“Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord’s will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism.” CCC 1277
Baptism is a sacrament of initiation (along with Confirmation and the Eucharist), through which we are cleansed of original sin, receive the gift of eternal life and are welcomed into the Christian community. When Jesus, although sinless, was baptized by John the Baptist in the River Jordan, he accepted the burden of mankind’s sins and provided a model for our own baptism.
Baptism unites all Christians and is only done once in a lifetime. St. Katharine’s performs baptisms on Sundays following the 11:30 Mass and welcomes infants and children. Adults receive the sacrament through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA), a series of classes led by Monsignor Brouwers to deepen one’s Catholic knowledge and faith. Classes are for Catholics who want to know more or non-Catholics who would like to join the Catholic church. Discussions can get very lively! Participants are baptized at the Easter Vigil Mass; they usually also celebrate Confirmation and Eucharist at that time.
To learn more about OCIA, call the rectory at 610-688-4584. For baptism information, contact Stephanie Twohig, Director of Religious Education, at 610-688-7890.