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Thank you for allowing us to walk this journey with your family.
The following are the general steps for Infant & Young Child Baptism (Under Age 7) at St. Angela- Attend Formation
Parents and godparents must attend formation to help guide the child in the faith. - Submit Baptism Request Form
To submit the application, you must include all required documents when applying.
Eligibility
This parish community serves families who live within parish boundaries and/or are registered parishioners. Parishes are stable local communities led by a pastor. Registration reflects an intentional commitment to the parish (receiving a sacrament or service alone does not automatically constitute registration).
Please check the Boundary Map to confirm eligibility. If you meet the requirements and have all documents, you may proceed with the Baptism Request Form.
If you are not registered or do not reside within parish boundaries, you are still welcome to baptize at St. Angela with a letter of permission from your pastor. - Attend Formation
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WHEN DO BAPTISMS TAKE PLACE AT ST. ANGELA?NOTE: Baptisms in Spanish are offered sporadically.
The Church intends for the sacraments to be celebrated within the faith community whenever possible. Baptisms are therefore ordinarily celebrated according to the parish schedule and in the presence of the Christian community."PRIVATE" baptism requests are not offered. Other than the Saturday dates listed here, no additional baptism dates will be available.
According to Canon Law, exceptions are made in cases of necessity, particularly when a person is in danger of death. Canon 867 §2 states, "An infant in danger of death is to be baptized without delay," and Canon 868 §2 permits the baptism of an infant in danger of death even against the wishes of the parents. -
FORMATIONThe archdiocese of Galveston-Houston requires that the pre-baptismal formation must be of 8 hours and a minimum of 6 hours.Formation at St. Angela is a combination of videos and an in-person class. The total hours of this formation is 6 hours.In-Person Sessions – Saturdays - 10:00AM –1:00 PM - SAM Room – Church Building
June 6; August 1; October 10; December 5
REGISTER ANDLearn more by pressing here.Once you have fulfilled these 2 parts of the formation,
a certificate of attendance will be emailed to you within a week you fulfill both parts.
If you have already completed your pre-baptismal formation at another parish and have all the required documentation, you are also asked to watch the videos on our website and provide feedback to each of them.
In addition, before completing the Baptism Application, parents are asked to schedule a meeting with the Director of Adult Faith Formation. This meeting provides an opportunity to become familiar with the Order of Baptism as it is celebrated at St. Angela Merici, review the baptism process, and answer any remaining questions you may have. -
Requirements for GodparentsA godparent plays a very important spiritual role in the life of a godchild by:
- Witnessing to the truths of the Catholic faith through word and example
- Serving as a model of Christian virtue
The role of a godparent is to help ensure that the rich and beautiful faith of the Church is passed on in the most authentic way possible. For this reason, we ask parents to choose godparents carefully.Key Requirements for Godparents:
- Age: Must be at least 16 years old (some parishes may have specific exceptions, but this is the standard canon law).
- Initiation: Must have received all three Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Holy Communion, and Confirmation.
- Practice: Must lead a life of faith, which includes attending Mass regularly, and be in good standing with the Church.
- Marital Status: If married, the godparent must be married according to the Catholic Church. If unmarried, the godparent may not be living (cohabiting) with a romantic partner.
- Note: If a person is in a relationship that does not meet either of the above requirements, he or she cannot serve as a godparent—even if only one member of the couple has been asked to be a godparent.
- Exclusions: Parents/legal guardians of the child cannot be godparents.
Number of Godparents:
- You may have one or two godparents. Only ONE is required.
- If two are chosen, they must be one biological male and one biological female.
- They cannot be the same gender (e.g., two women or two men).
Non-Catholic Participants (Christian Witness):
- If you have one Catholic godparent who meets all requirements, you may choose a baptized non-Catholic Christian to act as a "Christian witness" (opposite gender of the godparent).
- A non-baptized person cannot be a witness.
- A once baptized catholic person who now professes a different faith cannot be a witness.
Other Requirements:- In the archdiocese of Galveston – Houston, godparents are required to attend a baptismal preparation class.
- You can take it at our parish, if you live locally, or
- You can take it at your own home parish.
- The parents of your godchild need to secure a certificate of your class attendance. They will need to prove that you attended the class.
- Godparents are required to fill out the godparent form.
- Once you fill out, send the form to the parents of your godchild so they can upload it when they submit their request to baptize.
- DO NOT send the form or the class certificate to the office.
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