Sacrament of Baptism

What are the requirements for Infant Baptisms?
For the baptism of children 6 years and under:

• You must be a registered parishioner of St. Helena or live within the parish boundaries. If you would like to register, please click here.
• If you are a registered Parishioner residing outside of our Parish boundary, a letter of permission to have your child baptized outside of your proper Parish will be required.
• Complete the Baptism Registration Form.
• Please bring your child's Original Birth Certificate issued by the Health Department.
• A non-refundable donation of $40.00 + $20 for each additional child (if siblings will be baptized at the same ceremony).
• Godparent(s) must be practicing Catholics in good standing and are required to have all their sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Communion, & Confirmation).
• The Godparent(s) original or officially re-issued Confirmation Certificate must be provided at time of registration.
• If a Godparent is single, he or she he or she is called to live in a manner apropriate to an unmarried person and must not cohabitate with his/her significant other (living together outside of marriage).
• If a Godparent is married, he or she must be married in the Catholic church. His or her sacramental Marriage Certificate from the Church is required at time of registration (along with Confirmation Certificate).
• Parents and Godparent(s) will need to attend a Pre-baptismal Preparation class at St. Helena (offered once a month and included with registration), or provide a certificate of completion of Pre-baptismal Preparation completed within the last 2 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

•  How many godparents can my child have? Only one Godparent is required. If two are chosen, there must be one female and one male godparent.
• How do I choose a Godparent? The role of Godparent is to help raise the child in the Catholic faith. For this reason, a Godparent needs to have all the sacraments of initiation and be doing his or her best to actively participate and live out the Catholic faith through his or her words and deeds. As Catholics, we are invited to turn to God's love in the sacrament of Reconciliation and reception of the Eucharist at Holy Mass; we are called to give Him glory and to help others know His love through how we care for one another. We are always learning - we have Holy Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Canon Law to refer to as we go. Practicing Catholics are not perfect Catholics! Is the person you've chosen ready to help grow in his or her own faith, so he or she can help your child, too?
• What if we have already taken the pre-baptismal classes? Please provide an official certificate or letter/proof from the parish where classes were taken. If it has been over two years since your last class, we invite you to come to the class to renew your formation and meet with other families preparing for baptism.
• What if my child is seven years of age or older? Please contact Drew, Director of the Office of Faith Formation, about the Rite of Christian Initiation for Children. You can reach Drew via email, [email protected] or phone (726) 207-4446.  More information about RCIC can be found here.
• Do we have to be registered parishioners with St. Helena to have our child baptized here? We encourage all families who have made St. Helena their Parish Home to register with us. This helps us to know the people that we serve and better provide for your needs. Baptism is a community celebration and it is a beautiful witness to have your child baptized where you live and worship, so that we can celebrate and support you and your family as we grow together in our Catholic faith! If you live outside of the boundaries of our Parish, permission is required from your proper Pastor to have your child baptized here (we will be glad to help you with this information).