By Chris Valley

They enter the room quickly, in couples or carrying a baby. Mostly strangers to one another, nevertheless they share a common bond. They are parents or soon-to-be-parents, and they are asking the Church for baptism of their babies. They are attending the Baptism Preparation Program of Our Lady of the Assumption parish in northeast Atlanta.

In years gone by, arrangement for baptism meant telephoning your pastor, telling him the baby’s name, the names of the godparents and getting on the schedule for a convenient Sunday afternoon. Today, however, there is a new awareness on the part of the Church of the necessity of helping parents to undertake the responsibility which baptism of their child imposes on them.

One way of helping parents is through baptism preparation programs. Such programs may be conducted by a priest individually in the rectory or in a group setting. They may be led by a sister or by lay people. Some are offered in one session – others in several sessions.

“Initially, most people don’t understand why they are expected to attend a class. Not many actually protest, but because it’s a requirement there is some resistance. Some only attend because it’s a requirement, but almost everyone who comes finds it a worthwhile evening,” says Cecilia Cohen, parish catechetical minister at OLA.

Preparation of parents for their baby’s baptism is a relatively recent practice. “After the Second Vatican Council, there was considerable re-thinking of the practice of infant baptism,” according to Miss Cohen. “The Church looked back at its early practice. It began to see infant baptism as a reaffirmation of the parents’ own faith, and as a promise of the church community’s support for the formation of the child in the faith. We try to get this new understanding across to the parents.”

The OLA program is conducted by a team led by Miss Cohen. Carolyn Ellis, Janis Niese and Alice Ryan are parishioners who have been through baptism preparation themselves and who conduct the class along with Miss Cohen.

The basis for the class is the “Introduction to the Rite of Infant Baptism” issued by the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship in 1973. While the Archdiocese of Atlanta encourages parish baptism preparation, the form and content is left up to individual parishes, according to Jim Sendelbach, archdiocesan consultant for religious teacher training.

The class at OLA meets for one session of two hours duration. Topics discussed include the reasons for infant baptism, the new rite of baptism, symbols used in the sacrament (water, oil, salt, candle), ways to make other family members feel included in celebrating the sacrament and preschool religious formation. There is time for discussion of questions on participants’ perceptions of God and the church, for reflective meditation, and for asking questions about how the infant should be dressed, who may be godparents and such.

“We’ve used a team approach for the past three years,” notes Carolyn Ellis. The current team has been working together since last May. Each team member presents a specific part of the class content or takes responsibility for leading a discussion or meditation. Team members alternate in bringing refreshments for the evening.

Both the content and the format of OLA’s program have evolved over time. “At one time, we offered two sessions of approximately one-and-a-half or two duration,” says Janis Niesse. “Then we condensed it into one session.”

“After each class, the team evaluates what went on, what can be improved upon and looks at what might work better. Since September, we have asked participants to fill out evaluation sheets. These are very helpful.”

The OLA program began on a small scale five years ago, according to Carolyn Ellis. At first, only one family showed up for the class, which was conducted at the rectory by one of the Marist deacons. Later, then parish religious education coordinator Anita Willoughby tried to get a group together each month for an hour long discussion of baptism. Carolyn Ellis became involved in helping.

Now, the program is offered five or six times a year. On average, seven families attend the evening meeting. From evaluations submitted at the end of the evening, 95 percent view the class favorably.

Participation in the class is mandatory for baptism of the first child at OLA. For subsequent children, the lapse of time since participation in the Baptism Preparation Program is taken into consideration. Currently those who attend a baptism class within two years of a later child’s baptism are not required to attend again.

“Many people have some ambivalence about the Church and about baptism of their baby,” according to Mrs. Ellis. For a non-Catholic married to a Catholic, or for those coming back to the Church at the birth of a child, the classes provide a warm and friendly atmosphere in which to discuss the Church both as it has been in the past and as it is today.

Having lay people conduct the entire program is viewed as important by Mrs. Ellis. “Sometimes people are in awe of the priest, consequently they feel less at ease in entering a discussion about their views of God, the Church, and the sacrament in which they are about to participate.”

The most important thing about the program may be the fact that the team members can share some of their own experiences with other young parents.

“Baptism of a new family member should be special and meaningful to every member of the family,” says Mrs. Niesse. “I’ve tried to devise ways to make it important to our other children and I share my own experiences in doing so with the group.”

As a preschool teacher at St. Martin-in-the Fields Episcopal School, Alice Ryan has a particular interest in the religious education of the very young child. “It’s important to start religious traditions at an early age,” she comments. “Simple things, like prayers at mealtime, a joyful evening prayer, being aware of membership in Christ’s church, mean a lot. The most important thing is an awareness of God and an appreciation of oneself as a gift of God.”

“The Baptism Preparation Program demonstrates that the Church is really a resource for the parents. It’s here to help from birth on up,” she continues.

Carolyn Ellis sums it up by saying, “It (the class) gives young parents a chance to meet together and discuss their faith with other people in the parish who are at the same stage of life.