Baptisms
Diocesan guidelines require that all baptisms be celebrated in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart or the Log Chapel and in no other chapels on campus.
Your child may be baptized at the Basilica or the Log Chapel if you are:
- A current Notre Dame student
- An alumnus/a of Notre Dame
- A current full-time member of the faculty or staff
- A member of Sacred Heart Parish
To request a date for your child's baptism, please email basilica@nd.edu.
Required Paperwork
A letter of permission to baptize the child from your parish in which you are registered is required. Also, a pre-baptismal class is required for all parents (first–born only) and a letter or certificate stating the completion of this class is required. Finally, a Baptismal Register form must also be completed after you have scheduled a date with the Basilica office.
It is highly recommended that all paperwork be turned in two weeks prior to the Baptism.
Fees: No fee is required for use of the facilities. A stipend to the priest performing the baptism is appropriate.
Godparents
Godparents play an extremely important role in the Church. They serve as models of faith and help bear the responsibility of helping children grow in their Christian vocations. As such, the Church asks people to fulfill the following requirements before serving as a godparent:
- They must be a fully initiated Catholic (ie. they have received the Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion).
- They must be in good standing with the Catholic Church.
- They should be over the age of sixteen.
Here are a few other things to consider when thinking about who might serve as a godparent for your child:
- While having two godparents is most common, only one is necessary. If there are two godparents, one must be male and the other female.
- A non-Catholic Christian may serve as a "Christian Witness" to the baptism as long as there is one Catholic godparent.
- If your chosen godparent is unable to be physically present at the ceremony, someone else may stand in for them as a proxy.
If you have any questions regarding your potential godparents, please email basilica@nd.edu.