BLESSED TRINITY FAITH FORMATION OCTOBER 2021 FAMILY FAITH ACTIVITY - Blessed Trinity Parish

BLESSED TRINITY FAITH FORMATION
           OCTOBER 2021 FAMILY FAITH ACTIVITY
        BAPTISM-Our Welcome into God’s Family!
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always,
until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:19-20)

The seven sacraments are special signs that we have in the Catholic Church that make visible
God’s love for us. Baptism, one of three Sacraments of Initiation (the others are Holy Commun-
ion and Confirmation) is the first sacrament we receive and is our welcome into God’s Family! In
Baptism, God says the following: we are precious, we are children of God, we are heirs to the
Kingdom of God, and are free from Original Sin! That makes us pretty special! Baptism also
marks the beginning of our lifelong journey as disciples or followers of Jesus.
How is Baptism Celebrated?
Baptism can be celebrated both within or outside of Mass and the celebrant is a priest or dea-
con. At Blessed Trinity, a parent wishing to have a child baptized must first meet with Deacon
Mike Babcock for instruction and then a baptism will be schedule usually after a weekend Mass.
When a child is baptized, the celebration begins with the Ceremony of Welcome where the
priest or deacon greets parents, godparents and child. The parents give the baby’s name and
accept their duty to bring that child up in the Catholic faith. The celebrant then blesses the child
with the sign of the cross then invites the parents and godparents to do the same. The second
step in the Rite of Baptism is the Liturgy of the Word. Scripture is read and the celebrant may
give a short homily at this time. Then the baptismal water is blessed and parents and godpar-
ents renew their baptismal vows. The Celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism now begins!
The celebrant pours water over the child 3 times saying, ”I baptize you in the name of the Fa-
ther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The child is then anointed with holy oil or “Chrism
of Salvation” and a white garment is placed on the child. The baptismal candle is lit and handed
to a parent, godparent or family member. The celebration ends with Liturgy of the Eucharist, if
the baptism takes place within Mass or Concluding Ceremony where all join in saying the Lord’s
Prayer and a special blessing from the celebrant ends the rite.
Did you know? All of your family member’s baptisms are recorded in Baptismal Register of the
parish where they were baptized. All sacraments later received are documented alongside this
entry in the register. The Baptismal Register is consider a legal document.

SIGNS AND SYMBOLS OF BAPTISM
WATER-Water is the primary symbol of Baptism. John the Baptist used water to baptized
Jesus in the Jordan River! Water is for cleansing and is a sign that our sins our washed
away. Baptism cleanses us of Original Sin with which we are all born. For Adults, who are
being baptized into the Catholic Faith through RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults),
this include all of the sins committed before they were baptized. Water is necessary for
life, so it is also a sign that we have new life in Christ!
**Special Blessing** Each family was given a special bottle of holy water to use with your family.
The additional sheet has suggestions on some other meaningful ways to use holy water!

OIL-Oil is also a symbol of baptism. Two kinds of holy oils are used at Baptism, the Oil of
Catechumens which is represents salvation as well as the strength and power that comes
from Christ our Savior. After the water has been poured, the Sacred Chrism is used which
also represents salvation, eternal life and becoming a member in the Body of Christ.

Baptismal Garment-The white garment is worn as a symbol of the Resurrection and
that we now have become a new creation clothed in Christ. It is also a reminder to
parents to wrap their children in the care and compassion of Christ.

Seashell- A seashell is sometimes used to cup and pour the water during baptism.
The seashell is often pictured with three drops of water which represent the trinity.

Candle-Lighted candles represent Christ, the Light of the World. The baptismal candle
is lit from the Paschal candle which stands near the Baptismal Font as a sign of the Ris-
en Lord. The baptismal candle is also a reminder that the Light of Christ has entered
the child’s life as it did for us at our baptism. The flame symbolizes the flame of faith
which will burn from the day of baptism throughout the life of child! It is also a symbol
of the Holy Spirit.

