Baptismal Course Outline

Baptism Course. Parents are required to attend all 3 sessions. First session starts on Tuesday 6th September then 13th and 20th September. The course will be held in the hall at 7pm.

This course is for parents of babies including those babies not yet born. If your child is 7 or over, they will have to attend the course with you. Once 14 or over, they will have to take a course for Reception as Adults (RCIA) instead. If you have children already baptised into the Catholic Church and have attended a Baptism course previously, you will only be required to attend one session of the course as a refresher. The paperwork, however, cannot be avoided so come on the first evening to clear that up.

Week 1

  • Check paperwork. Issue anything not filled in.
  • Attendance at Mass here.
  • Godparents requirements and forms issued
  • Agree date of baptisms
  • God the First Be-cause (Evangelium 01)
  • What is God. What does creation teach us about God?
  • Human beings: rational animals
  • Knowledge. Our ability to choose. Therefore immortal souls
  • Happiness and knowing God.
  • What is creation? – out of nothing (Evangelium 02)
  • Creator v created. The soul
  • Evolution and creation
  • Human being in the Garden of Eden. Marriage
  • The Fall – obedience to God. Consequences.
  • What we have inherited (slide 35)

Week 2

  • Check paperwork.
  • Recap
  • Hope after the Fall – the serpent is cursed
  • Salvation History (Evangelium 03)
  • Noah (slide 10)
  • Red Sea (slide 29)
  • John the Baptist (slide 38)
  • Responsibilities of parents and godparents. (Fr Mike Schmitz DVD clip)

Week3

  • Check paperwork
  • Liturgy and the sacraments (Evangelium 11)
  • Liturgy
  • Sacraments
  • Sacrament and symbols of baptism.
  • Baptism (Evangelium 12)
  • Chosen unit 9

Week 4

  • Recap:
    • What is a Sacrament?
    • Why do we need baptism?
    • What does it do?
      • removes original sin, strengthen us; is our entry into the Church; initiation for the other Sacraments; spiritual birth – being born again.
    • Why babies as well as adults?
  • CCC
  • Walk through the liturgy:
    • Responses
    • Intercessions
    • Litany of saints
    • Reading
  • Symbols: candle, shawl,
  • What is outstanding?
    • attendance at Mass sheet,
    • baptism certificate of one parent,
    • godparents’ promises
  • Issue certificate of attendance if the baptism is not here.