Pastor’s Letter: September 21, 2025

Pastor’s Letter: September 21, 2025

19 Sep 2025 | Posted by: chadmin

Dear St. Philomena Parish Family,

May the Lord’s blessing and peace be upon you this day! Last week after one of the Masses, a couple visiting from out of state stopped me and commented on how wonderful and lively it was to be at Mass with so many children! One of them even asked if it was specifically a Mass for young people—I was happy to tell them that we enjoy that kind of life and vigor every weekend! Of course, one of the gifts of a growing parish is that we are regularly celebrating baptisms for our families. Three weeks ago, we had the joy of baptizing five new members of our parish family in one weekend!

As we continue our review of the Sacrament of Baptism, this week I thought it would be good to start with a refresher on the symbols:

Water: Of course, we start off with the blessed water. We know that we need water for life and health—we have to drink water to stay healthy and to aid our body in functioning properly. We also use water for cleaning/washing. In Baptism, the water conveys to us both the new life and health that comes from being joined to Jesus…as well as the washing away of original sin.

The Paschal Candle or the Easter Candle: This large candle which is kept near the baptismal font during most of the year (moved near the pulpit/altar during the Easter Season), represents Christ the light of the world who is alive and in our midst. When we are baptized, we receive a small candle lit from the Paschal candle along with the charge to keep that flame burning brightly. When infants are baptized, parents and godparents receive the challenge to protect the light of Christ in their little one.

The Holy Oils: I always share that the Holy Oils are my favorite part of the Baptismal ritual. The first anointing is a blessed olive oil called the Oil of Salvation. This oil is given as a sign of the cross on the chest and is a symbol of strengthening and readiness to live life in Christ. The other oil, the Sacred Chrism, is given as a sign of the cross on the top of the head after baptism. This oil has a perfume mixed in it called balsam, which is a reminder of the sweetness of life lived in Christ. The prayer as this oil is applied on the head recalls that we are joined to Christ, “Priest, Prophet, and King.” The prayer reminds us we share in the royal dignity of Christ the King…and so fittingly we receive a “crown” in the shape of the cross on our heads after we are baptized.

The White Garment: Traditionally, the newly baptized are clothed in white (or wear white) as a symbol of the fresh purity of the soul washed clean in baptism. The prayer in the ritual tells us that our white garment reminds us of our Christian dignity and challenges us to bring that dignity unstained into eternal life.

With those symbols in mind…a few more practical things about Baptism:

Who can perform a baptism? Ordinarily, a Bishop, Priest, or Deacon are the ministers of the Sacrament. However, in an emergency situation, anyone who intends what the Church intends (uses water and the form to baptize someone into the life of Christ and the Church) is able to baptize. As the water is being poured over the head of the person, you would just say their name and the form:  “____, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”  Some years ago, a friend of mine who was pregnant called during the middle of the night unexpectedly. They were several hours away from where I lived and were in the hospital for an emergency birth of their child. Thinking there could be some complications, my friend wanted to be sure their child received the graces of Baptism right away…but they couldn’t find any priest available during the night. So, since it was a genuine health situation, I coached her husband over the phone and he was able to do the Baptism. A pretty special memory for their family!

Are there requirements for Godparents? Yes, there are! A child being baptized should have a godmother and a godfather, both of whom should be baptized people. The Church asks that at least one godparent be a Confirmed Catholic in good standing with the Church [ideally both]. The second person can be any baptized person and we call this person a “Christian witness.” To be in good standing with the Church means the person is faithfully attending Mass and receiving the Sacraments regularly, as well as following Church teaching on morality and Christian living. We also state in our parish policy that a godparent should be at least 16 years of age. Of course, we can always consult with the pastor of the parish where the baptism would be for questions about a godparent’s suitability or for unique situations.

Although in American tradition the choice of godparents can often be honorary, whenever I teach on Baptism I always recall for godparents that their role is truly both a privilege and a joy! What a truly honorable role it is to assist parents “in their duty as Christian parents” and in helping a newly baptized person grow to know and love Christ. Godparents should strive to be a good models of faith for their godchild, to encourage them over time to keep growing deeper in life with Christ.

A few tips for being a good Godparent: 

• Celebrate the Baptism anniversary every year like we would celebrate our birthdays. After all, the baptism date is our birthday into the family of God!
• Celebrate the milestones of the faith journey with your godchild—celebrate additional Sacraments through the years and note how the person is growing.
• Pray for your Godchild every day!

Next week, I’ll take a look at a few common questions about Baptism which often come from non-Catholic friends. Know of my prayers and blessing for you all!

In Christ,

Fr. Luke