**Family Faith Activity-On the final page is a Baptism Activity for your family to complete. Work
on it together as only one needs to be turned in per family. The directions are given and are to be
turned in by October 19th, 2021. Remember that turning this activity into the Faith Formation
office counts as monthly work for all families in our program.

Use holy water in your everyday life!

1. Bless yourself. This suggestion is obvious, but if we are only blessing ourselves
   with holy water on Sunday, then aren’t we missing out on the rest of the week? You
   can never have too much grace or blessing in your life. Use holy water daily. Keep-
   ing a holy water font in the home is a great idea so that you, your family, and guests
   can be blessed in the comings and goings from your home. Keep the font right by
   the front door to ensure you never leave home without it.

2. Bless your family. Use holy water to pray and make the Sign of the Cross over your spouse and chil-
   dren before they go to sleep at night. You can bless yourself or a family member when they need spir-
   itual strength if they are going through a difficult time. Bonding the family to each other and to God in
   this way is a great family tradition to adopt.

3. Bless your house. If you haven’t taken the time to bless your house with holy water, then no time is
   better than the present. Your home is the domestic Church and is in need of spiritual protection. You
   can sprinkle holy water in your home yourself, or have a priest formally bless your home using holy
   water as part of the house blessing ceremony. When you bless your house at the feast of the Epipha-
   ny in January, you can use your holy water, too.

4 Bless your work space. If you work outside of the home, sprinkling your work space with holy water
  is a great idea, not only for spiritual protection on the work front, but also as to sanctify your daily work
  for the glory of God.

5. Bless your car. The car is probably the most dangerous place where you spend a significant amount
   of time each day. Never underestimate the power of holy water applied to your vehicle to keep you
   safe from harm's way, when used in faith and trust in God. In fact, you can also have a priest bless
   your car with holy water.

6. Bless the sick. If you know of any sick friends or family, then blessing them with holy water probably
   counts as a corporal and a spiritual work of mercy. If you visit the sick in a hospital or nursing home,
   bless their living space with holy water and leave a holy water bottle with them as a comfort in their
   time of need.

7. Bless your pets. Our Blessed Trinity Parish has a rite of blessing of pets on the feast of St. Francis of
   Assisi. Pets are loved companions for individuals and families and often provide a great service to
   them, and even these can be blessed with holy water because all creation has the end of giving glory
   to God.

                                    Adapted from: CatholicCompany.com
                  Blessed Trinity Parish Faith Formation Office 412-884-7744 X221 or x 222

Directions for Baptismal Candle:
*Holy Water Activity
Using the Holy Water and prayer given in your
family packet begin by praying the prayer togeth-
er. Then placing some holy water on your finger,
bless each other by making the sign of the cross
on each others forehead.
After experiencing the Baptism Activity with your                Family Name:
family, take some time, as a family, to complete
the Baptismal Candle on the right of this page.
                                                                Family Members
*Candle Activity
                                                                 & Baptism years
*Begin by putting your family name in the given
box at the top of the candle
*Then add your family members’ names and the
year they were baptized. You can add more de-
tails if you have the room on your candle and the
info handy.
*Color the candle, thinking about how it is a sym-
bol of Christ, The Light of the World and the flame
is a wonderful symbol of the Love of the Holy
Spirit.
*Finally, after completing the entire Baptismal
Activity, as a family create a reflection statement
that summarized what you have experienced.
*If you need more room you can continue on the
back of the candle.
Once completed, cut out the candle and return it
to the Faith Formation Office by October 19th.
In-Person students can bring it when they come
to class and At Home families can drop it off dur-
ing office hours or mail it to: Blessed Trinity Faith   Our Family Reflection on Baptism:
Formation, 3198 Schieck Street, Pittsburgh PA
15227. You can also take a picture of your com-
pleted candle and email it to:
ceisenbarth@blessedtrinitypgh.net or
egarfold@blessedtrinitypgh.net

 *Blessed Trinity Parish Faith Formation Office
                  412-884-7744