Baptism
Baptismal Preparation
It is a joy to experience the Sacrament of Baptism with families and individuals at Ascension and St. Edmund Parish! Our process for preparation is developed to welcome you, walk with you on your journey, and help prepare you for this important sacrament.
In bringing forward your child for baptism, you seek to make a permanent connection between your child and Christ with the Christian community. No matter how close or distant your own relationship with God, the new life of your child has stirred a desire in you to seek baptism for him or her.
To guide you through this important sacrament, there are two meetings associated with Baptism for your child. The first is the Intake session and that is for all parents hoping to have their child baptized. The second, our Preparation Session, is for those who are first time parents or for whom it has been more than 3 years since their last child was baptized.
You must register to attend: [email protected] or call the Ascension Parish Center site 708-848-2703 ext. 255. Please watch our bulletin for additional upcoming dates.
Please note that children who are Catholic and entering our Parish School or our Religious Education program are asked to present a Baptism Certificate at the time of registration.
For children ages 7 and older, we have an adapted RCIA process to meet the needs of children. We invite children ages 7 years or older to request the sacrament of Baptism with the permission and involvement of their parents, one of whom must be Catholic or must be engaged in the process of becoming Catholic. The process for Children who wish to be baptized includes a 2 year process that prepares them to celebrate the three sacraments of initiation - Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist - at the Easter Vigil.
If your older child has not been baptized or was baptized but has not had any formal religious education and is 8 years or older, RCIA for Children is the ideal process for your family. Together with your child, the parish will accompany you on the journey to the Easter sacraments in a way that will refresh your own faith and understanding of the Catholic Church as it leads your child on a path to a relationship with Jesus Christ and the Community of Faith, encouraging and modeling Discipleship in Christ. As is policy in the Archdiocese, all Sacraments of Initiation require 2 years of preparation in a formal setting.