Baptism

BAPTISM is the first of the Sacraments of Initiation in the Catholic Church. First-time parents planning to have their child baptized should first contact the parish. You will be given a link to watch several videos describing the Sacrament of Baptism. Following this you will meet with the pastor for a brief meeting to prepare for the sacrament. To register, call the church office at 715-384-3252. There is no charge.

INFANT BAPTISM celebrated after the 4:30pm Mass on Saturdays or after the 11:00am Mass on most Sundays. Registration may be made by calling the church office and choosing a date.

ADULT BAPTISM is the culmination of a desire to be a Catholic Christian, to experience baptism and be received into the Catholic Church as a full member. The process by which this occurs is called RCIA, or Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. A class for interested persons is offered in the late autumn of each year, gradually introducing the Roman Catholic faith and way of life. Children who were not baptized as infants are also initiated through an adapted process of this rite. Additional information may be obtained on this site and through the church office. 

A baptismal record is a legal record in the state of Wisconsin and throughout the United States and, in the recent past, was often accepted in lieu of a birth certificate. All baptisms are recorded in the parish where a person is baptized, and that record is available to that person when needed.

A recent record of Baptism, obtained within six months of the planned event, is needed before several of the sacraments are administered, namely, Confirmation, Holy Orders, and Matrimony or Marriage. After each of these sacraments is received, a record of the just received sacrament is sent to the parish where the person was baptized to update that original baptismal record.

If you were baptized at St. John the Baptist Parish, you may obtain a copy of your baptismal record by calling the parish office at 715-384-3252. There is no charge.

Sponsor Requirements: The Church requires at least one godparent, but not more than two (i.e. one godmother and one godfather). A godparent must be a practicing Catholic (i.e. attending Mass every Sunday) who is at least 16 years old and has been confirmed.

Witness Requirements: A Christian witness can take the place of one of the godparents and must be baptized and at least 16 years old.