“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-28
Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word. – CCC 1213
If you are seeking Baptism as an adult, visit our Becoming Catholic page. We are happy to celebrate your Baptism and your initiation into supernatural life.
If you are looking for Baptism for your newborn child, congratulations! We are happy that God has blessed your family with new life. As good parents you care for the physical and emotional needs of your child, and as Christian parents you will care for the spiritual needs of your son or daughter by presenting your child for baptism. Baptism is the foundational sacrament of Christian life and for membership in God’s Church. Jesus Christ, while on the cross, gave us baptism from the very waters that poured from his pierced heart, and in this sacrament we see how much God truly loves us. The Sacrament of baptism has profound and eternal effects.
Parents of the child need to be registered, active and contributing members prior to the beginning of Baptism preparation.
The following information has been provided to help parents understand the process of having their child baptized in the Catholic Church. The guidelines below should be helpful with preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism. Please read these guidelines carefully and notify the Parish Office with any questions or concerns.
DID YOU KNOW? The sacraments were instituted by Christ and belong to the divine deposit of faith! Therefore, only the supreme authority of the Church can approve or define what is needed for their validity.
Infants & Children Under 6
Baptism for Infant/Child Under 6 Years Old
If you are looking for baptism for your newborn child, congratulations! It will be a privilege to welcome your baby or child into our faith. Please read the information below to help get you started.
Baptisms (of infants and children 6 and younger) are scheduled on most Sundays following the 12:15 Mass. To help prepare for this important sacrament, please contact Deacon A.J. Misiti at 303-867-9163 or deaconaj@spiritofchrist.org. Deacon A.J. will walk you through the process in a brief telephone conversation, and then e-mail you all the forms and information you need.
During this class you will
- Learn more about what this awesome sacrament entails.
- Get familiarized with the baptismal rite and your responsibilities.
- Ask any questions you may have concerning the baptismal process.
A Word About God Parents
Godparents hold a very special, and as it were, an official office in the church. As such, Canon Law governs who can act as godparents by declaring certain pre-requisites or criteria that Godparents must meet in order to be Godparents.
These requirements are:
- They can be neither the natural mother nor father of the one being baptized.
- They have to be at least 16 years of age (this is the ONE requirement that can be waived if granted permission from the Archbishop).
- They have to be fully initiated into the Catholic Faith which means they have to be baptized, received First Communion and be Confirmed in the Catholic faith.
- If the person is married, they need to be married in the Catholic faith, which means a Catholic priest or deacon witnessed the marriage and marriage was conducted within a physical Catholic church building (unless a formal dispensation was granted by the Church to do otherwise).
- If the person is single, they need to be living a chaste life according to their state in life and in accord with the scriptures, which means, for example, that they are not engaged in any type of sexual relationship outside the sacrament of marriage.
- They cannot be laboring under any type of canonical penalty imposed or declared.
They must be able to declare and profess that they hold as true all that the Holy Catholic Church holds and teaches to be true. - They need to have been properly instructed in the role of a Godparent and promise to fulfill that role, which occurs during Baptism Sacramental Training.
- A child needs to have one Godparent and may have two. If there are two Godparents, one needs to be male and the other female.
Adults | O.C.I.A
Become a Catholic – Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA)
Interested in becoming catholic? Want to explore our Faith? Know someone who is interested in the Faith? If you are thinking about becoming Catholic, or know someone who is, or just have some questions about the Catholic Faith, you/they are invited to The O.C.I.A.
The O.C.I.A. includes prayer, study, dialogue, instruction and fellowship for those 18 and over who desire to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. It is also for those adult Catholics who wish to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
For any questions about Adult sacramental prep or the OCIA program, please call Fr. Trevor at 303-422-9173 or email him at FrTrevor@spiritofchrist.org.
FAQ
Can we schedule a date for the Baptism prior to taking the class and returning our forms?
Unfortunately, no. There are certain requirements that the Archdiocese of Denver, and we have to have those forms in order to Baptized.
Our experience has been that when we schedule the date without first getting the class taken and the forms in, we never get the forms back and the class doesn’t happen. And then we have to cancel and reschedule the baptism. And that is a situation we very much want to avoid. Thanks for understanding!
Having trouble/problems? Call us! We are happy to help you trouble-shoot. We will also do our best to help navigate unique circumstances.
What are the requirements for godparents?
Godparents will be life-long supporters to your child for living a life of faith. At least one godparent must be a Catholic over the age of 16 who has received the sacrament of Confirmation.
There may be one or two registered godparents. If not Catholic, but Christian, one godparent can be designated as a Christian witness.
How long is the ceremony? Is it a full Mass?
Baptisms are only the Rite of Baptism and are not a full Mass. You can plan on about 45 minutes.
Anything else I should know?
A key element of the Rite of Baptism is the parents’ promise to bring the child up in the Catholic faith. If the parents cannot make this promise, the baptism should be deferred. If this is the case, a further conversation with a priest or member of our ministry team could be helpful to you.
