We are so happy that you have decided to have your child baptized in the Catholic Church!

PLEASE NOTE:

Due to circumstances related to COVID-19, we sometimes encounter the need to make unexpected changes. Thank you in advance for understanding. For now, we provide details how to complete a self-guided baptism preparation online and are currently hosting group baptisms (with proper distancing) to limited numbers of people at a time. Please follow the steps below to register your child for the Sacrament of Baptism.

First step:
Register for baptism through  this link  .

Second step:
Contact us for information about our online Baptism preparation and/or celebration date at the following address:  baptism@stalbertthegreat.ca
Couples preparing for their child’s Baptism must take a Baptism Preparation course if it is their first child to be baptized.  We typically ask couples who have already had a child baptized to renew Baptism Preparation if it has been more than 5 years (though even if less, you would be most welcome to revisit the preparation, as the material may be different from what you went through before).
The celebration of Baptism takes place in a Baptism liturgy, not a Mass, on certain Saturdays at 10:00am.  Here is a list of possible dates (subject to availability) at  this link :

Third step: .
The paperwork typically includes:
– A copy of the child’s Birth Certificate
– A copy of one parent’s Catholic Baptism Certificate
– A copy of the godparent’s Confirmation Certificate or Catholic Baptism Certificate showing they’ve received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Please turn in all additional paperwork and the registration fee, if financially able, as soon as possible (no later than two weeks before the baptism date).  This paperwork may be submitted in person at St Albert the Great Church Parish Office during regular office hours or in the secure mailbox at the Parish Office near the main basement entrance door at the lower level of the church or as attachments by email to  baptism@stalbertthegreat.ca .

The $25-per-child registration fee may be submitted by using the payment methods described on the web page  on this link .

In the event a birth certificate would not be available in time, either a copy of the completed  Registration of Birth  (before it is submitted at the hospital) or a copy of the  Application for the Birth Certificate, with parentage  (before it is submitted to a registry), would be required.
Please note: the “Registration of Birth” form is different from the “Notice of Live Birth.”  Please do NOT turn in a Notice of Live Birth form.

For Godparents, only one is required. However, if you end up choosing two, it should be one godmother and one godfather.  To be a Godparent (sponsor) a person must be a practicing Catholic who has received the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and has been already Confirmed.  He/she must attend Mass and receive Eucharist on a regular weekly basis and lead a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on.  A godparent must be at least 16 years old.

A  validly baptized  person who belongs to a non-Catholic Christian community cannot be a Godparent (sponsor) except together with a Catholic Godparent (sponsor) and then only as a Christian Witness of the Baptism.

The name(s) of the godparent(s) should be submitted using  this link  .

If a godparent is unable to attend the baptism, anyone (ideally of the same gender as the person they represent) may stand in proxy.  In such a case, please provide the full name of the proxy and who they will represent.

If a child’s birth parents are no longer together, a  Consent To Baptism  form, signed by the other parent, is required.  In cases of divorce or separation, the baptism may not take place unless this is received with an adequate amount of lead time.

Contact Dan with any further questions:  baptism@stalbertthegreat.ca