baptized into one body. All of us have been given to drink of the
one Spirit.
The Word of the Lord. “Thanks be to God.”
Sung Responsorial Psalm- cantor
Gospel – chosen and proclaimed by priest or deacon (skip alleluia here)
Suggestion:
The Lord be with you…
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew:
Jesus came up and spoke to his disciples. He said, “All authority in heaven
and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, and make disciples of all
the nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And
know that I am with you always, yes to the end of time.
The Gospel of the Lord…
Homily- Priest/Deacon
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Intercessions- Prayer of the FaithfulPriest or Deacon: Let us stand now and ask our Lord Jesus Christ to look
lovingly on these children who are to be baptized, on their parents and
godparents and on all of us gathered here..
READER: Please respond to the petitions by saying, “Lord hear our
Prayer.”
1. By the mystery of your death and resurrection, bathe these children in
light, give them the new life in baptism and welcome them into your holy
Church. We pray to the Lord…
2. Through baptism, and one day in Confirmation, make them your faithful
followers and witnesses to your Gospel, we pray to the Lord…
3. Lead them by a holy life into the joy of God’s Kingdom, we pray to the
Lord…
4. Make the lives of their parents and godparents examples of faith to
inspire these children, we pray to the Lord…
5. Keep their families always in your love, we pray to the Lord…
6. Renew the grace of our baptism in each one of us, we pray to the Lord..
Preist/Deacon:
Almighty and ever living God,
You sent your only Son into the world
To rescue us from the slavery of sin and to
Give us the freedom of the Children of God
And bring them into your Kingdom of Light.
We now pray for these children,
Set them free from original sin,
Make them temples of your glory,
And send your Holy Spirit to dwell within them.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
We will now pray the Litany of the Saints, while we do so I will be doing an
anointing of the babies chests, please open the neckline of their outfits and
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then please will the parents, godparents and babies follow me to the font to
prepare for Baptism.
During Litany, go to each child and do first anointing of chest.
-While the Litany is sung the priest or deacon will go to each child and
perform the pre-anointing if he so wishes. The prayer is done silently. The
parents, godparents and babies will follow you to the font to continue the
Rite.
In order to save time, you may omit the Blessing of the Water as the water
is already blessed.
_____________________________________________________________
BLESSING OF WATER – (You may also bless the water beforehand if you wish to save time)
PRESIDER: My brothers and sisters,
Let us ask the Lord our God to bless this water created to give life,
Which we use now in Baptism.
(pause – music underscoring this prayer)
LORD OUR GOD,
You give us grace through sacramental signs,
which tell us of the wonders of your unseen power.
In Baptism we use your gift of water,
which you have made a rich symbol of the grace you give us in this
sacrament. At the very dawn of creation
your Spirit breathed on the waters,
making them the wellspring of all life and holiness.
In the waters of the great flood
you made a sign of the waters of baptism
that make and end of sin and a new beginning of goodness.
Through the waters of the Red Sea
you led Israel out of slavery to be an image
of God’s holy people.
In the waters of the Jordan River
your Son was baptized by John
and anointed with the Spirit.
Jesus willed that water and blood should flow from his side as he
hung upon the cross for us.
After his resurrection he told his disciples:
Go out and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Father, look now with love upon your Church
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and unseal for it the fountain of baptism. +
By the power of the Holy Spirit give to this water
the grace of your Son,
so that in the sacrament of baptism
all those whom you have created in your likeness
may be cleansed from sin
and rise to a new birth of innocence
by water and the Holy Spirit.
May all who are buried with Christ in the death
of baptism rise also with him to newness of life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
PROFESSION OF FAITHPriest/Deacon: Will the parents and godparents please stand..
My friends, on your part you must make it your constant care to bring these
children up in the practice of our faith. See that the divine life, which God
has given to them is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always
stronger in their hearts. If your faith makes you ready to accept this
responsibility, renew now the vows of your own baptism. Reject sin;
profess your faith in Christ Jesus. This is the faith of the Church and the
faith into which these children are about to be baptized.
And so I ask you and all here present:
DO YOU REJECT SATAN, PRINCE OF DARKNESS?
