Congratulations! We rejoice with you as you prepare to bring your child into the Church.
Parents wishing to baptize their child are invited to complete the online registration form below. Once the online form is completed, please contact Joe Taylor at the Parish Office to get the Baptism scheduled.
If your family is not yet registered at St. Matthew, we welcome you to officially join our parish family by registering as a parishioner prior to the Baptism.
Baptism Preparation Class
If this is your first child, you will need to attend a baptismal preparation class at the parish, which is offered once a month. Contact Joe Taylor for more information and to register for an upcoming Baptism prep class.
Scheduling
Please reach out to the parish at least 3 months prior to the anticipated Baptism. Baptisms are scheduled (almost) every Sunday following the 9:30am Mass with up to 3 families scheduled on a given Sunday. Please indicate your preference on the Baptism form. Call the parish office at (217) 359-4114 or contact Joe Taylor to schedule a Baptism. Your date is not confirmed until you have contacted the Parish Office.
Godparent Requirements
Godparents help the parents help the child get to heaven. It is not simply a term of endearment, but rather a special and honored responsibility. Therefore, there are certain requirements set in place for the godparents by the Catholic Church's universal code of canon law (can. 872–874). The parish does not have the authority to dispense with any of these requirements.
A godparent:
- May not be the parent of the child being baptized
- Must be at least 16 years old
- Must be a Baptized, practicing Catholic who has received the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation
- Regularly attends Mass, follows Church teachings, and lives out the Faith
- If married, must be validly married in the Catholic Church
- A baptized non-Catholic may be a Christian Witness along with a Catholic godparent (however, the Christian Witness cannot be a baptized Catholic who is not practicing or a baptized Catholic who is currently practicing another Christian faith)
- Only one godparent is necessary. When there are 2 godparents (or one Catholic godparent and one Christian witness), one must be male, and one must be female. There cannot be 2 godparents of the same gender.
If the godparents are not registered parishioners at St. Matthew, a Letter of Permission/Letter of Good Standing will need to be obtained from the parish they currently attend and belong to. This letter needs to be sent to the St. Matthew Parish Office prior to the Baptism.
Entry into Christian life gives access to true freedom (CCC 1282).