Current Ritual Structure of the Sacrament
Since the time of the apostles, becoming a Christian involves many stages of initiation and rituals. The journey of individuals through these sacraments can vary in length, however; the fundamental elements of: ‘proclamation of the Word, acceptance of the Gospel, profession of faith, Baptism itself, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and admission to Eucharistic communion must always be present’ ((VA), 1993) . The initiation ritual of baptism has varied greatly over time. The ceremony is often seen as an expression of faith with God and an expression of faith in the Christian community. In the baptism of a child, the parents confess the faith on behalf of the child. 1. Sign of the Cross The Sign of the Cross is performed at the beginning of the ceremony is made on the forehead of the child. This marks the imprint of Christ and the relationship that will be built over time. It also symbolises the grace of redemption that Christ died on the cross for us ((VA), 1993). 2. Baptismal promises In this part of the ceremony the families (parents and godparents) gather around the baptismal font containing the waters of baptism. The celebrant will ask the family what they want for their child in which the reply will be, ‘baptism’ (Catholic Australia, 2014). The parents will make the baptismal promises (based on the Apostles Creed) on behalf of their child. 3. Anointing After the baptismal promises, the celebrant will anoint the child twice; once with the Oil of Baptism and the second time with the Oil of the Chrism. The Oil of Baptism is also known as the Oil of Catechumens, which serves to ward off temptations and evil spirits. The Oil of the Chrism is a combination of olive oil and balsam and represents the sealing of the gifts with the Holy Spirit (Catholic Australia, 2014). 4. Water The baptismal water is consecrated and is directly related to the symbolism of the water baptism that John performed on Jesus. The priest pours water over the child’s head and says, “I baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Catholic Australia, 2014). The water symbolically represents the washing away of sin and bringing into new life. 5. Candle The symbolic candle is used in baptismal ceremonies as a sign of life. This candle is always lit from the Easter Candle which is representative of the Paschal Mystery of Christ ((VA), 1993). Each parish varies, but usually the father or a godparent will stand by the child’s side holding this candle. Some parishes supply this candle and some require the parents to buy one of their own. You will need to find this out before the ceremony. 6. White garment The white garment is worn as a representation of being clothed in Christ (Catholic Australia, 2014). This is often left up to the parents; a baptismal gown can be worn or simply a white dress or a white scapular (Christian garments). The colour white is symbolic of purity and innocence. 7. Baptismal certificate/register This part of the ceremony varies from each parish, but at some point during the baptismal process parents will be asked to sign a baptismal register. Often this happens at the end of the ceremony but it has also been completed during the preparation. This certificate proves that the child has been baptised into the Christian Church. |