Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit…and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as [children] 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 the word.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 2, Section 2, Chapter 1, Article 1
We are excited to help you with the baptism of your child. Baptism brings new life into the Church and the parish.
To request baptism of your child(ren) at Old St. Mary’s, please fill out this form. Baptism Class Inquiry Form
Baptism preparation sessions which prepare parents and extended family for the celebration of a baptism will generally be conducted in person on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 6 PM. For individuals wishing to attend, but are not local, arrangements can be made to conduct the class via zoom.
You will be contacted about this required class for parents. Please be aware, it is not necessary to wait until your child is born to attend the class.
Please contact Oblate James Holzhauer-Chukas, ObSB at [email protected] if you need to attend the class in advance of being contacted for the next scheduled session.
Yes. Please contact the Director of Lifelong Faith Formation, Oblate James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB at [email protected].
He will advise you regarding next class and the cost to attend.
Celebrations of Baptism are held in the context of the Mass. The instructions will be provided to parents upon scheduling the date of the Baptism.
Baptisms are held in the context of the Mass because the community is called to pray for and support the infant in the faith.
If you wish to have a private Baptism, please discuss your situation with Oblate James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB. He will let you know if a private Baptism is possible and make the appropriate arrangements with a priest.
Generally, if it has been longer than 2 years since the date you attended the Baptism Preparation Class, you will probably need to repeat it.
Please complete the Baptism Class Inquiry Form. We will contact you regarding the need to attend another class and scheduling a date for the Baptism of your child.
Because of the importance of their role, baptismal godparents must be:
When choosing a godparent for your child, it may be helpful to consider the following:
Only one godparent is required. However, if you wish two individuals to serve as godparents, one must be male and one female.
We understand, for a variety of reasons, new parents want to name multiple individuals as Godparents. Please know that if you desire to have multiple individuals serve as Godparents, only 2 names will be shown on the certificate, one male and one female. If multiple individuals are of the same sex, only 1 name will be shown on the certificate.
A baptized non-Catholic is not eligible to serve as a baptismal godparent. However, he or she may serve as a Christian witness. The Christian witness participates in the celebration and stands alongside the godparent during the baptismal ceremony.
If a godparent is not able to be present, that godparent may request a proxy to stand in his/her place.
Parents who present a child for baptism should be active in the practice of their faith.
Your marriage is a tremendous example to your children. If you were married outside the Church, please speak to one of our Priests to have your marriage validated/blessed by the Church.
If the priest is a priest in good standing with the Archdiocese of Chicago, then there is no additional paperwork. Please contact one of the priests to check date availability and make the arrangements for use of the Church.
If the priest is from another diocese, the process of approval could take a little longer as there are forms that need to go to the Archdiocese for approval before a priest outside the diocese can baptize within the Archdiocese of Chicago at Old St. Mary’s.
It is traditional to give a stipend to the Church of $100 according to one’s means for baptisms that take place at Old St. Mary’s.
Although we do not require that godparents attend this class, we are happy to welcome godparents who need this class for baptisms elsewhere.
Please contact Oblate James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB to find out when the next class will take place. He can be reached at [email protected] or 312-922-3444, ext. 26.
A payment of $50 is requested payable at the time of the class. This helps to cover various administrative costs for conducting the class. Checks should be made payable to Old St. Mary’s or you can pay online through Pushpay.
In the drop-down menu under Fund, select Sacrament Costs. Indicate Baptism class for Godparent in the comment field.
Contact the parish where the baptism will take place and ask what their requirements are. If you need to take a baptism class, you are welcome to attend a class at Old St. Mary’s.
Please reach out to Oblate James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB at [email protected]. He will contact you with the date of the next scheduled class. A payment of $50 is requested payable at the time of the class. This helps to cover various administrative costs for conducting the class. Checks should be made payable to Old St. Mary’s or you can pay online through Pushpay.
In the drop-down menu under Fund select Sacrament Costs. Indicate Baptism class for Godparent in the comment field.
If there is paperwork that needs to be filled out by the pastor or his delegate, affirming that you have received all your sacraments and/or that you are a parishioner of Old St. Mary’s, please complete the Godparent/Sponsor Certificate Request Form. Click here to go to the form: Godparent/Sponsor Letter Form Request
The process for baptism for adults is through the Order of Initiation for Adults (OCIA). You can find out more by visiting our
OCIA page.
If you are a registered parishioner at another Church, we will need an official letter granting permission for your child to be baptized outside of your own parish.
We request that parents, the child and Godparents arrive at least 20 minutes before the time the Baptism is to take place. In considering your travel time, please allow for traffic congestion because of football games in the fall, summer activities, and weather conditions. Someone will greet you and take you through procedures that will be followed.
(312) 922-3444