Schedule of Baptisms outside of Mass:

Dear Parents,

We commend your desire to have your child baptised into our Catholic Christian Faith Community and we welcome you to the Catholic Parish of Salisbury.

Schedule of Baptisms during the Mass:

  • St Augustine’s Church – Every Saturday at the 9:30am Mass
  • Holy Family Mass Centre – Every 1st and 4th Sunday of the Month at the 10:30am Mass

Schedule of Baptisms outside of Mass:

  • St Augustine’s Church – 10:30am every 3rd Sunday of the month

In choosing your baptism date, we advise you to have at least two (2) alternative dates chosen as we can only accommodate small numbers, being mindful of the limited time allocated for celebration of the Mass. Once you have chosen your date and time, please contact the Parish Office (Ph: 8258 2314) to make a booking. Some of the set schedules may already be booked out by that time.

There is a Preparation Pack containing a USB stick with a Baptism Preparation Video for you to watch, the Baptism Request Form and a Baptism Preparation Journal for you to fill out. Watching the Baptism Preparation Video will be a good way for you to refresh your faith journey and get a good understanding of the Sacrament of Baptism. Once you have watched the video please phone the parish office to make an appointment for your Baptism Preparation meeting. The schedule for preparation times is included in your Baptism pack. Both parents and at least one Godparent (if not, all Godparents if they are available) are to attend this meeting. It is preferred that you submit the completed Baptism Request Form, the Baptism Preparation Journal, the USB stick together with the $150 contribution to the Diocesan Presbytery Fund (cash preferred) to the Parish Office prior to the preparation meeting. Please see the detailed GUIDE FOR PARENTS below.

Note that if you live outside Salisbury Parish you will need to contact the Parish Priest at your home parish to have the Endorsement in the Baptism Request Form signed by him (or his authorized representative). As an alternative, your home Parish may give you a signed endorsement letter or certificate using their own forms. This letter/form is to be attached to the Baptism Request Form and submitted to the Salisbury Parish office prior to the preparation meeting.

About Godparents: Godparents are chosen by you, parents, because of your special relationship or friendship. Godparents should be known as persons of good Christian life. Godparents need to be Baptized and Confirmed Catholics. Those of other Christian denominations may participate in the ceremony as witnesses to the occasion but non-Christians such as Moslems, Buddhists, Hindus, Agnostics and Atheists can only be spectators at the ceremony.

Stole Offering - A Donation:

A Stole Offering can be made to the celebrating Priest in appreciation of his role in administering the sacrament. This is not a fee for service. In the past, Stole Offerings were the only regular source of income for the Priest, but now the offerings, just as the First Collection at Mass, are forwarded to the Diocesan Presbytery Fund and distributed in such a way that all Priests are equally supported. Although an amount is suggested, the Offering is at the discretion of the parties and should not cause any financial difficulty to the parties. The suggested Stole Offering for the Sacrament of Baptism is $150.00. This is to be given, along with the baptism request documents, to the Parish Office well before the day of baptism. Please place it in an envelope marked with the child’s name and the date of the Baptism.

[Please note: that Baptism by itself does not necessarily ensure for the child a place in the Catholic Education System.]

Fr. Charles Lukati
Parish Priest

GUIDE FOR PARENTS

Please follow these steps when considering booking your child/children for Baptism:

Upon receipt of this Baptism Pack from our Parish Office –

STEP 1:

CHOOSE A DATE FOR THE BAPTISM CEREMONY.

Look at the diary dates in the attached Baptism Schedule and choose your preferred date(s) for the Baptism Ceremony.

STEP 2:

Phone the Parish Office to advise us of your chosen date, please quote your reference number (which is in the right-hand top corner on the request for Baptism form). Once your chosen date is confirmed by our Reception personnel, your booking will be updated in our records. Make sure you have your Booking Reference Number ready before making the call.

STEP 3:

Watch the Baptism Preparation Video in the USB stick enclosed with this Baptism Pack. After watching, accomplish or fill in your Baptism Preparation Journal (the booklet which is also enclosed as part of this Baptism Pack). Please note that both the USB stick and the journal need to be returned to the Parish Office along with your Baptism Request Form.

STEP 4:

Fill in the rest of the information required in the Baptism Request Form. There is an important note about Godparents in our letter. Please ensure you follow the guidelines before writing the name(s) of your child’s Godparents on this form.

STEP 5:

Contact the Parish office to book into a Baptism Preparation session (schedule included with your Baptism pack you received) Both of you (the Parents), and at least one of the Godparent(s) are to attend a Baptism Preparation Meeting at the Parish Office, closer to the date you have chosen and booked for the Baptism Ceremony. The accomplished Baptism Request Form, the Baptism Preparation Journal, and the USB stick, together with your contribution to the Diocesan Presbytery Fund (cash preferred) to be returned to the parish office before your preparation session or may be handed in to the Baptism Preparation Minister during this meeting.

STEP 6:

Turn up for the Baptism Ceremony as booked/confirmed, and make yourselves known to the Priest. We ask that for your own convenience and that of the community, you arrive at the latest, 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the Mass or Ceremony so that the celebration can start on time. As the Mass is a regular community event, we cannot wait for late-comers.

If there is anything you do not understand in the above procedure, please feel free to call the Parish Office and ask for clarification.