January 11, 2026, 12:00 PM
I know for the past few months—and, actually, for the past couple of years—we’ve been asking “How will things be different when St Ann and St Boniface Parishes link? What will change? What will be ‘business as usual’?”
Today’s feast, the Baptism of the Lord, gives us a chance to look at a change: The way in which we prepare and celebrate the baptism of our children. There are two aspects to this question—one’s practical, the other’s theological. Both matter!
The practical: Both parishes bring a history where clergy were pretty much the only people who prepared parents for the baptism of their children. It might be the priest doing the baptism, it might be the deacon. In a world where clergy have become scarcer, it’s time to look towards the lay faithful to help. After all, who should be better in inviting new parents to understand the baptism of their child than other parents who have been through this sacrament in their family? Over the past few years St Boniface Parish has developed a process for preparing families for baptism. St Ann’s parishioners are now invited into that process. And that’s both families preparing for a baptism and people who want to help!
The theological: I’m struck by the words that open the Rite of Baptism: “The Church welcomes…The Church rejoices with you…” Baptism, like all the other sacraments, belongs to the community. I know many of us were baptized in rather private ceremonies, giving the impression that this is a family-only event. But the ritual’s words tell us otherwise. We’re not baptized into our families—we arrived there by birth. We’re baptized into a relationship with Jesus Christ, who is present when his people gather. And the Church’s insistence that this should happen at a communal celebration with the participation of the faithful of the parish makes that clearer. So, we’re going to be baptizing during Masses. Normally that means a Saturday or Sunday Mass. It can happen at a weekday Mass. We’ll steer you away from complicated days. (No one needs a baptism at the already complicated 4pm Christmas Eve or blended into the procession on Palm Sunday!)
Fr. McCreary
