Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church

"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." (Matthew 28:19)

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We joyfully invite expectant parents to share the beauty and wonder of your child by preparing your child for the sacrament of baptism.

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As the first sacrament, Baptism washes the stain of original sin off the soul, and leaves on it a mark that will forever identify it as a child of God. God adopts us into His family, and we become brothers and sisters in Christ.

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There are symbolic elements of a Baptism that show the reality of what happens in the soul. Water is used to show the washing away of the stain of original sin. Anointing with sacred chrism (holy oil) symbolizes the permanent stain left on the soul that identifies it as a child of God. White garments are symbolic of the new purity of the soul, now that all guilt has been washed away.  Lastly, a candle is lit from the Paschal Candle to show that the person has received the Light of Christ, and been immersed in His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

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Your baby’s initiation into the Roman Catholic Church requires that you be registered in the parish (or have permission from your parish to have your child's baptism at Our Lady of the Presentation), attend a preparation class, and prepare yourself for the continuing responsibility of raising your child as a Catholic. 

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To begin this process, please contact the parish office to schedule an appointment at 301.349.2045.

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The Saints on Baptism

“Baptize first the children; and if they can speak for themselves, let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them.” St. Hippolytus of Rome ( 215 A.D.)

"Just as a man cannot live in the flesh unless he is born in the flesh, even so a man cannot have the spiritual life of grace unless he is born again spiritually. This regeneration is effected by Baptism: 'Unless a man is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God'." (Jn 3:5)  

St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor (d. 1274)

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"The soul is regenerated in the sacred waters of baptism and thus becomes God's child." 

St. Maximilian Kolbe, Martyr of Auschwitz (d. 1941)