Baptismal Teams
Founded in 1998, the trained members of the teams visit the home of any baby who is to be baptised and explain the practicalities and symbolism of the ceremony. Baptisms are performed in St Mary’s on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month at 12 noon and on the 2nd Sunday of each month at 2.15 pm. Baptisms are performed in Ladychapel on the 4th Sunday of each month at 2.00 pm. Parents must give at least two weeks’ notice to the Parish Office.
The teams invited babies baptised in 2019, along with their parents, to a special Celebratory Mass in St Mary’s Church at 10.00am on the 1st Sunday of February, 2020. Personal invitations were sent out in January 2020. This Celebratory Mass is an annual event held each February for babies baptised during the previous year. Due to Coronavirus this Mass was not celebrated in 2021.
To get in contact with the St Mary’s Baptismal Team, please contact Michael O’Dwyer at 086 160 6975.
or michael.odwyer@mu.ie. You can also contact the Parish Office at 01629 3018 or maynoothparishoffice@gmail.com. The team would welcome new members.
To get in contact with the Ladychapel Team, please call: Caroline McCartan at 085 730 7927.
To make a booking please contact Martina in the Parish Office on Tel: 01-6293018 or by email to maynoothparishoffice@gmail.com
Four babies are baptised at each ceremony. Booking is heavy at certain times of the year. As a result, parents may not always have their child baptised on the date which they have in mind.
For this reason we ask parents not to give a date to family members living abroad until the date has been confirmed with the Parish Secretary. In this way, family members living abroad will not incur unnecessary travel expenses etc.
ADULTS who wish to be baptised, please consult Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults site which can also be found under ‘Parish Groups’ on parish website.
CORONAVIRUS
Until further notice only parents, godparents and brothers and sisters of the baby being baptised may attend the baptismal ceremony. Parents should inform relations and friends that the ceremony will be transmitted live on the parish webcam
Background & History
The St Mary’s Baptismal Team was founded in October 1998 by Monsignor Alex Stenson. Four members, Meabh-Ann McNamara, Mary Skelly, Sr Patricia and Michael O’Dwyer along with the priests of the parish attended a training course in Maynooth College.
The course was organised by Dublin Diocese and given by Dr Raymond Topley, Head of Religious Studies. Meetings were then held in the Parochial House to allow members to discuss their role and draw up a plan of action. It was decided that members would visit parents in their homes in the course of the month prior to the Ceremony to welcome them and their child into the parish community and discuss the spiritual significance of the sacrament. They would also give the parents a book explaining the meaning of Baptism and give them some practical tips for the day.
Members would also assist the priest in the administration of the sacrament. Visits and participation in the ceremony began in September 1999. In January 2000 on the Sunday after the feast of the baptism of Our Lord parents who had children baptised during the previous year were invited to bring their children to the 11:30 a.m. Mass to introduce them to the congregation as our newest parishioners and to offer the mass for their intentions. This now takes place at the Family Mass at 10.00 am on the first Sunday of February.
The team has been meeting once a month since 1998 to plan and evaluate its work. Once a year they meet with other baptismal teams in the diocese at an annual gathering to share and reflect on the ministry. As a team they have found this activity most useful. We initiated an evening devoted to prayers for expectant mothers and a prenatal blessing held biannually. An invitation was issued to expectant mothers on the previous Sunday. Later this was changed. Prayers and prenatal blessing took place at Sunday masses on the Sunday of the weekend for life in October. Expectant mothers who wish to receive a prenatal blessing should contact Fr Frank or Fr Paul.
Currently, the St Mary’s team has four members. The Ladychapel team, founded in 2014, also has four members.
Preparation & Booklet
The parish Baptismal Team has the great honour of participating in the preparation of your baby’s baptism. It is important that you understand what is needed in a timely fashion so that there are no surprises or letdowns. It is vital that the parish office be informed in time to register and book your baby’s baptism. This notice period is two weeks.
The Baptismal Team is then informed and makes arrangements to call to your home to explain the ceremony and give some practical advice and support on the day.
Things to note for the day are:
1. Please come fifteen minutes before the start of the ceremony.
2. Have your baby fed so that he/she will be a little more relaxed to enjoy the day.
3. Have the Godfather hold the candle. Each baby must have his/her own candle.
4. Have the Godmother hold the white robe. After all, this is your day and your baby’s day.
We look forward to meeting you and hope we can help you on the day to relax and enter into the great mystery that is unfolding,
Click here to download our parish “Celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism” preparation guide.
Contacts
Fr. Frank McEvoy, PP 01 628 6220
Fr. Paul Kelly, CC
St Mary’s Team:
Michael O’Dwyer, Co-ordinator michael.odwyer@mu.ie or 086 160 6975
Mary McMahon
Ann Nevin
Janet O’Donnell, Secretary
Ladychapel Team:
Caroline McCartan, Co-ordinator; 085 730 7927
Geraldine Travers
Margaret Noonan
Deirdre Horan
Prenatal Blessing
Expectant mothers who wish to receive a prenatal blessing should contact Fr Frank or Fr Paul.
Special Mass
The team invited babies baptised in 2019 along with their parents, to a special Celebratory Mass at 10:00 am in St Mary’s Church on the 1st Sunday of February 2020. Seats were reserved in the main aisle. Tea and coffee were served in the Parish Pastoral Centre afterwards. Due to Coronavirus the special Mass for babies baptised in 2020 will be held later in 2021.