St. Mark Parish, Prince Albert, SK

Sacrament of Baptism

Baptism is the first of the seven Roman Catholic sacraments. It is considered to be the first because it usually is received early in life, removes original sin and makes the recipient a member of the Church. The other Catholic sacraments cannot be received by a person until they have been baptized. The traditions of baptism include choosing a Christian name, choosing sponsors, joining with a priest in ceremony and prayer and celebrating with family and close friends.

Catholic doctrine teaches that all humans are born with Original Sin. Original Sin is inherited from Adam and Eve, who sinned when they disobeyed God's command -- not to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden. Baptism restores the soul to a sinless state. It also marks a person's soul as belonging to God and fills the soul with virtue and sanctifying grace.

Catholic parents are obligated to baptize their children and are encouraged to arrange a baptism as soon as possible. Parents bear the major responsibility of ensuring their child grows in the Catholic faith. Parents also choose godparents for their child. The godparents act as spiritual guides for the child, reinforce the child's Catholic faith and pray for the child throughout the child's life. Godparents must be members of good standing in the church who can act as role models for the child as she is educated in the Catholic religion.

At St. Mark Parish Baptism Preparation classes are offered five times a year. Contact the parish office (306 764 4637) to find out when the next set of classes will be.

Watch a short video on Baptism: