Baptisms at St. Charles or St. Luke Church are celebrated during Mass with only one baptism per Mass.

Catholics don’t view baptism as a private or merely symbolic act. It is a public, communal sacrament that initiates a person into the life of the Church. When it is celebrated during Mass, the individual is welcomed into the worshiping community itself. The gathered faithful, as the Body of Christ, not only receive the newly baptized but also share in the responsibility of nurturing their faith.

This practice emphasizes that baptism is not just a family occasion but an event that belongs to the entire Church. In Catholic understanding, all the sacraments are interconnected, and celebrating baptism within the Mass highlights that it is part of the Church’s ongoing life of worship and grace, rather than an isolated ritual.

Procedure for scheduling Baptism:

1. Register in the parish if not already a member.
2. Call the Parish Office at 330-758-2325 to schedule a date and time.
3. Make arrangements to attend the parent preparation class. Reservations required.

St. Catherine of Siena Parish presumes that parents who are requesting the baptism of their child or children intend to raise them in the Catholic Faith and Catholic practices. If this is not the intention, Baptism should be postponed and consultation with a priest or the Co- Director of Religious Education should be scheduled.