Pastoral Team
Pastor: Fr. Paul MacNeil
This Sunday's Bulletin
This Sunday's Bulletin
I was appointed as pastor of Our Lady of the Scapular parish in November 2015 and I am delighted to be here. Before that, I was pastor of St. Ann's parish in Fenwick Ontario, a small but loving community about 30 minutes from here. I was born and raised in St. Catharines and ordained to the priesthood in 1999. Currently I am Chair of the Niagara Catholic District School Board and I'm working on my PhD in Religious Studies at McMaster University. As your pastor, my first priority is just to listen, to get to know you and understand the best way for me to serve you and to bring you closer to each other and to God through Christ.
St. Denis Roman Catholic Church
A Catholic Centre of Excellence
The Sacrament of Baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism is the first of our seven sacraments. It is through Baptism that the stain of original sin, and any other sin, is wiped away and we become new members of the Body of Christ and the Catholic Church. We extend a special welcome to you if you are trying to find out more about Baptism for yourself, or for your child.
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If you are an adult who is seeking more information on how to become a member of the Catholic Church, please refer to The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
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If you have recently become a parent, or your child is a little older, we want to assist you in raising your child in the faith.
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Below are some of the frequently asked questions to help you understand the process of having your child baptized. If you have any further questions, please call the parish office at 905-685-5911.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I have to be a member of St. Denis to have my baby baptized there?
The celebration of all our sacraments are community events and our community is our parish where we live. If you are a Catholic parent living within the boundaries of St. Denis, or living outside the parish boundaries but are registered and supporting the parish, you may have your child baptized here. If you live in another part of the diocese or in another city, but would like to have your child baptized here for special reasons, please email the parish office at secretary@stdenischurch.ca
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2. When can I have my child baptized?
Baptism takes place outside of Mass every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. For serious pastoral reasons, your child could be baptized at another time with the approval of the priest.
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3. Are we required to attend meetings or classes?
Here at St. Denis, we require that all parents meet with the parish priest. During this meeting the date of baptism will be confirmed.
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4. Who can be a Godparent?
Every person being baptized, whether a child or an adult, must have a sponsor. The sponsors in Baptism have traditionally been called godparents. The minimum requirement is one sponsor, but usually when infants are baptized, they have two, one of each gender. Canon law permits only one godparent of each gender – a godmother and a godfather.
To be a sponsor, you must:
• Must be a practicing Roman Catholic who attends Mass regularly (Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation) and is living according to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
• Must be fully initiated themselves, having received Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
• Must be at least 16 years of age; be mature enough to undertake this responsibility and have the intention of fulfilling the role to the best of your ability.
• Live a life of faith which befits the role and inspire others by your personal witness and practice of the faith.
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• Not be the parent of the one being baptized
If you wish, along with the Catholic Godparent, a baptized Christian in good standing, can be a Christian Witness.
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5. What if I am a single parent?
If you are not married (single parent), this situation, by itself, is not a sufficient reason to delay the Baptism of your child.
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6. What if we did not marry in the Catholic Church?
During your meeting with one of the parish priests, the topic of Convalidation will be discussed. Each parent must make a promise to raise the child according to the faith, a faith that they themselves are practicing. That is difficult to do when the marriage is not a sacramental one.
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Jesus gave us His Sacraments to confer Grace upon us. It is this Grace that strengthens us to live according to His commandments. And this includes all of His sacraments.
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We support your decision to commit to each other in a civil marriage and would like to discuss the benefits to you and your relationship of inviting God into your life together by having your marriage convalidated. Every situation is a little different, and you can discuss this with the parish priest.