All are welcome to inquire about our Baptismal program at St. Vincent DePaul Parish. We do encourage you to register your family as parishioners and become active in our community.

Infant Baptism

The Rite of Baptism includes these words, “The Christian community welcomes you with great joy.” And it is also with great joy that Saint Vincent de Paul Parish helps parents prepare for the baptism of their baby. In bringing forward your child for baptism, you seek to make a permanent connection between your child and Christ with the Christian community. No matter how close or distant your own relationship with God, the new life of your child has stirred a desire in you to seek baptism for him or her. In this sacrament, the Christian community promises to walk beside you in nurturing the faith of your child.

Baptism Preparation

If this is your first time bringing a child forward for baptism, it is a requirement of the Archdiocese of Chicago that both parents participate in one baptism preparation session. Here at Saint Vincent de Paul, the session is available online and you may participate either before or after your child is born. Contact Father Derek Swanson at [email protected] to receive a link to the presentation.

Celebrating the Baptism of Your Child

Baptisms here are group celebrations that last about 40 minutes and do not include a full mass or Communion service. These celebrations are normally on the fourth Sunday of the month at 11:30 AM (after the 10:00 AM Sunday mass) except for church holidays, and then the ceremony will move to a different date. The dates for baptisms are listed on the registration form.

You may request to have your child baptized during one of our regular weekend liturgies, depending on the liturgical schedule. Please contact Fr. Derek at [email protected] for this request.

Each child to be baptized should have at least one person present who will act as sponsor. No more than two sponsors are allowed per child. The sponsor, commonly referred to as one’s godmother or godfather, accepts the responsibility of helping the child grow in the Catholic faith. One who acts as a sponsor for an infant or child agrees to help the parents teach their child about the faith and how to live as a practicing Catholic.

For a person to act as a sponsor for Baptism, he or she must be a practicing Catholic, be at least sixteen years old, must have already received all the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist), and must be living in a way that demonstrates that one’s faith is strong enough to be able to fulfill the responsibilities involved with being a sponsor. A sponsor who is married must be married in accord with the laws of the Church.

You may have a Christian Witness alongside a Catholic sponsor. A Christian Witness is a baptized Christian who is practicing their faith and is an upstanding example of living out a Christian way of life in accordance with their faith.
Once you send your registration form (the link is above) and pay the $50.00 Baptism fee, Fr. Derek will confirm the date of the baptism and send you instructions about the day of the baptism. For the fee, you can send a check for $50.00 payable to St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church or pay online at Pay Fees.

On the day of the baptism, you and your guests are welcome to use the Church parking lot during the Baptism celebration (Lot H, directly behind the church). Parking is also available on the street around the church and in the DePaul University parking garage on Sheffield Ave. If you or your guests park in the DePaul University parking garage, we can validate the parking stub in the entrance of the church on Sheffield Avenue; the validation is good for two hours.

Pay your fees here

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What are the requirements for baptism?
For a child to be baptized in the Roman Catholic Church, there must be a basis for hope that the child will be raised in the Catholic faith. In practice, this generally means that at least one parent is Catholic. Each child brought forward for baptism must also have at least one godparent who is a confirmed, practicing Catholic age 16 or older.

At what age are children usually baptized?
There is no lower age limit, but at Saint Vincent de Paul, infants are generally baptized between three and six months old. We encourage parents to wait until they can experience the joy of this occasion without undue fatigue or stress. If your child is seven years or older, we welcome you and your child to baptism as well, although it is a different process. Please contact Father Derek Swanson for more information.

What if I'm an adult? 
Adult baptisms require special preparation. See OCIA for more information.

What about single parents or parents who weren’t married in the church?
Saint Vincent de Paul welcomes every parent to bring your child forward for baptism, no matter what your circumstances may be. Parents who were not married in the Roman Catholic Church might consider the possibility of having your marriage convalidated in the church; parish staff will gladly assist you in that process. It is not necessary for baptizing your child.

When will we receive the baptism certificate?
Shortly after the baptism, we will send you one baptism certificate with the parents’ and godparents’ names, including the mother’s maiden name (as called for by church regulations). If your child ever needs a copy of the baptism certificate later, perhaps for school registration or for marriage, please contact the parish office.

Is there a fee?
In order to support our Baptism Ministry, to cover administration and supply costs,  we ask for a donation of $50 when celebrating your child’s Baptism at St. Vincent de Paul Church.  For the fee, you can send a check for $50.00 payable to St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church or pay online at Pay Fees.

Can we have the baptism celebrated in another church but do the preparation here?
That can certainly be done; it just calls for a little simple paperwork, primarily from the parish office. Be sure to check with the other parish for their requirements and the the parish office.

What should the baby wear for the baptism?
A white garment is an ancient sign of the newly baptized Christian’s new life in Christ. Your child’s baptismal garment need not be a traditional baptismal or christening gown; it can be any clothing that is mainly white.