Baptism is the first and most important sacrament for salvation. It is the gateway to the Church, to all other sacraments, and to eternal life. Baptism is administered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
A person comes into the world by being born. This way, they become a child of their parents and a member of human society. Every day, hundreds of thousands of new people are born on Earth. This growth sustains humanity and ensures its future. Baptism of a child is primarily a great joy for you as parents, who will share all the joys and worries with your children. This responsibility cannot be taken over by grandparents, godparents, or friends, although they naturally have their share in it.
Similarly, God's family on Earth must grow and secure its future. This happens sacramentally through baptism. Jesus spoke about this at the beginning of His public ministry. In Jerusalem, He had a secret conversation with a member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus. During it, He said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." To the objection that this is not possible, He said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:3–5). After His resurrection, Jesus gathered His apostles on a mountain in Galilee and said to them: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19–20). The term "baptize" in the original text of the Gospel means "to wash." It is a ceremonial washing in the name of the Triune God. Our "baptize" expresses the effect of this washing — incorporation into Christ.
Through baptism, a person is born again, supernaturally. By the action of the Holy Spirit, they are engaged in God's life and become God's children. At the same time, they are incorporated into Christ and become His secret members, participants in His prophetic, priestly, and pastoral office. Thus, they are engaged in God's people — the Church. They are its members with all rights and responsibilities. Baptism annuls the so-called "original sin" — the lack of sanctifying grace caused by the sin of the first humans. If the baptized person has personal sins, they are also forgiven. At the same time, the Holy Spirit instills in the soul a certain ease to believe in God, to hope for His help, and to love Him. We speak of the infused virtues of faith, hope, and love, which are also called theological virtues because they closely unite us with God. Whoever has been baptized and become God's child cannot erase this fact from their life. They can only be either a good or a bad child of God. They also cannot cancel the fact that they are a Christian. We say that baptism impresses upon the soul an indelible mark of a Christian and is the first of the 7 sacraments of the Catholic Church. Baptism is a prerequisite for receiving any other sacrament.
Baptism is conferred in Holy Mass, unless there are serious reasons. Baptism is requested by the parents of the baptized child (at least one of the parents must be baptized). During baptism, parents commit themselves to raise the child in the faith and to lead it by word and example of their life to live according to God's law.
Every child should also have a godparent, chosen by the parents, who must meet the following requirements: they must be baptized and confirmed, and if they are married, they must be married in the Church and live a proper Christian life. To request baptism, it is necessary to ask the parish priest at least a month in advance and fill out baptismal registration form and attach an uncertified copy of the child's birth certificate.
