The Elements Of Baptism Ceremony:
Baptism is the solemn inclusion of a person into the universal Church. It is marked by the pouring of water on the head of the candidate or dipping him/her in a fount or a river. The priest/pastor performs the rite in the presence of parents, Godparents and relatives. With the rituals performed and received in faith, the baptized becomes a new creation. The sacrament involves number of important elements and etiquettes. Informing the church, invitation, selection of outfits and religious articles, selection of God parents, party and gifts are some of the important things to remember when it comes to the event of baptism. Though it is faith and not the rite that makes the event meaningful, the rites and etiquettes are important because of their foundation in the scriptures and tradition. Proper etiquette adds to the solemnity of the occasion.
Etiquettes of Baptismal Event: The first thing to keep in mind before planning for a baptism party is to inform the Pastor/Parish Priest of the desire to baptize the newborn. The priest would, after consulting the readiness of the parents and the child and his availability, fix a date for the event. The choice of God parents ranks high in the priority list. The official God parent usually corresponds to the sex of the child or person to be baptized. It has become a custom to call the spouse of the Godparent as "God Mother" or God Father" though officially there is no need for two grand parents. If one wants to have two they need not have to be married to each other or related in any way but it is mandatory that they should be one from each sex. They are responsible for new entrant's spiritual growth. The outfit for the candidate is white. A candle and a piece of white cloth should be carried along with optional offertory materials. Now- a-days baptisms in the Catholic Church are performed on a Sunday or during the Easter vigil service with rare exceptions. Some priests prefer to administer baptism after the Eucharist and others immediately after the homily. During the ceremony the parents and God parents are to be present before the priest. At the end of the ceremony the priest registers the baptism. It is absolutely necessary to get the certificate of baptism as it is a religious and a legal document. A simple gathering to celebrate: Since throwing a party for any event has become a fad, baptism too is not spared of this secondary necessity. A baptism party can be a simple and informal one with limited and select guests. That would require planning- from invitation, material procurement to actual hosting of the event. Decoration and gifts are not excluded from the list. A little bit of thoughtfulness is all that is needed to make the day memorable. |