Baptism is one of the seven sacraments in the Catholic Church. A sacrament is a special event during a persons Church life, which helps them strengthen their faith.

Authors Avatar

a)  Baptism is one of the seven sacraments in the Catholic Church.  A sacrament is a special event during a persons Church life, which helps them strengthen their faith.  The seven sacraments form a very important part of worship in most churches.  The sacrament of baptism welcomes a person into the family of the church.  In Baptism we promise to try to live a good Christian life with Christian values.  Baptism removes all original sin in a baby. In the case of baptising a baby, these promises are made on behalf of the baby by the parents and godparents, and then the promises confirmed by the child during the sacrament of confirmation.  There are two types of baptism and they are “Infant Baptism” and “Believer’s Baptism”.

        We are baptised because it is God’s wish that all of us be baptised:  “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations; baptise them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit”.  (Matthew28: 19-20)        

        Infant baptism is sometimes performed during Sunday mass, but more often it takes place in a separate liturgy, usually on a Sunday.  To begin with, the priest welcomes the child and the parents at the entrance if the church and leads them to the baptismal font.  This is a small font, which is filled with water, at the time of a baptism.  The baptismal font is where the baby is baptised.  The priest asks the parents and godparents of the child to answer a few questions and then he welcomes and names the child.  He then says: “I claim you for Christ our saviour by the sign of his cross”.  The sign of the cross, which is then traced on the child’s forehead, is symbolic of how the child now belongs to God.  The cross is also a sign of the saving power of the crucifixion of Jesus.  Next there are a few short reading from the bible and a few prayers to help the baby throughout his/her life and also to help the parents and godparents to make the right decisions for the baby.  Now the priest asks for the child to be rescued from the slavery of sin and to pass into the freedom of God.  This is done through reciting the prayer of Exorcism.  Next is the first of two anointing's.  Anointing is a sign of respect e.g. the two women who anointed Jesus’s body.  Firstly the priest anoints the child on the chest with the oil of catechumens, which gives the child the strength to resist temptation, sin, and evil.  Everyone then proceeds to the baptismal font for the actual baptism.  A few more promises are made by the parents.  The parents and godparents, on behalf of the child make the declaration of faith.  A hymn may be sung before the priest blesses the water and pours it three times over the child’s head saying, “…(name)… I baptise you in the name of the son and of the Holy Spirit”.  The priest pours water over the child’s head as he names each member of the holy trinity.

Join now!

        One of the most significant symbols during baptism is the water.  Water is extremely important, it brings life and we cannot live without it but it can also be dangerous e.g. in the story of Noah’s arc many were killed by floods but on the other hand, the water in the Red Sea helped Moses escape from the Egyptians.  As you can see water is very powerful.  After the baptism the child is anointed for the second time.  The child is anointed on the head with the oil of crism and then dressed in a white garment.  Like the oil ...

This is a preview of the whole essay