St. Patrick Catholic Church, Mount Dora, FL
BAPTISMAL PROTOCOL 10/31/2023
Typically 11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon on the Fourth Saturday of the month, although private Baptisms are also scheduled.(The Spanish Community manages their Community’s Baptisms.)
The Parish Secretary prepares the Baptismal Certificates and gift bags and sends them to the Sacristy.
The scheduled Sacristan should contact the Parish Secretary the Tuesday prior to the Saturday Baptisms to confirm there are scheduled Baptisms and the number to be Baptized.
These guidelines are written for multiple Baptisms at the same ceremony. Set-up for a single Baptism is identical, just without the multiples.
Set-up
Confirm the Church lights are on, the choir sound board is set to “English” (Sunday, for the hand held microphone), and the air conditioner is set to 72° on controls 1 & 2.
Turn on the Baptismal Font. Check for and remove debris. Place the Paschal Candle near the Baptismal Font and light it.
Place the Order of Baptism of Children book on the edge of the Baptismal Font.
Place the Baptismal gift bags on the table’s bottom shelf.
(Parish Secretary provides: Pink bag – Girls; Blue bag – Boys; Each contains a baby blanket and their Baptismal Certificate.)
Checking inside each bag for the Baptismal Certificate, prepare a list of names for the Presider.
Place these items from Left to Right on the table: Presider’s towel.
Tray of Oil of Catechumens and Chrism Oil; loosen their tops. Conc shell (Fr. Shiju will likely use his hands.).
Children’s towels; 1 per child.
Children’s Baptismal candles, 1 per child (red/blue).
Hand-held microphone.
A lighter, and a “candle lighter extinguisher” nearby.
CONFIRM THE SCHEDULED FAMILIES ARE PRESENT.
Notes for the Sacristan
After confirming all families are present, ask the families to gather around the Baptismal Font, parents and Godparents in front and family behind. Ask that cell phones be silenced. A Godparent should hold the child unless the child differs.
The Presider may use all or part of the book Order of Baptism of Children and may add a short sermon and words of encouragement. Fr. Hank and Fr. Shiju/George employ differing procedures as described below.
Fr. Hank:
1.) Fr Hank performs the entire ceremony at the Baptismal Font at the rear of the church.
2.) Fr. Hank normally requires little help of the Sacristan during the ceremony.
Fr. George:
1.) Light the two candles at the Altar.
2.) Fr George performs the Baptism at the Baptismal Font.
3.) Fr. George will usually read most of the book Order of Baptism of Children making the ceremony longer than Fr Hank’s ceremony.
4.) Fr George may ask the Sacristan to read the First Reading and Responsorial Psalm from the book. Check with Fr George beforehand. 5.) Fr George will ask you to hand him the towels, etc. and may ask you to hold the book while preforming the Baptism. Coordinate this with Fr George beforehand. He will ask that you hold the Oil container as he walks around to anoint each child.
6.) Fr. George lights each child’s candle from the Paschal Candle and hands the candle to a Godparent.
7.) After the Baptism Fr George will process with the families to the foot of the Altar to give a special blessing to the mother, and separately, the father. The sacristan may be asked to hold the book for Fr. George.
8.) After the parents’ blessings he invites the family to take pictures at the Altar. Leave the Altar candles lit until the family is finished or after 15-20 minutes. He also asks that the gift bags be carried to the front of the Church and given to the family after the photo session.
9.) Extinguish the Paschal candle.
