Baptism and Child Essay

Submitted By yazeedmisha
Words: 898
Pages: 4
Open Document
I attended my friend's brother baptism on march 26th in St. Monica's Parish located in N.D.G. On Terrebonne street. Baptism means to wash or to immerse, it is the first sacrament. It is a ritual that involves the washing of someone with holy water to purify the soul and binds the baptized to live from on after as a christian. It's done in the name of God, his son and the holy spirit. First thing i saw when I walked in was the holy which people make a sign of the cross with their right hand using it. I then saw the pews, which are in rows, and an alter at the front with a big crucifix mounted behind the alter. The church has stain glass windows, arches and columns.

The first part of the ritual is the mass. The priest, wearing a stole around the neck and a white robe, walks into the church holding the bible. He walks up to the alter with the cross bearer and members of the community holding up the host and the wine. Church begins with an opening statement from the priest followed by a psalm. The parents, godparents and relatives are sitting in the pews facing the alter. The men are wearing suits and the women are wearing dresses. The first reading, which is from the old testament, is read pertaining to baptism. Another psalm is sung, then the second reading from the new testament is read which is also pertaining to baptism. Parents, godparents and relatives stand up. The parents then introduces their child to the priest, he then expresses good wishes to the parents and child. The godparents are then called to the altar to commence the baptism. The parents and god parents both stand on opposite sides of the child. The priest reads them the Apostle's creed. If they accept all of the terms of the creed, the priest then asks if they wish the child to be entered to the community of God. The priest then proceeds to run his fingers through the water and through the child's hair and says a prayer. Then, the child is held by the godparents, as caretakers and a psalm is sung to celebrate. The priest then gives his closing remarks and then dismisses the mass blessing all the members there in good will and good favour in God's eyes. After the child is baptized, they light four candles representing the will of fire, original sin, that have been removed from their soul. The reason for this is that catholics believe that when a child is born, he is impure and in order to purify his soul, he gets baptized. The four candles represent love, joy, empathy and sacrifice.

The description I found in my research is very similar to my observation with a few different details. The observation part provided me with a better idea of this ritual. I now understand what happens exactly during baptism. Also, some things such as the pouring of holy water, were unclear to me because it varies from one branch of christianity to another. In this baptism, the priest only ran his fingers through the child's hair. Also, the text and prayers read during baptism vary. Through my observation, I learnt which prayers are said. I now understand the purpose for baptism, which to purify the child's soul because, like I have mentioned before, Christians believe that everyone is born impure and that in order to purify their soul, they must be baptized. My first impression was to
Show More

Related Documents: Baptism and Child Essay

Water Symbolism In Christianity

and problematic. Such is undoubtedly the case of our topic for today’s reflection, i.e. water baptism. Within mainstream Christianity all churches teach and practice water baptism and, as far as I am able to discover, they all accept the Biblical sequence that water baptism follows after the acceptance of Jesus Christ by the grace of God through faith. (The exception is those that believe in infant baptism but we will come to that.) So why do we have so much controversy and confusion over this simple…

Words 2229 - Pages 9

Remembering an event Essay

IMPORTANCE Baptism is not only the first of the seven sacraments; it is also the basic sacrament. How? Unless a person is baptized, none of the other six sacraments can be received. Only a baptized person can be confirmed. Only a baptized person can receive absolution in the Sacrament of Confession. Only a baptized person can receive the Sacrament of Matrimony. Only a baptized man can be validly ordained a priest. Baptism first gives a person the supernatural life, whereas the other sacraments…

Words 879 - Pages 4

Baptism Research Paper

Baptism As Both Sign and Symbol Throughout the course of organized religion both present and past, ritualistic acts of praise and worship have been practiced as a sign of both love and honor to God. Catholicism refers to these rituals as sacraments. As Christians and members of this faith, the first sacrament received by each member is Baptism. This sacrament has not only been practiced since the beginning of our faith, but has deep meaning and symbolic ties to the start of creation with Adam and…

Words 1692 - Pages 7

What Does Baptism Symbolize

Baptism: Beginning Your Occupation in the Church “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 1240). These are the words that welcome a person into the Light of Christ and initiate him or her into the Catholic Church. But what is Baptism, and why is it significant? Baptism means to “immerse” or “plunge,” referring to the candidate’s symbolic burial when he or she is plunged into the water and resurrection when he or she comes out of the water as a new member…

Words 928 - Pages 4

Essay on Roman CatholicPrayer And WorshipThe Sacraments Are

Roman Catholic Prayer and worship The sacraments are the most important part of the religious life of Catholics. The seven are Baptism Marriage Penance Sacraments of sick Communion Confirmation Holy Orders There are many aids to private prayer used by Catholics. One of these is to pray before the image of a saint, and perhaps light a candle placing it on the rack which usually stands in front of the statue. This is not the same thing as worshipping the saint which would be idolatry, since Christians…

Words 1185 - Pages 5

Hispanic Culture Research Paper

One main superstition that is most effective is the “evil eye,” where a child is being admired and not touched can leave them with the desire to haunt them. The child becomes sick with fever and cries unable to be comforted. To cure the child a practice with a raw egg is rubbed on the child body. The egg is then cracked open into a glass of water to discard the evil. To prevent evil eye form happening parents will have their child wear Azabache bracelet (a gold bracelet with black and red coral charm)…

Words 677 - Pages 3

Roman Catholic Rituals

Rituals are present in every religion. Think about the rituals that you are familiar with from your own or someone else’s religion; explain the function for the rituals. In my Roman Catholic religion rituals are common in order to remember important events of the past and for celebration. For example, there is the ancient tradition of the Easter Wake (or Veglia Pasquale in Italian), in which Catholics spend all night gathered in church, remembering all the steps of the Via Crucis (in English it…

Words 295 - Pages 2

The Didache: The Ritual of Baptism Essay

written, with a specific focus on the ritual of baptism. The Didache, also titled “The Teaching of the Lord to the Gentiles, through the Twelve Apostles”, was written in Greek in 1056 but was discovered in the library at Constantinople in 1873. The date of its original work, its authorship and provenance are unknown. The work may have originated either in Alexandria, Antioch, or Syria. Amongst its seminal teachings, the Didache lists the following baptism instructions (Staniforth 1968: 225-231): The…

Words 1779 - Pages 8

Kottak Rites Of Passage Analysis

In the “Rites of Passage by Conrad Phillip Kottak, the sacred rituals are explored by in-depth analysis of Limen which is the phase in between Separation and Aggregation. The Native Americans and the Gambians have a particularly individualistic approach to rites. Their style is contrasted with other cultures who create a “communitas” for the young ones undergoing the initiation; such collective ritual helps the group create temporary egalitarian views amongst each other (100). These initiations range…

Words 336 - Pages 2

Christianity Vs Islam Research Paper

God created the world. These religions do have similarities but their differences of their Gods prove that they have strong beliefs. A major difference between Christianity and Islam is their major sacred rituals or practices. Christianity has baptism and communion has a major practice and Islam has the five pillars as a sacred ritual.…

Words 1557 - Pages 7