We are delighted you are considering baptizing your child at Holy Name. We hope this will be the first of many sacraments received here by your child.
We celebrate Baptisms for children under 7 years. Children ages 7 and older are invited to prepare for and celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism through our Faith Formation program. If you're an unbaptized adult, please ask about our RCIA program.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO HAVE MY CHILD BAPTIZED?
Before we can schedule a date for your child to be baptized, please gather the following documents and complete the required paperwork below.
1) You must be an active and registered parishioner before you can submit an application to baptize a child. If you are not already registered in the Parish, we strongly recommend you register in the Parish as soon as possible so you can ensure your child continues his or her faith journey. If you are not registered, you may begin the process by clicking on the link: JOIN OUR FAITH FAMILY HERE
2) Please provide a copy of the child’s official Birth Certificate.
3) As parents, it is your responsibility to select the Godparents. We recommend you choose two (2) Godparents for your child –Please provide us with the Name, Address, Phone Number and Church of each Godparent. (Please see below for the requirements for Godparents.)
4) We ask both parents and both Godparents to attend a Baptismal Preparation class. Baptismal classes are offered throughout the year.
Class begins at 9:00AM and is approx. 2 hours in duration. English classes are held in Room 3 in our school building. This room is accessible through the North side exterior double doors of our school, adjacent to the Small North parking lot. Spanish classes are help in Sr. Regina's Conference Room/Chapel which is accessible by parking in the small North lot of the school building and taking the walkway West until following the signs posted to Conference Room.
BAPTISMAL CLASS SCHEDULE (English and Spanish):
- Saturday, June 7, 2025
- Saturday, August 2, 2025
- Saturday, October 4, 2025
- Saturday, December 6, 2025
- Saturday, February 7, 2026
- Saturday, April 4, 2026
- Saturday, June 6, 2026
- August 1, 2026
- Saturday, October 3, 2026
Attendees are asked to register for the class by emailing: faithformation@myhnj.org and giving us the following information:
- Full Name of child being baptized.
- Full Name of mother and father of the child.
- Full Name of Godparent(s).
- Date of class you are requesting to attend.
- Selection of English or Spanish class.
Once we receive your email, we will email you back to confirm your reservation to attend our Baptismal preparation class. Thank you.
5) If the Godparent(s) who are not registered and active members of Holy Name, must submit a letter from their parish, stating that they are registered and active members of their parish community and are in good standing. If the Godparent(s) are registered and active members of Holy Name, we will look them up in our system and confirm that with the parents before continuing or give them the necessary information needed to proceed.
Baptism dates are scheduled after ALL documents required are completed and the baptismal class is complete. We will not accept any baptismal forms and/or documents that are incomplete.
The Baptism dates for 2025/2026 are as follows:
ENGLISH - February 8th, March 8th, April 12th, May 10th, June 14th, July 12th, August 9th, September 13th, October 11th, November 8th, December 6th, January 10th, February 14th, March 14th, April 11th, May 9th, June 13th, July 11th, August 8th, September 12th, October 10th, November 14th, December 5th.
SPANISH - January 25th, February 22nd, March 22nd, April 26th, May 24th, June 28th, July 26th, August 23rd, September 27th, October 25th, November 22nd, December 13th, January 24th, February 28th, March 28th, April 25th, May 23rd, June 27th, July 25th, August 22nd, September 26th, October 24th, November 21st, December 19th.
There is a suggested donation of $100.00 for a Baptism.
Baptism Gift sets are sold in the church office and in the gift shop for $25.00 and they include: A baptismal candle, rosary, first bible, and baptismal shell and handerkerchief.
To print out the required form, click here: Baptism Registration Form
This form must be returned to the church office along with ALL of the completed required documentation (including Godparent documentation) to select a baptismal date. Thank you. Reminder: No paperwork will be accepted without ALL of the requirements completed.
GODPARENT INFORMATION
The role of the godparent is to be a Christian role model for the child. He or she should be a mature Christian who will establish a lifelong faith relationship and will be willing to walk with the child on his or her faith journey.
In order to be a Godparent, a person must meet the following requirements:
- Godparents cannot be the parents of the child
- Godparents must be Baptized, practicing Catholics
- Godparents must be over the age of 16
- If married, Godparents must be married in the Catholic Church
- Godparents must profess and believe what the Catholic Church teaches
- Godparents must be registered in a Catholic Church. If not registered at Holy Name, we need a certificate from the Church where you are registered saying you are eligible to be a Godparent.
- Godparents are required to attend a Baptismal class, preferably at Holy Name. If unable to attend the one at Holy Name, please provide proof of attendance at another class, prior to the date of Baptism.
We look forward to welcoming you and your child into our family here at Holy Name of Jesus Church.
FAQ’s
What if I am a single parent? Both parents are encouraged to attend the Baptismal classes however, only the primary custodian need attend.
What if I am the legal guardian and not the parent on the birth certificate, can I still baptize the child? Yes. Please provide us with your legal guardianship papers prior to scheduling the Baptism for review,
Can I baptize my child here if I am coming from another parish or out of state? Yes. We need a letter from your parish allowing us to baptize the child and also indicating you have taken the necessary preparation classes.
What if I can’t find two (2) Catholic Godparents? Please contact us to help you resolve this.
What if I already took the Baptismal classes, do I need to take them again? If you took the Baptismal class with Holy Name of Jesus within the last three (3) years, there is no need to retake the class. If you have taken a Baptismal class within the last three (3) years at another location, there is no need to retake the class, but please bring us the appropriate documentation.