Are you a new parent looking to have your child baptised at the Parish of the Holy Family?  Baptism is the first sacrament of initiation, a joyous celebration welcoming a precious child into the family of the church.  Whilst the birth of a child can often be the compelling event that brings many Christian adults back to their church community after a period of absence, during Baptism it is the parent’s faith that speaks on behalf of their child, too young to have explicit faith of their own. As Baptism catechists, we feel it’s an honour to meet parents at this special time in their lives.

Procedure for Baptism at Parish of the Holy Family:

1. Parents are asked to contact the parish office or email baptism@holyfamilyelmbridge.church  
2. Parents complete the Baptism Information Form and will then receive a link to the Preparation Course.
3. The Baptism Preparation Course is accessed remotely for a small fee of £7.95.

This engaging and thought-provoking course is then completed individually and conveniently at home and at your own pace. A certificate is issued. We ask that you e mail this certificate to the Parish office upon completion. 

4. Once the certificate and form are received you will be booked onto a First Steps in Faith evening and can arrange a baptism date
5. Attend one of our First Steps in Faith evening, which are held on set dates at the parish hall bimonthly 7:30pm for 8pm start.

This evening is a group event, offering the opportunity to meet other families at a similar age and stage. A sociable evening with cheese and wine, we discuss some of the themes raised in the online course, offer some practical advice for the sacrament. We encourage and actively gather parental feedback of the courses completed.

6. Celebrate the Baptism with family and friends at either of the Holy Family churches of Our Lady of Lourdes, Thames Ditton or Church of the Holy Name, Esher.
7. Each January, all families of Baptised children throughout the previous year are invited back to The Baptism of the Lord Celebration mass. Join us for a blessing during mass, with the children’s photos displayed on the altar, then for tea and cake in the hall afterwards.

We want you to feel welcomed and supported especially during this time with young children that can sometimes be rather isolating for many. Further small ‘Steps’ parents of young children can feel part of our joint community include:   

• Community Café and Playgroup
• Weekly Children’s Liturgy