Baptisms at Saint John Fisher are held on Sundays after the 11:30am Mass. We baptize on the first, second, and fourth Sundays of each month at 12:45pm. Father Otto and Deacon Dan Bingnear perform Baptisms on a rotating schedule.

The first step toward Baptism is register your family in the parish. Please stop by the Parish Office during regular business hours to fill out a registration form, or ask Father Otto or Deacon Dan to assist you after any weekend Mass.

If this is the first child you are having Baptized, you must attend the Pre-Jordan class before the ceremony.  You can attend Pre-Jordan class before or after the baby’s birth. The class is held on the third Sunday of the month at 12:45 p.m. in the Parish Center, and lasts  approximately one hour. To sign up for Pre-Jordan class, please call the Parish Office at 610-485-0441, ext. 2.  If you have attended the Pre-Jordan class, you will not need to attend a second time. 

Once you have registered in the parish, you may call the Parish Office at 610-485-0441, ext. 2, to make arrangements for your child’s Baptism on the date of your choice. We need to know the date you prefer as soon as you have chosen it, and you must sign up at least two weeks in advance of the chosen date.

We encourage you to attend the 11:30 a.m. Mass on the Sunday of the Baptism.  Please let guests know that they should arrive to the church no later than 12:30 p.m., as the ceremony will begin promptly at 12:45. 

There is no fee to Baptize a child.  Any offering you wish to give at the time of the Baptism is deeply appreciated, and will be used to further the work of our Parish.

SELECTING GODPARENTS

The role of a Godparent is to assist the parents in raising the child in the Catholic faith, and to provide a good Catholic role model for the child. Therefore, there are guidelines for who is eligible to be a Godparent.  It would be wise to discuss the following requirements with your intended Godparents to be sure they are eligible before submitting their names to the parish.

• A person to be baptized needs only one Godparent.
• If the tradition of having two Godparents is desired, the person or their parent(s) may choose a man and a woman. Two Godparents of the same sex are not permitted.
• The mother or the father of the person to be baptized may not be a Godparent. The role of Godparent is to assist the parent(s) in the training of the faith. The roles are distinct and not to be mixed.
• A Godparent must be a Catholic in good standing, registered at a parish and living the Gospel message in their daily personal lives. They should practice the faith regularly, including attending Mass each Sunday and Holy Days.
• Godparents must be at least 16 years of age, have the proper aptitude and intention to assume this role.
• Godparents must have received the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation), and if married, are in a valid Catholic marriage.
• Catholics married outside the Church, or Catholics who choose to cohabitate outside of the Sacrament of Marriage, are not permitted to be Godparents.
• Any Catholic who has abandoned the faith, even if they now are active members in another Christian Church or community, may not serve as a Godparent or Christian Witness.
• A prospective Godparent must provide a letter of eligibility from their home parish at least two weeks prior to the baptism.

CHRISTIAN WITNESS FOR BAPTISM

• Provided one Godparent is a practicing Catholic, a Christian witness may serve as the second Godparent.  A Christian witness is a validly baptized non-Catholic who practices their faith in Christ in a visible and sincere manner.
• The Christian Witness must provide a letter from his or her pastor, indicating that they are an active member of their church, two weeks prior to the baptism.