Baptism Overview

Parents must be registered members of the Parish or have a letter from their proper pastor. Arrangements for Baptism are made through the Parish Office (235-0181).

Baptisms are held at 1:30 PM on the First, Third, & Fourth Sunday of each month. Parents must attend a Preparation Session held on the Second Sunday of each month at 1:30 PM in the Heritage House.

Godparents

All Godparents must have a Letter of Eligibility issued by their own parish priests in order to be admitted as sponsors at Good Counsel. Registered members of Good Counsel are exempt from this requirement. Letters of Eligibility must be submitted to the Parish Office a week before the Baptism.

Naming a Child

The new Code of Cannon Law gives greater freedom to parents in selecting a name for their new child. In matter of fact, the 1983 Code simply states that "Parents, Sponsors, and the pastor are to see that a name foreign to a Christian mentality is not given." This relaxation should not be understood as a denigration of Christian names or the religious and cultural significance attached to a "Saint's Name." In matter of fact, it is in this light that parents should name their children: that is to say family, cultural, and religious heritage should exert the influence. So a new baby may be named after a Grandparent or a favorite relative. Parents may want to use national or ethnic names to respect the family's culture. Some names with strong non-Christian identification may seem inappropriate.