Baptism & Pre-Jordan
The Sacrament of Baptism
Baptism is a sacrament instituted by Christ when, just before his Ascension, he commanded his followers to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20). Baptism, the Church teaches, is more than a symbol. Baptism is also an outpouring of God's grace which effectively cleanses the soul of sin and plants the seed of divine life.
Parents of children to be baptized, just like the Holy Family, are responsible for tending this seed lovingly so that it grows into a strong and beautiful faith. In contrast, adults seeking baptism must first learn and accept the essentials of the Catholic faith through a catechetical program called RCIA.
Adult baptisms: Generally take place at Easter as part of the RCIA program. For more details email Fr. Remi at rmorales@saintsaj.org and fill out this form to register interest.
Infant baptisms: By prior arrangement, Sundays 10.30am. To arrange for your child to be baptized, please call our sacramental coordinator, Carole Tokarczyk, 267.787.5000 or office@saintsaj.org. We will also need to collect some important information about the child to be baptized, on this form.
Infant Baptism
Baptisms of babies and young children at St Agatha – St James are typically held on Sundays at 10:15 AM, one per Sunday, immediately after the Mass at 9:00 AM.
In order to baptize your child at our Church, the parent(s) must first register as parishioners or obtain a Letter of Permission to baptize from their current parish.
In addition, the parents must attend the Pre-Jordan Seminar, to be held at the availability of the parents, godparents and priests at the Newman Center, 111 S 38th St, Philadelphia PA 19104.
At least one godparent must be Catholic and submit a Letter of Eligibility from their parish before the baptism date is finalized. The other godparent may be a Christian witness and submit a letter of having been baptized in his/her faith. Catholic godparents and Christian Witnesses must also complete a Pre-Jordan Seminar, either at our parish or at another Catholic parish.