As we safely re-open our churches, we also begin the catch up of Baptisms postponed during lockdown. Families have been patiently waiting for the opportunity to have their children baptised.
If you were asked for outstanding memories of childhood, chances are you would recall things you and your family did rather than special gifts or possessions. It is family traditions that stand out in our memories: visits to grandparents, Sunday lunch, and the weekly jobs given to us by our parents. These are the enduring memories.
Whether those memories and experiences of childhood are good or bad we recognise their great influence on the way we think, our expectations and own ideas of what makes an ideal family life. Attitudes and beliefs are so important.
The arrival of a first child brings parents to a crossroad. Until now parents, extended family, in-laws and friends have shared family customs with them. Now, it’s time to begin laying the foundations of their own family traditions. You move from the passenger seat to the driver’s seat.
A child is born with parents’ features and will pick up their mannerisms. That child grows up too with their faith. Therefore, at a request for Baptism we question – what do you ask of the Church – and encourage parents to think about their own faith and the part it plays in family life. If you help a child grow in God’s love, you grow. If you teach a child to pray, you deepen your understanding of prayer. If you bring a child to Mass, your own faith is enriched.
It is important parents agree on the way the baby is to be brought up. At the beginning of the Baptism ceremony parents are asked, “…do you clearly understand the responsibility…?” the responsibility of bringing the child up Catholic. It gives us pause to think about why a baby is baptised: our faith – our child’s faith.
Parents are asked, why? Why do you want your child baptised? They answer, in accord, we may not be at church every Sunday but we see this as very important, a way of sharing our values. Inevitably they go on to revisit their own family upbringing, often mentioning the parish and school/s they attended. Some families have one Catholic parent and some two. We make family choices in order to bring children up to understand goodness, community and Catholicity – and what it is that supports a child’s faith journey. Baptism is the first of three stages in this process of Catholic initiation. Next is the Sacrament of Eucharist and finally Confirmation.
During November, we joyfully welcomed into the Camberwell, Balwyn and Deepdene community:-
The Sacrament of Marriage was celebrated by:-
Members of the Catholic community who have gone to their eternal rest:-
19 Brenbeal Street, Balwyn VIC 3103
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