Christian Initiation for Children

​Celebrations of the sacraments are not isolated events.  
They take place within a process of growth in faith, from birth to adolescence.
See Also:
​Baptism for Adults & Older Children - please see RCIA
Sacramental Program
 Baptism for Infants
“Infants are baptised at the request of their parents,
usually in the first year of life and in their home parish. ”
From “Christian Initiation for Children” Sacramental Policy of the Archdiocese of Brisbane
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Having your baby baptised at Our Lady of Graces
All the Church’s sacraments are celebrations in which Catholics believe Christ shares the divine life of his Spirit. At infant Baptism God the Father claims the child as his son or daughter. That means that the child becomes the brother or sister of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit begins to live within the child as his dwelling place.
 
Christian parents ask to have their children baptised because they want them to live in relationship with God. This means that parents are committing themselves to helping their children to understand and practice what it means to live in a love relationship with God as a Catholic Christian. Otherwise the baptism risks being an empty ritual.
 
Common practices among Catholic families include:
  • When the time is right, teaching your child simple prayers which you say with them
  • Teaching them to often thank God for everything they have.
  • Reading your child short and simple passages from a children’s bible
  • Encouraging the child’s godparents to take an active interest in the child’s spiritual life
  • Celebrating anniversaries of the child’s baptism.
  • Helping the child grow into the habit of actively participating in weekly Sunday Masses
 
At Our Lady of Graces we celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism at the following times
  • First Sunday of the month, during 9am Mass
  • Fifth Sunday of the month, 12noon
 
Parents wishing to have their child baptised should drop in to the parish office to begin the paper work and arrange for parents’ attendance at a pre- baptism program.  Following this, a date is confirmed for the completion of the rite of Baptism.
 
The Archdiocese of Brisbane has produced an excellent resource for parents considering baptism – flameoffaith.org.au