What is Baptism and why is it important?

Baptism is one of the greatest gifts of God's love. As a baptized person you are now a child of God and an heir of Heaven. God calls you to a life of holiness and happiness with Him both now and forever in Heaven. It is a new birth into a new life.

1. When we are baptized, we become adopted sons and daughters of God. We are His beloved children. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in our soul making us, in the words of Saint Paul, a temple of the Holy Spirit. In fact, it is the entire Blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit who dwell in the one baptized.
2. We receive the stupendous gift of the Blessed Trinity and the Trinity brings the gift of God's own divine life into our soul. This new life is called sanctifying grace. It is infused into the soul and brings many gifts along with giving us a claim to Heaven. When we have sanctifying grace in our soul we are said to be in the state of grace and we are then capable of receiving other Sacraments. We receive the following gifts from having sanctifying grace in our soul:
   1. We receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit--wisdom, understanding, right counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord, which enable the baptized to be soldiers for Christ and live out each day for Him.
   2. We receive the three supernatural theological virtues--faith, hope and charity, which enable the baptized to believe in, to hope in, and to love God.
   3. We receive the four supernatural cardinal virtues--prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude, which enable the baptized to act with ease and promptness in knowing and doing the good in following the will of God.
3. All sin is removed at Baptism. Original Sin is removed, along with the forgiveness of all personal sin, as well as any temporal punishment due to sin, no matter the age of the person.
4. We become part of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Catholic Church, which includes a sacramental bond of unity with all the baptized. Our unity grows as we worthily receive Jesus in Holy Communion and thus grow more in sanctifying grace. Through sanctifying grace, Jesus enlightens our minds and strengthens our wills to live holy lives and resist the temptations of the enemy of our soul, the devil.
5. We gain a share in Christ's mission as Priest, Prophet and King. The laity practice these as:
   1. Priest, by offering spiritual sacrifices.
   2. Prophet, by acting as Christ's witnesses in the world, living holy lives and practicing the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
   3. King, by serving God's people, especially the poor and suffering.
6. When we are baptized, we are marked with a sacramental character; it is a permanent indelible mark on our soul that shows we belong to Christ.
7. We also receive the sacramental grace to cope with suffering in this life, to resist sinful tendencies, to grow in holiness and live well the Christian life.

Who can be Baptized?

Anyone who is not already baptized may receive the Sacrament of Baptism in the Catholic Church. Traditionally, infants are baptized but all ages are welcome.

Washing in water, anointing with chrism, lighting a baptismal candle, wearing a white garment. The Rite of Baptism is full of beautiful traditions that trace their origins to the earliest days of Christianity. This Sacrament of Initiation is more than a cultural milestone, it is a response to Jesus Christ’s clear instruction to baptize people of “all nations.” 

We are all invited to receive the priceless effects of Baptism: forgiveness of sins, adoption as children of God, initiation into the Church, and the indelible spiritual mark of belonging to Christ once and for all, bearing his Spirit in our hearts (cf. CCC #1279). Through Baptism we also follow the example of Jesus Himself who was baptized in the Jordan River, and we heed His solemn teaching that, “Unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (Jn 3:5). 

We are truly “born again” in this Sacrament of new life in Christ! As St. Paul tells us, “We were indeed buried with Him through Baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.” (Rom 6:3-4).
 

“Baptism is God’s most beautiful and magnificent gift.”  -St. Gregory of Nazianzus