AND ALL HIS WORKS AND EMPTY PROMISES?
I DO.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH?
WE DO
DO YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD,
WHO WAS BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY,
WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED,
WHO ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND IS NOW SEATED AND THE
RIGHT HAD OF THE FATHER?
WE DO
DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY CATHOLIC
CHURCH, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, THE FORGIVENESS OF
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SINS, THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND LIFE
EVERLASTING.
WE DO
THIS IS OUR FAITH, THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH, AND WE ARE
PROUD TO PROFESS IT IN JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
AMEN.
BAPTISM
I now invite the family of __________________ to come forward for
baptism…. (repeat after each one).
__________________________ I baptize you in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sung alleluia after each baptism.
Send them back to their seats and invite the next family….
Call up one baby at a time, invite the family to stand by the font. After each
child is baptized sing an alleluia
ANOINTING WITH CHRISM: (take the Sacred Chrism from the ambry
and go to anoint the babies right in their pews)
Priest/Deacon: My dear children,
God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin, given you
new life by water and the Holy Spirit, and welcomes you into his holy
people. He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation. As Christ was
anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live as members of his body,
sharing everlasting life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Take the bibs up front with you and bring them to each child as well…
PRESENTATION OF WHITE BAPTISMAL GARMENTPriest/Deacon: These children have become a new creation and have been
clothed in Christ. See in the symbol of this white garment the outward sign
of our Christian dignity. With their family and friends to help them, may
they bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven. We ask
this through Christ our Lord. Amen,
(hand each godparent a bib)
PRESENTATION OF LIGHTED BAPTISMAL CANDLEWill one of the godparents please come forward….
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(light the baptismal candles and hand one to each as you say: ‘Receive the
Light of Christ.)
Receive the Light of Christ…
Parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning
brightly. These children of yours have been enlightened by Christ. They are
to walk always as Children of the Light. May they keep the flame of faith
alive in their hearts. When the Lord comes, may they go out to meet him
with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom. We ask this through Christ our
Lord. Amen. (Send them back to the babies with lit candle…)
Priest/Deacon: Will each family please hold up the baby…
State each name… ______________________
We welcome you into God’s Church for you have put on Christ, in Him
you have been baptized, alleluia, alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Clap, clap….
THE LORD’S PRAYER-Priest/Deacon: Let us all stand now. These children are God’s children now
and always. Let us be united in the prayer given to us by divine teaching. at
the Savior’s command, we dare to say… Our Father…
Optional…
BLESSING OF MOTHERSWill the mothers please come forward…
Priest/Deacon: God the Father, through his Son, the Virgin Mary’s child,
has brought joy to all Christian mothers as they see the hope of eternal life
shine on through their children. May God bless you, the mothers of these
children. You now thank God for the gift of your child. May you be one
with them in thanking God forever in heaven. We ask this through Christ
our Lord. Amen.
BLESSING OF FATHERSWill the fathers please come forward…
Priest/Deacon:
God is the giver of all life, both human and divine. May God bless the
fathers of these children. May you be the best of fathers and the first
teachers of your children in the ways of faith. May you bear witness to our
faith by what you say and do. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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FINAL BLESSINGNow will everyone please stand for a final blessing…
The Lord be with you…
By God’s gift, through water and the Holy Spirit, we are reborn to
everlasting life. In his goodness, may God continue to pour out his blessings
upon all present here, you who are His beloved sons and daughters. May
God make you, wherever you may be, faithful members of his holy people.
May God send his peace upon all who are gathered here and renew you in
faith, hope and love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. And
May almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
CLOSING:
Once more, we welcome our newest members of the Church and
congratulate all our families… clap, clap
We will now join in our closing song, afterwards I’d like to invite you
forward to receive your Baptismal Certificates, boxes for your candles and at
that time you may bring any other paperwork or donations for the parish.
Once again I congratulate you and thank all who assisted us in this
celebration to make it special and holy.
I ask you to please remain reverent as you come forward one by one for
pictures in the sanctuary afterwards as well. Let us now join in our closing
song…
Cantor: Please join us in our Closing Song ______________________
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