Please read questions and answers located below before registering.
Q: I want to have my child baptized at St. Peter’s. What is the process I need to follow?
First, you must be a registered and practicing member of the parish. If you are not registered, please register on line, CLICK HERE for parish registration form.
Q: How does St. Peter’s schedule baptisms?
Baptisms outside of Holy Mass are typically done by a deacon and are usually on second and third Saturdays of the month. To schedule a baptism, call St. Peter’s office at 843-522-9555 for an appointment.
Q: We have moved here and wish to have our child baptized in another parish. Is this possible?
Yes, it is possible. You must contact the priest/parish that will perform the baptism and make sure that you will be permitted to be prepared here at St. Peter’s. Additionally, you will need a letter of permission from our pastor to have your baby baptized elsewhere.
Q: What qualifies a person to act as a Godparent?
The person must be 16 years of age and be an active Catholic in their community. They must have received the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, and if they are married they must have been married by a priest or deacon in the Church. They must practice their faith by attending Mass, receiving the Sacraments, and by leading a lifestyle that is consistent with the Catholic Faith. A document attesting to the above must be provided by their parish office with the signature of the pastor and the seal of the parish.
Q: The Godparent we have chosen is not from St. Peter’s. Will this individual need some type of paperwork?
Yes. Such people will need a letter of eligibility signed and verified from his/her home parish. This letter must be received a week or more before the baptism.
Q: We wish to have a St. Peter’s parishioner act as Godparent. Will this person also need a letter?
Yes. Pick up the form from the parish office. The Godparent will sign it to affirm they are qualified and return it to the parish office for verification in the database and signature by the parish priest.
Q: When is the best time to take the class?
It is recommended that you take the class during the last trimester of pregnancy. If this is not possible, classes should be taken as soon after the child’s birth as possible.
Q: My spouse works evenings. Do we both need to attend the class together?
Unless there is an extreme situation that prevents you both from attending, it is strongly recommended that you both come together. If only one parent is Catholic, the Catholic parent must attend the class. We baptize the child on the faith of the Catholic parent(s).
Older children preparing for baptism are required to attend religious education. Please contact Leslie Tibbitt at (843) 522-9555 ext 503.
Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, as we are born of the water and the Spirit. Baptism is necessary for salvation (John 3:5), and conveys a permanent sign that the new Christian is a child of God. Jesus himself was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist (Mark 1:9-11). The martyr St. Ignatius of Antioch, in his Letter to the Ephesians written about 100 AD, stated that "Jesus Christ was baptized, that by himself submitting he might purify the water." Baptism is prefigured in the Old Testament through the saving of Noah and his family during the Flood (Genesis 7:12-23, 1 Peter 3:20-21), and Moses crossing of the Red Sea during the Exodus, leaving captivity for the Promised Land (Exodus 14:1-22).
The Greek word baptizein means to "immerse, plunge, or dip." The infant or candidate is anointed with the oil of catechumens, followed by the parents, godparents, or candidate making the profession of faith. The essential rite of Baptism consists of the minister immersing the baby or person in water or pouring water on his head, while pronouncing "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." The infant or candidate is then anointed with sacred chrism.
What has taken place in Baptism is indicated by the rites that follow it, the clothing in the white garment and giving of the lighted candle: the baptized person has "put on Christ" and has now become light.