Baptism is the first of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, marking the beginning of a person’s journey of faith with God. It is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation.
Baptism of a Child Under 7 Years Old
At Holy Family Parish, the baptismal preparation for a child involves two steps:
-
Baptism Preparation:
Please contact the Parish Office to book this essential preparation meeting with the priest. Note that Baptism Preparation is a single meeting with Father. -
Celebration of Baptism:
Baptisms take place on Saturdays at 11 am and are individual ceremonies. If you have a preferred date, booking in advance is recommended to secure it.
Important:
-
To have your child baptized in the Catholic Church, one parent must be Catholic, and both parents must consent to the baptism.
-
You will need to provide a copy of your baptism certificate.
-
If you have already completed the baptismal preparation for a previous child, you do not need to attend again; you only need to book the baptism date.
Note on Parish of Residence: If Holy Family Parish is not your usual place of worship, we recommend contacting your local parish (listed under "C" for Catholic in the white pages of the phone book). Baptism is an important way to connect with your parish community and priest, especially if you plan to send your child to a local Catholic school. If you belong to another parish, baptism should take place there.
Preference Enrolment Forms
If you plan to send your child to a local Catholic school, you may need to complete a Preference Enrolment Form. These forms often require proof of Baptism and a connection to your local parish.
If you are applying under Criterion 5.4, this means:
With the agreement of the child’s parent/guardian, a significant familial adult undertakes to support the child’s formation in the faith and practices of the Catholic Church.
The significant familial adult is expected to be practising their faith in their own local parish. They may be a grandparent, aunt, or uncle who is actively involved in the child’s upbringing.
There is a separate process for this. Please review the full details here before contacting the Parish:
Process for Criterion 5.4 Preference of Enrolment Applications (PDF)
Important:
If you are the grandparent, uncle, or aunt of the child, you will need to provide proof that you regularly attend our Parish. We are unable to support your application otherwise.
Please note, we are happy to assist with signing Preference Enrolment Forms for parishioners who regularly attend Holy Family Parish and reside within our parish boundaries of Te Atatu Peninsula and Te Atatu South. If you live outside our parish area or attend another parish regularly, we kindly encourage you to contact your local parish for assistance with your enrolment forms.
Please contact the Parish Office for guidance on obtaining and submitting these forms.
Baptism of Children Over 7 Years Old
Children over 7 years old will need to complete a longer preparation course, usually lasting about 6 to 7 weeks.
Please note: This course is only held once a year, and only if we have enough children enrolled. It is planned around our Sacramental Programme.
If you have a child over 7 years old whom you wish to have baptized, please contact the Parish Office at (09) 834 6677 or email hfparish@xtra.co.nz.
Baptism of an Adult
Most Catholics are baptized as infants and grow up within the Church. However, some people are called by the Holy Spirit to seek Baptism later in life.
In the early Church, many adults were baptized, and today the Church continues to welcome adults who wish to begin their faith journey through Baptism.
Becoming Catholic as an adult involves a year-long commitment of preparation and formation.
If you are still interested in becoming a Catholic, please contact the Parish Office for more information and guidance.
