To arrange a baptism at St Wilfrid’s, Longridge, St Mary’s, Chipping or St Peter’s + St Paul’s, Ribchester then please contact us on 01772 782641 and we will be happy to help you.

Alternatively you can email us stwilfridslongridge@outlook.com

We are always delighted to welcome a new member into our parish community.  

For children under the age of 7, their parents and godparents make the profession of faith on their behalf. At least one of the parents must therefore be a baptised Roman Catholic. When you ask for Baptism for your child, you make a solemn promise before God to raise your child in the practice of the Catholic faith. This means teaching them to love God and neighbour as well as bringing them to Mass regularly, so that they can become living members of the Christian community they have entered through Baptism.

A child being baptised must have a practising Roman Catholic godparent over the age of 16. Other Christians may stand as Christian witnesses but must have been baptised themselves because they also must make the profession of faith.

Baptism is the beginning of the whole Christian life. We become members of Christ and members of Christ’s Church. It is a wonderful celebration in which everyone as a special part to play. This is especially true for parents and godparents. For babies and young children, parents are the first teachers of their child in the ways of faith, and it is the role of the godparents to support them in their duty as Christian parents. To that end, they make a solemn promise in the rite of baptism.

When is the Sacrament of Baptism celebrated?

Your child’s Baptism will be arranged with the Parish Priest depending on your preference and available dates. Baptism is normally celebrated on Sunday, the Lord’s Day. 

Attending Sunday Mass

There is an expectation in the Diocese of Salford that parents (and children) should attend Mass on Sunday morning or Saturday evening for at least six weeks before any arrangements are made for a child’s Baptism. You will also be asked to attend a Baptism Preparation half-day retreat.  These normally take place on a Saturday morning.

Please Note

As a requirement of Canon Law, a child should usually be baptised in the parish in which they live. If you regularly attend any of our churches but live outside our parish boundary, you must contact your local parish priest to obtain his permission for the Baptism to take place outside the parish of residence.

It is customary to make an offering to the church after a baptism. This is not retained by the priest personally but goes towards the upkeep of the parish. Heating the church in winter is very expensive. Any donation you make is discretionary, as we do not “charge” for sacraments. We simply invite you to help offset the running costs of the parish. However, no-one is ever refused the sacraments because of a difficulty in making an offering.