Sacraments
Frequently Asked Questions about Baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism is only celebrated on the Second Saturday of each month at 4.30pm/5pm.
Baptisms must be booked at least a month in advance through the Cathedral Office – 051 875 166.
Baptisms are only booked when the necessary paperwork is returned to the Cathedral Office.
No more than three baptisms are celebrated at one time.
Parents may be asked for proof of their baptism.
Godparents/sponsors may be asked for proof of their baptism and confirmation and must be the age of sixteen or over.
Parents need to bring a white shawl and candle to the baptism
A donation is given to the priest for celebrating the baptism.
An adult seeking baptism should contact the Cathedral Administrator – 051 875 166
About The Sacrament of Baptism
‘You cannot have forgotten that all of us, when we were baptised into Christ Jesus, were baptised into his death. So by our baptism into his death we were buried with him, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glorious power, we too should begin living a new life’ Rom 6:3-4The word ‘baptism’ comes from the Greek for ‘immersion’ or ‘bath’. Immersion in water is a sign of death and to raise from water is a sign of new life, and to bathe is a sign of cleansing. The origin of baptism is Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan before he began his public ministry. The waters did not cleanse Jesus, rather he purified the waters to show his solidarity with humankind so that all people can be reconciled with God.
Upon his Ascension into Heaven, Christ instructed his disciples to preach the Gospel and to baptise all peoples so that they can be saved, thus Christ established the means by which the baptised would die to sin and begin a new life with God.
The Rite of Baptism
The Rite of baptism contains different symbols and actions.The Sign of the Cross.
The priest, parents and godparents trace the Sign of the Cross on the baby’s forehead, recalling Christ’s saving death which opened salvation to all the baptised.Scripture
Readings from the Scriptures help prepare the parents for the promises they are about to make to God regarding their child’s faith.Exorcism and Anointing
Baptism is a liberation from sin. A prayer of Exorcism is said over the baby and he/she is anointed with the Oil of Catechumens which is a call to renounce sin and evil. At baptism, Original Sin is removed.Blessing of the Baptismal Water
The water is blessed so that the baby will be reborn through water and the Holy Spirit.Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith
Parents and godparents on behalf of the baby are asked to reject sin and Satan and to profess their faith in the Holy Trinity .Baptism
He priest pours water on the baby’s head three times whilst saying ‘{Name}I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’. The pouring of water matches the naming of the Three Divine Persons (The Holy Trinity) and symbolises the washing away of sin and the new life in Christ that the baby is born into.Anointing with Sacred Chrism
The newly baptised is anointed with the Sacred Chrism by the priest. The Oil of Chrism symbolises the baby’s membership of the Church and that he/she is a sharer in Christ as Priest, Prophet and King.The White Garment and Candle
The newly baptised baby is presented with a white garment and candle. The white garment symbolises that the newly baptised has put on Christ and has risen with him. The white garment also represents that through baptism, the baby now lives in Christ’s protective love. The candle is lit from the large Paschal Candle as a reminder of the light of Christ that he/she has received and that he/she will be a light for Christ in his/her life.Ephphatha
Ephphatha, meaning ‘be opened’ is prayed over the lips and ears of the baby, symbolising that as she/he will grow into adulthood, she/he will hear and speak the Word of God in her/his life.Blessings
The Rite of Baptism finishes with a blessing for the mother, the father and all present.Marriage
Marriage in the Old Testament
The Bible begins with the creation and union of man and woman and finishes with the mystical union between Christ and the Church, known as the ‘Marriage of the Lamb’. Scripture often refers to marriage; its origin, its purpose and the meaning God gives to marriage. The Old Testament books of Ruth and Tobit witness the ideals of marriage and the Song of Songs pictures a human love that mirrors God’s love which ‘no flood can quench’(Song 8:6-7)
Christ’s Teaching on Marriage
Jesus Christ brings to full awareness the divine plan for marriage. In St. John’s Gospel, Christ’s first miracle occurs at the wedding at Cana (Jn 2: 1-12). This confirms the Church’s understanding of the goodness of marriage and the proclamation that from Cana onwards, Christian marriage will be a sign of Christ’s presence in the Sacrament of Marriage.
