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BAPTISM/HOLY MATRIMONY

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • Baptism will be scheduled twice a month
    1st Sunday of the month (English)

    2nd Sunday of the month (Spanish)

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Congratulations!  You may be awaiting the birth of your child, have a newborn, or have a child who is several months old.  No matter the stage of parenting you are currently in, you are entrusted with a great gift from God.  In your role as parent, you will serve as the first and most influential teacher of your child's faith (among other things).  We look forward to helping you in this role through the Sacrament of Baptism.

Baptism is the first sacrament celebrated in the process of becoming a full member in the Catholic Church. The waters of baptism symbolize life and death, washing and cleansing, and the mystery of new life out of death.  At the baptism of a child (or any person), we celebrate and reflect on God's unconditional love and welcome him or her into our faith.

When are they held?

At Our Lady of Lourdes, we offer communal baptisms, held twice a month on the 1st Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (English) and the 2nd Sunday at 2:00p.m. (Spanish)  Please contact Anne Wing for current schedule. There may be up to five baptisms on any given date, so please be on time!  We will schedule the baptism of your child upon completion of requirements. We will consider private baptisms for illness or military personnel.

Requirements

  • At least one parent must be Catholic.
  • Godparent(s) must be at least 16 years old, a confirmed Catholic, practicing their faith, and be willing to accept the responsibility of supporting their godchild in faith.
  • If you have only one Godparent, then that person can be either male or female. If you have two Godparents, then one must be male and the other female.
  • Both the parents and the godparents are required to attend baptism preparation class, which is offered online at this time by visiting Baptism Prep Online
    MAIL the certificate to Our Lady of Lourdes at, 18405 Superior Street, Northridge, California 91325, Attention: Infant Baptism. OR OR EMAIL pdf to Anne Wing
  • Parents who are not registered with our parish are ased to provide a letter of 'Good standing" or Letter of Permission from their parish church.

Choosing Godparents

Godparents must meet all of the following criteria, which are established by Canon Law and do not vary from place to place. Godparents must:

  1. be Catholic
  2. have been Baptized, Confirmed and received First Communion
  3. be 16 or older
  4. be living a life consistent with their own baptismal vows.

This means that they are practicing the faith, not engaging in notorious sin, and cannot have taken public positions in opposition to Catholic faith or morals. If a sponsor is married, their marriage must be recognized by the Church. In general, if a potential sponsor is not a member of the parish where the baptism is to take place, he or she will provide us with a letter or certificate from their own pastor which affirms that they meet the above requirements.

People sometimes object to the requirements for a sponsor, with the argument that parents should have freedom to choose the sponsor of a child who is to be baptized.  In order to understand the Church's position, several points are to be kept in mind. Baptism is not a private act. It is a public, official liturgy of the Church and welcomes someone into the Catholic Church. Therefore, the Church has the duty and obligation to require reasonable criteria for being a sponsor. The sponsor is to assist the parents and the child in living a Catholic life. In order to do so, the sponsor needs to provide good example of living that life. A person who is not Catholic, or who is not living in a way consistent with the faith, cannot provide the example that is part of the accompaniment of being a godparent. The role of godparent is a role of service done in the name of the Church, and the person who is a sponsor should be capable of performing that service.

Baptism Prep

Our Lady of Lourdes offers preparation to all families planning a baptism in order to help you better understand the Sacrament and Rite of Baptism and the role of parents and Godparents in the faith life of your child.  Baptism is our acceptance of Christ's invitation to participate in the deep mystery of the Cross. Through our preparation process, we will work with parents and godparents to understand this profound reality and be equipped to pass it on to their children.  Baptism Prep Online
Download a copy of this letter  

Online Baptism Prep Session Infant Baptism Prep

When you are ready to schedule your child's baptism, complete this form below and email to me along with a copy of your child's Birth Certificate
Registration Form for Baptism 
Suggested Donation $100.00 to be submitted to the Parish Office two weeks prior to baptism date.

Invitation to join our parish

Contact: Anne Wing 
Office: 818-349-1500 ext. 112
Email us to inquire about more details. 


Matrimony


Register for Marriage Prep Session email us
April 20, 2024 8:30am - 5:00 pm Fee: $120.00 per couple (cash)

Dear Bride and Groom:

Congratulations! on arriving at this momentous time of your lives, planning your wedding!  Marriage in the Catholic Church is a special and solemn vocation.  It is a sacrament or sign that involves God, the couple, and the community of the Church.  It is a serious and sacred way of life.  Through it, husband and wife are called to draw closer to God and to each other in a life-giving relationship of love, fidelity, and mutual self-sacrifice.  The seriousness of entering such a Christian marriage relationship requires the utmost diligence and willingness to be prepared in the best possible way.  Therefore, each couple is asked to consider the following guidelines which the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes has developed to assist you in coming to this beautiful moment in life.

 GUIDELINES

At least one party to the marriage (bride or groom) must be a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.  Minimal membership constitutes (a) registration and residency within the boundaries and/or (b) attendance at the parish Sunday liturgy on a regular basis, and (c) proper permission.  If neither the bride nor the groom lives in the parish or attends Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes, the parents of the bride or groom can fulfill the above criteria.

As marriage is a sign of the willingness to live the Christian life, the Catholic party to the marriage must be a practicing Catholic.  In Catholic belief and practice, marriage is more than a legal contract with rights and responsibilities to be fulfilled by husband and wife.  Marriage is a sacrament and sign to a couple that God is as important to them as they are to one another.  The desire to live one’s Catholic faith must be as important as the desire to live together.  A minimum definition of participation in the  Catholic Church embraces regular attendance at Sunday Mass, reception of Communion, a personal prayer life, and a sincere effort to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Church.  Marriage requires a response to God through His Church.

It is our privilege to help you in every way to make this a memorable, sacred and significant day in your lives.  With this in mind, we have prepared the following information to assist you.

Document Checklist

PNW 2019  Pre-Nuptial Witness Form 

Confessions and Communion:
We can think of no better way to begin a new and important vocation than by preparing for your wedding with a good confession and receiving communion either at the wedding (if a Mass) or that moning or another close to the date.  Confession is by appointment at this time, call the Parish office to schedule, 818-349-1500.

Marriage Preparation:
We provided marriage preparation for couples according to the guidelines of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and are happy to offer certified facilitators for the
FOCCUS ®Marriage Preparation Instrument.  Contact the parish offce to speak with one of the parish priests or Anne Wing. 
Director of Pastoral Care - 818-349-1500 ext. 112 or Email us!