Baptism is the first of the Sacraments of Initiation and marks the beginning of the entire Christian life. (Baptism and Christian Initiation USCCB website)
Why Baptism? The Sacrament is celebrated by the Church at the command of Jesus, who said to the Apostles, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). The Catechism of the Catholic Church points to Holy Baptism as the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from original sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water and in the word.”
Those requesting to have their child baptized at Saint Andrew must be registered members of the parish seeking to grow in the sacramental life of the church. We extend a warm welcome to celebrate and be a part of this loving Catholic family in Elk River, MN, worshiping each week at Mass, sharing in the Sacramental life God so richly provides. We are thus nourished by God's living word and fed in the Eucharist at Holy Mass, learning how in faith to respond to the love of God. New members need to meet with our pastor, Fr. Mark Innocenti. Please read this welcome letter.
When is the Sacrament of Baptism celebrated? Baptisms are normally held the second weekend of the month after the 5:00 PM Saturday Mass and Sunday after the 10:30 AM Mass. Alternative arrangements can be made with agreement of Fr. Mark for other times when necessary.
Whom to contact for Baptism? To request and schedule Baptism for your child at Saint Andrew Catholic Church, print and complete the following Baptism information form and Sponsor/Godparent form. Return both forms to the parish office with a birth certificate copy to Saint Andrew Catholic Church 566 4th St NW Elk River, MN 55330 at least two weeks prior to desired baptism date. If you need copies of the forms or for more information about Baptism preparation, contact the parish office at 763-441-1483.
How to prepare for the Sacrament of Baptism? The church desires that all individuals and families have opportunities to understand the plan of salvation God offers to each of us in this life. In the Sacrament of Baptism, the church desires to aid parents as they prepare for their responsibilities and those godparents/sponsors in their role assisting the parents of the newly baptized to grow in a life of faith in Jesus Christ. The following educational materials are therefore provided to aid in this journey. Saint Andrew Church, under licensure of their FORMED.org subscription, Augustine Institute - all rights reserved video links are provided below. For licensure information, please contact the parish office at (763) 441-1483.
- For adults, those over 18 years of age, seeking baptism, see this page on the Order of Christian Initiation.
Step 1 - Parents and Godparents/Sponsors are asked to review and understand what a Sacrament is (Sacraments and Sacramentals and Baptism and Christian Initiation - USCCB website) Review what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about the Sacrament of Baptism. As primary teachers, the church seeks to support you in this most important role as parent(s) with recognition that this includes other caregivers and Godparents/Sponsors to whom you entrust this co-responsibility. The foundational understanding of what a Sacrament is aids us in our witness of a lived faith, one that can be pasted on to others.
Step 2 - Review and understand more specifically what the Sacrament of Baptism is, where in scripture is it based, how to fully participate in the Rite of Baptism, and how to assist in the formation of life of Faith for your child after baptism. To accomplish this, consider an in-person 1 hour meeting with Randy Bayerl if this is your first baptism and you have not yet participated in these steps in the past year or two. The videos below and learning guides will aid in the review of the "The Sacrament of Baptism" - links below.
Step 3 - Provide the following: (Each of these should be provided at least two weeks in advance, allowing us to properly record this important life event and create the Baptism certificate with the correct spellings and participant details. Membership at Saint Andrew Catholic Church is an expectation to help us as a community support your family's Sacrament life, and you to support all of us. For questions as to this invitation, please contact the Parish Office (763) 441-1483 Monday - Friday.
a) a copy of the child's birth certificate
b) the completed Baptism Information form
c) completed copies of the Godparent/Sponsor form(s) - note that at least one person must be a confirmed Catholic in good standing as outlined on the form. The other person, if not Catholic but from another Christian faith, may act as a witness. The standard is to have at least one person, if two are selected there should be one man and one women chosen. The forms also ask that if the Catholic person(s) are not from Saint Andrew Catholic Church, they also have their local Catholic priest complete the bottom portion of the form and return to the parish office.
Know that Fr. Mark would like to meet you and your family. Stop and talk to him after any Mass or call the parish office and make an appointment (763) 441-1483.
VIDEOS: (Contact Randy Bayerl, (763) 441-1483 randyb@saint-andrew.net, for the video password) After receiving the video password, click on a video link below, also use the guide links for a PDF of each session. Watch each of the corresponding videos using the guide. Godparents/Sponsors are highly encouraged to review the materials and videos below. Please complete at least sessions 1 - 3 and the Gift of Godparents prior to the baptism. Share links and password with your family so we all grow in faith together.
PREVIEW - TRAILER on REBORN:
The videos below require a password for access. Please contact Randy Bayerl, (763) 441-1483, or email randyb@saint-andrew.net for access information.
The materials are also found on your parish provided FORMED.ORG account, see parish web page for more details.
REBORN - Participant's Guide - Introduction [PDF]
REBORN - Session 1 A New Creation
Session 1 Video (Use password for access.)
Guide-1 REBORN A New Creation [PDF]
REBORN - Session 2 Entering the Mystery
Session 2 Video (Use password for access.)
Guide-2 REBORN Baptism, The Rite Explained (Entering the Mystery) [PDF]
REBORN - Session 3 Nurturing the Life of Grace
Session 3 Video (Use password for access.)
Guide-3 REBORN Nurturing the Life of Grace [PDF]
REBORN - The Gift of Godparents
Video Session on "The Gift of Godparents" (Use password for access.)
REBORN - The Mission of Love 7 Keys to Catholic Parenting
Video Session on "The Mission of Love" (Use password for access.)
??? What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church tell us about "The Sacrament of Baptism" - Other Resources:
Sacrament of Baptism - Catechism of the Catholic Church Excerpt Paragraphs 1213 - 1284 [PDF] or the USCCB online flip-book section.
Los vídeos a continuación requieren una contraseña para acceder. Comuníquese con Randy Bayerl, (763) 441-1483, o envíe un correo electrónico a randyb@saint-andrew.net para obtener información de acceso.
- Renacer Tú, Tu Hijo y la Esencia del Bautismo
- Renacer Sesión 2 Entrando en el Misterio
- Renacer Sesión 3 Continuando la Vida de Gracia
Los materiales también se encuentran en la cuenta FORMED.ORG proporcionada por su parroquia;
4 sencillos pasos para registrarte:
En https://formed.org/
1. Seleccione Registrarse como feligrés.
2. Ingrese el código postal: 55330, luego seleccione Saint Andrew y luego (Siguiente)
3. Ingrese su nombre y su dirección de correo electrónico y luego (Registrarse)
4. En su solicitud de correo electrónico, responda al mensaje de FORMED.org.