St. Paul’s Teaching on Marriage
St. Paul reiterates Christ’s teaching on marriage: ‘a wife must not be separated from her husband………a husband must not divorce his wife’ (1Cor 7:10-11) and also in his Letter to the Ephesians: ‘this is why a man leaves his father and mother and becomes attached to his wife, and the two become one flesh’ (Eph 5:31-32). For St. Paul, the love of husband and wife reflects the love between Christ and the Church.
The Celebration of Marriage
In the Sacrament of Marriage, the free consent, given by the man and woman is at the heart of the marriage celebration. According to Canon Law (Church Law), the consent must be given in the presence of the Church’s minister (priest), two witnesses and the congregation. The Rite of Marriage contains two key moments: the Exchange of Consent and the Nuptial Blessing. Marriage is rooted in the bride and groom’s exchange of consent or vows of faithful love and is blessed by God as an image of the marriage between Christ and the Church.
Also, before the Exchange of Consent and the Nuptial Blessing, the couple are asked a series of questions, called the Statement of Intent, in which they declare that they are entering marriage freely and are open to children and to raising them in the Church. The Blessing and Exchange of Rings is a symbol the bride and groom wear of their love for each other and God’s blessing upon their union.
The Sacrament of Marriage can be celebrated with or without the celebration of the Eucharist. This can be discussed with the priest.
As soon as you decide on your wedding date, the following needs to be completed:
You should establish that you are free to marry in the Roman Catholic Church and there is no impediment/obstacle to the marriage.
Weddings are not celebrated on Sundays or Holy Days in the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore.
You should contact the Cathedral Administrator to book the date for your wedding and you should contact the priest you would like to celebrate at your wedding ceremony to ensure his availability. Please also download the Church Booking Form – click here.
You should book a place on a Marriage Preparation Course at an Accord Centre. The Diocese of Waterford and Lismore only accepts Accord Pre-Marriage Course accreditation as valid.
The Cathedral office must be notified immediately of any change or cancellation.
The booking has been made when Cathedral Administrator enters the details of the wedding in the Cathedral Wedding Diary.
Six Months before your Wedding.
A Pre-Nuptial Enquiry Form (Marriage Papers) must be completed for each of you by a priest of the parish in which you currently live.
A Baptism Certificate (longer form), issued within six months of the date of the wedding must be presented.
Proof of Confirmation, if not recorded on the Baptism Certificate, requires a separate Confirmation Certificate from the parish of confirmation.
Proof of Freedom to Marry. This can be established in a number of ways; letters of freedom; a letter from a parent(s) or lifelong acquaintance, stating their relationship to the party to the marriage, and that, to the best of their knowledge, this person is free to marry or an affidavit from a solicitor or Commissioner of Oaths. The priest completing your wedding papers will tell you what he requires.
Marriage Preparation Certificate from Accord. This states that an Accord Marriage Preparation Course has been successfully completed. Only Accord courses are recognised in this Diocese of Waterford and Lismore.
Permission from the Bishop must be sought where one party to the marriage is non-Catholic; one party non-Christian or where a previous marriage of one or both parties has been annulled by the Church.
State Requirements
You must arrange to meet in person a Civil Registrar at least three months before the wedding to give the required three months’ notice of your intention to marry. Before this meeting you need to have booked the church where the ceremony is to take place and the name of the priest who is to officiate who is known as the solemniser.
Without the Marriage Registration Form no wedding can take place in church. Please make sure the details on the form are correct.
A verbal declaration of no impediment/obstacle to the wedding must be made not more than two days before the wedding.
The signed Marriage Registration Form must be returned to the Civil Registrar no later than a month after the wedding. It is the couple’s responsibility to do this.
Full details on www.groireland.ie
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