This is an outline in three session of Catholic Pre-Baptism topics for parents and Godparents.

1. BAPTISM
BY
Fr. Cornelius T. (Neil) Mc Quillan, C.S.Sp., Psy.D.
Pastor
Our Lady of the Valley Parish
Hemet, CA

2. Prologue
This presentation is offered to help divide prebaptism classes into three sessions. It is a
work in progress and your constructive
criticisms are welcome.
Three sessions are believed necessary so as to
have time for the participants to get to know
one another and to build a sense of
community between them.

3. Introduction
First Class:
Church is the sacrament of Christ
Class Two:
Benefits of Baptism
Third Class:
Baptism is Commitment.

4. The Church is the sacrament of Christ
Difference between symbol and sign
Definition of Sacramento:
Instituted by Christ
Given to communicate divine life (grace)
Does what it signifies

5. Part I
Jesus
the center and foundation of all

6. Jesus
is the mirror image of the Father
has two nature, Divine and Human
In his person unites us to God
Founded a Church which has a mission
Instituted the Sacraments
Is our teacher, Model, Intercessor, Savior,
Redeemer, Brother, King and Lord

7. Church
• Is the Body of Christ. made up of each
member
• Was given a mission by Christ
• Was given the magisterial authority to preach
His Gospel
• Each member has the same mission
• Jesus called Apostles and gave them the
ministry of governing the Church.

8. Definition of Sacrament:
Instituted by Christ
Given to communicate divine life (grace)
Does what it signifies

9. Seven Sacraments
Three of Initiation (Baptism of Adults in
receiving all three at once):
Baptism – reborn in Christ
Confirmation – Sent by the Church
Eucharist - Sustained by Christ

10. Seven Sacraments
Two Sick:
Penance – through which we are reconciled to
God and the Church
Anointing of the Sick - Prayer of the Church
for those physically ill as well as forgiveness of
sin.

11. Seven Sacraments
Two of Vocation:
Marriage – by which the couple give witness
to the fidelity of God to his people
Holy Orders – by which a minister is
consecrated to God as a Deacon, Presbyter or
Bishop.

12. Sacraments have
A Minister
Form (or prescribed words)
Matter

13. Minister
The Bishop who has the plenitude of the
Priesthood of Christ, is a successor of the
apostles and therefore can administer any of
the Sacraments.

14. Minister
Any baptized person can administer the
Sacrament of Baptism, but must use the Form
given my Christ Himself:
“I baptize you in the name of the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit.”
said while washing the candidate with Water
which is the matter or sign of baptism.

15. Minister
• The ordinary minister of Baptism is a Deacon
or Priest.
• The ministers of Marriage are the couple
themselves.
• Only a Bishop can ordain a Deacon or a priest.
• A Bishop is ordained usually by three bishops
• The Bishop is the ordinary minister of
Confirmation. A pastor may confirm in special
cases and any priest in an Emergency.

16. Minister
• A priest is the ordinary minister of the
Eucharist, Penance, and Anointing of the Sick.
• A priest or Deacon are the ordinary official
witnesses of the Sacrament of Marriage.
• The ordinary minister of Baptism is a Priest or
Deacon.

17. Matter or Sign
• Baptism - Water & Holy Chrism (oil)
• Confirmation – Laying on of hands & Oil
• Eucharist – Bread & Wine
• Penance – Sin to be forgiven & Repentance
• Anointing of the Sick – Oil & Laying on of Hands
• Marriage – The Exchange of Vows
• Ordination – Laying on of Hands & Oil (for priests)

18. Form or Prescribed words
• Baptism: “N. I baptize you in the name of the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
• Eucharist: “This is my Body which is given up
for you,” & “This is the Chalice of my Blood of
the New and Eternal Covenant poured out for
you and for many. Do this in memory of me.”
• Confirmation: The Bishop prays a prayer of
Consacration over the candidates.

19. Form
• Anointing of Sick:
(While anointing the head)
“Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his
Love and mercy help you with the grace of the
Holy Spirit.”
(While anointing the hands)
“May the Lord who frees you from sin save you
and raise you up.”

20. Form
Penance:
(While making the sign of the Cross)
“God the Father of mercies, through the death
and resurrection of His Son has reconciled the
world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among
us for the forgiveness of sins; through the
ministry of the Church may God give you pardon
and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in
the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy
Spirit. Amen”

21. Form
Marriage:
(While holding hands,)
I, N, take you N. to be my wife (husband), I promise to be
true to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and
health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.
Or
Words they themselves compose that include the promise of fidelity,
love and respect until death.

