What is Baptism?

Baptism is the first and foundational sacrament of the Catholic faith — the moment a person is welcomed into the family of God and the life of the Church. It is not simply a ceremony. It is a beginning.

Through the waters of Baptism, original sin is washed away, the Holy Spirit is received, and a person becomes a member of the Body of Christ — marked forever as a child of God. It is a moment of profound grace, and one that the Church has celebrated since the very earliest days of Christianity.

For infants, Baptism is the gift of faith from parents who desire that their child grow up knowing, loving, and belonging to God. For adults, it is the culmination of a journey toward Christ — a public declaration of a relationship with God that has already begun in the heart.

The Catholic Sacraments

The Catholic Church celebrates seven sacraments — outward and visible signs of God’s invisible grace at work in our lives. Baptism is the gateway to all the others. It opens the door to a lifetime of sacramental grace — Confirmation, the Eucharist, Reconciliation, and beyond.

This is not a solitary journey. Baptism welcomes a person not into isolation but into community — into the worshipping, praying, living family of St Patrick’s parish.

Arranging a Baptism

Baptisms at St Patrick’s are celebrated on Saturdays of the month before 1:00pm.

If you would like to arrange a Baptism for your child or discuss adult Baptism, please contact the parish office. We will guide you through everything you need to know with warmth and care.

📞 0121 4540418 ✉️ stpatrick.bham@rcaob.org.uk 🕐 Parish office: Tuesday to Friday, 10:30am — 2:00pmCome as you are. All are welcome. 🕊️