Christening is the first of the seven Roman Catholic sacraments. It is considered to be the first because it is usually received early in life. It removes the original sin and makes the recipient a member of the church. The other Catholic sacraments cannot be received by a person until they have been baptized. The traditions of the sacrament include choosing a Christian name, choosing sponsors, joining with a priest in ceremony and prayer and celebrating with family and close friends.
Catholic doctrine teaches that all humans are born with original sin on their souls. Original sin is inherited from Adam and Eve, who sinned when they disobeyed God’s one command – not to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden. Baptism restores the soul to a sinless state. It also marks a person’s soul as belonging to God and fills the soul with virtue and sanctifying grace.
Baptisms in the Catholic Church usually take place on Sundays, during the parish Mass or in the early afternoon after all the Masses are over. In most cases, the parish priest or deacon administers the sacrament, anointing the person being baptized with oils, and pouring blessed water over the child or adult’s head not just once but three times.
A person being baptized in the Catholic Church is expected to dress in white to symbolize purity of faith and the cleansing power of Baptism. The white garment symbolizes the white garments Jesus wore when he was placed in the tomb after his death on Good Friday. An infant may wear a baptismal gown handed down for generations; an adult typically puts on a full-length white gown known as an alb.
The baptism ritual is a participatory one, with all attendees rejecting Satan and professing their faith, with parents and of an infant and the godparents and immediate family members of the person being baptized being a bit more involved.
Like the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Sacrament of Holy Orders, as a Catholic, you’re baptized just once. These three sacraments confer an indelible mark on your soul. No one can ever be un-baptized or re-baptized.