22. Part II
Benefits of Baptism

23. Benefits of Baptism
Cleanses us of Original Sin
Gives us a share in God’s life: Grace
Makes us adopted Children of God
and therefore heirs of his Kingdom
Makes us Temples of the Holy Spirit
Makes us members of the Church, Christ’s body,
with the right of full participation.
Gives us a share in Christ’s life as a King, Prophet
and Priest.

24. Cleanses us of Original Sin
Our ancestors (Adam & Eve) lost Original Grace
that God gave them and therefore could not pass
it on to us.
One cannot give what one doesn’t have.
We are made to love, serve and adore God for all
eternity, but our rebellion against God’s Supreme
authority caused us to lose his divine life within
us.
We are reconciled with God and made His Friend.

25. Cleanses us of Original Sin
• At the Incarnation God’s Son, the Eternal
Word, took on our human nature and
therefore rejoined divine nature with human
nature making salvation possible for us by
joining oneself to Christ.

26. Gives us a share in God’s life: Grace
All creatures are temporal
God is by nature eternal and timeless.
Grace, or God’s life enables us to live for
eternity.
Grace is a Gift of God to those He loves.
Gifts have to be accepted and cared for.
We accept God’s Grace in Baptism which
comes to us through the Church.

27. Children of God
and therefore heirs of His Kingdom
Our human nature is created and therefore
limited.
By Baptism we are adopted by God and given
the life of our Father which is Grace. His
divine life, which we receive, capacitates us to
live eternally.
By Adoption we are made a part of the Family
of God, the Holy Trinity, as well as the Saints,
that is the community of believers.

28. Gift of the Holy Spirit
At Baptism the Holy Spirit makes his abode within
us making us His Temple
The Holy Spirit seals and consecrates (marks)
us
illuminates and councils us
Teaches us
Guides Us
Makes us Holy and transforms us
Gives us His Seven Gifts
Gives us His Fruits.

29. Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Fortitude
Patience
Wisdom
Knowledge
Counsel
Piety
Fear of the Lord

30. 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit
charity,
joy, peace
patience,
kindness, goodness,
generosity, gentleness,
faithfulness, modesty,
self-control,
chastity.

31. Makes us members of His Church
Through the Church we find Salvation
We are perfected by means of the Sacraments
We have the rights of members
In the Church we learn to live in Community
The others are strong where we are weak
The Church coaches us on the way to sanctity.
The Church guards and protects our faith
In unity we are strong

32. Part III
Baptism is Commitment

33. Baptism of Jesus
Jesus is Sent by the Father, to Proclaim the Good
News of Salvation.
Jesus accepted his mission at his Baptism where
he was anointed by the Holy Spirit and
declared loved by the Father who said we
should listen to him.

34. The Mission
Jesus Mission is to save the world by trying to
convince us of God’s Love and Forgiveness.
He knew that He and his message would be
rejected by the majority and He himself
Crucified
And yet he accepted to give up his life for us.

35. Like Jesus we commit ourselves
As Jesus was sent, He sends us.
In Baptism we promise to live as Jesus taught
knowing that a truly Christian Life we lead to
our being rejected by the majority.
In Baptism we accept to be modern day
prophets who announce God’s will for them
and denounce all injustice,

36. Priest
Jesus prayed for mankind, that we all may be
one, as He and His Father are one.
The Church is a prayer community which prays
that God’s will be done here on earth.
When we pray or offer sacrifice for the
salvation of others we exercise our common
priesthood.

37. Kingship
Jesus said that he is the way, the truth and life.
When we defend the truth of Christ we do so
with his authority, because we are sent to
Evangelize the world.
By Baptism and Confirmation we are
authorized to speak in the name of the truth.

38. Members have obligations
Members commit themselves to Christ Law of
Love.
The commit themselves to forgive their
enemies.
The renounce evil and put their trust in God.
They are faithful to the Church
By fulfilling its precepts.

39. Precepts of the Church
Members:
Participate fully in the Mass on the Lord’s Day and Holy Days.
Confess their sins
Receive the Eucharist frequently
Support the Church by tithing
Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstain from eating meat on those
days and Fridays throughout Lent.
Marry only in the Church.