Baptism
Baptism is the Sacrament in which we celebrate God’s gift of eternal life to our children. In this Sacrament we, the Christian community, welcome them with great joy. We promise to help them by word and example to live the faith which we share with them. That is why, gathered around the baptismal font, we renew the promises that were made on our behalf when we were Baptised, and which we made for ourselves when we were confirmed.
Children depend particularly on the faith of their parents, and for that reason we ask parents (and god-parents), before presenting a child for Baptism, to consider seriously the responsibility involved. This responsibility refers not just to teaching the children their prayers, but to the example of your own faith in practice. A form will be provided when you make your initial contact with the parish, so that you can give the necessary practical details, and on which you will be asked to confirm your commitment to supporting your child in the practice of his / her faith. This form should be returned before the date of the baptism.
The celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism takes place each weekend in Sacred Heart Parish. For further details please contact the parish secretary at secretary@donnybrookparish.ie.
Please give at least one month’s notice to allow for your participation (preferably with the god-parents) in the pre-Baptism preparation.
Since Baptism is about membership of the Christian community, there is no such thing as a private Baptism, even when there is only one child being Baptised. Unless there are pressing reasons, we ask you to keep to these times.
The text of the ceremony of baptism can be found below. We invite you to familiarise yourself with it, and to explore the selection of readings and prayers provided.
From time to time, parishioners of other parishes ask to have their child baptised in Donnybrook. We are happy to welcome them, on the understanding that they have participated in pre-baptism preparation, and that they have the written permission of their own parish priest. A form is available for this purpose.