We recognize that the Sacraments have a visible and invisible reality, a reality open to all the human senses but grasped in its God-given depths with the eyes of faith. When parents hug their children, for example, the visible reality we see is the hug. The invisible reality the hug conveys is love. We cannot "see" the love the hug expresses, though somethime we can see its nurturing effect in the child.
The visible reality we see in the Sacraments is their outward expression, the form they take, and the way in which they are administered and received. The invisible reality we cannot "see" is God's grace, his gracious initiative in redeeming us through the death and Resurrection of his Son. His initiative is called grace because it is the free and loving gift by which he offers people a share in his life, and shows us his favor and will for our salvation. Our response to the grace of God's initiative is itself a grace or gift from God by which we can imitate Christ in our daily lives.
The saving words and deeds of Jesus Christ are the foundation of what he would communicate in the Sacraments through the ministers of the Church. Guided by the Holy Spirit the Church recognizes the existence of Seven Sacraments instituted by the Lord. They are the Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. The Sacraments of Healing - Penance and the Anointing of the Sick. The Sacraments of the Service of Communion - Marriage and Holy Orders. Through the Sacraments, God shares his holiness with us so that we, in turn, can make the world holier.
Couples seeking Baptism for their child must have been married in the Catholic Church or have received the proper dispensations. Married couples who have not received the Sacrament of Marriage in the Church, single parents or unmarried couples are welcome to bring their child to Baptism in the Faith, but are asked to schedule an appointment to meet with the Rector prior to scheduling the Baptism.
Parents must select one practicing Roman Catholic Godparent who is in good standing with the Church. If two Godparents are selected, they must be of opposite gender. A non-Catholic, baptized Christian may be chosen as a Christian Witness, as long as one Godparent is Catholic.
The Catholic Godparent: