I baptize you ...

Last Saturday morning, I baptized 36 children at two separate celebrations; the first in Spanish, and the second in English. In spite of some reservations expressed by a catechist, and from a comment of my August 26 post, the Baptisms were witnessed by a good number of people. The parents invited many guests, so the church was about half-filled.

The Rite was celebrated fully, from the initial questioning of the parents and Godparents, to the final blessing of the assembly. I was assisted by a deacon, members of the baptism preparation team, and one of the directors of faith formation.

One of the strengths of this particular parish is the faithful's commitment to exceptional catechesis. It was very evident in the attentiveness and involvement of the parents and Godparents.

By the grace of the Holy Spirit all went well, and I look forward to the next time the community gathers for this Sacrament.