catholic christening for child of single mom?

Question

i am catholic and would like my child to baptised/christened catholic aswell and i am wondering if it is possible? i live in ny and am not sure of the guidlines in the catholic church

does anyone know of a single mother who was able to have her child christened? where there any problems?

Answer 1

Assuming you are a Catholic, there should be no problem having your child baptized.

Select one or two Catholic godparents for your child.

Contact your local parish for more information.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

NYC will have as many different opinions on this as there are priests! I have heard both good and bad stories, but my opinion after hearing all this is that you should never take the first no as the final answer. Instead, look for a priest who loves Jesus and for a parish that loves children.

First, start with the church you grew up in or where you have relatives active in the parish.

If that doesn't work, go to the church in your neighbourhood -- even if you don't belong -- and ask for an appointment.

As a third try, if you need it, go to a neighbourhood where people are active in the community and show a love for all people, not just those who fit their definition of what a Catholic is.

I would be vey surprised if you encountered three unreasonable priests, but if you do, go to http://www.bustedhalo.com and choose "Ask Father Joe" he is based in NYC, I think, and he will either recommend someone or do the job himself.

Love is what Christianity and Catholicism are all about and I would be surprised if your child wasn't welcomed with love to any church.

Good luck,

Answer 3

Our parish has the baptisms done with several babies baptised during the same Mass, calling each one up in turn. Last time I went to the baptism, there were two single mothers there. I don't know if they were single mothers or if their husbands just weren't present, but no one was wondering about that- we were all just enjoying the enormous blessing of watching the babies enter into the Church and receive the gifts of the Holy Trinity.

The Catholic Church does not deny baptism for children of single mothers. The baptism of all children is highly encouraged as it is the first sacrament, which brings the child into the Body of Christ- the Church.

The Catholic Church does require that the parents of the child be Catholic or willing to pledge to raise their children within the Catholic Church. If the child's father is not involved in the baby's life, there is usually no need to obtain that pledge from the father. You must either by Catholic or willing to raise your child as a Catholic if you are not one.

The first step is to consult your local parish. If you are not sure of your parish, you can contact the diocese in your area (which is usually the largest city in your area- i.e. Boston Diocese, Dallas Diocese, Sacramento Diocese) to obtain a list of parishes. Most diocese have websites with a parish directory, so that you can find the one closest to you.

Once you know which parish, contact the parish office and ask to speak with a priest regarding baptisms. Most parishes will require you to go through a baptism class- usually two one-hour classes.

The next step is to find at least one godparent (sponsors) for your child. The role of these godparents is to help support the Catholic upbringing of your child. The involvement of these godparents ranges from entensive to non-existent. The godparents must have received all the sacraments of initiation: baptism, Holy Eucharist, and confirmation. If you don't know any Catholics who meet these requirements, some priest will make exceptions for those who were baptised and received communion, but not confirmed. Your parish priest can also put you in touch with a parishioner whom you may want to invite to be your child's godparent.

Then just show up for the baptism and enjoy what will likely be the most moving Mass of your life!

Answer 4

Depends on the type of Catholic church you go to. This post could potentially be VERY long, so I'll try to make it short...

In the 1960s, the Catholic church "changed" during the rein of Vatican II. People started receiving communion in their hands, and actually touching the body of Christ, instead of having it placed on their tongues, they no longer had to cover their hair/heads as a sign of respect, people were allowed to wear jeans, short skirts, etc., the priest start speaking the mass instead of singing it in Latin, he started doing this with his back to the altar, they brought in friggin three piece bands to be up on the ALTAR. It's sad how it's changed... The traditionalists refer to the new church as the "novus ordo."

If you find a "Traditional" Catholic church (they're few and far between...they're totally self-funded from the parishioners, and are generally looked upon by other Catholics as outcasts or fanatics, etc.

OK, after this, if you go to the new catholic church, you could probably have anything done that you want. If they let a freakin BAND up on the altar, the most sacred and holy place in the church, and you have girls bee bopping in wearing mini-skirts and cracking gum and you can actually touch Jesus' body when you receive communion, they'd probably do anything you wanted as long as you paid them enough.

A traditional church would not do anything for you and your baby. You'd have to be a Catholic, married to a Catholic, converted to the "traditonal" church, have done all your catechicm, be confirmed, blah blah blah.

Answer 5

Speaking for myself, I was not with my son's father at the time of his christening, though we are together now. I did not have any problem whatsoever. Just make sure that your prospective godparents have received all three Sacraments (Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation); they'll need to get a letter from the church they are registered at that states this.

Answer 6

I christened my daughter in a Catholic church and it wasn't the most pleasant experience. The priest asked for both parents to come forward and when he realized it was only me he became extremely rude. Needless to say I havent returned to church since that happened 5 years ago.

Answer 7

I was a single mother with my first child and yes they allowed me to baptize my son but I had 3 Churches refuse me first I was 18 when My son was born and was shunned by the first 3 churches but the church I remained faithful to until it closed last year was willing to accept that I had a child and did not use my mistake against my son and they let me baptize him. So it depends on the church and there priests. Good Luck

Answer 8

Nobody blames the child for the sins of the mother. Have your baby christened. God Bless!

Answer 9

my girlfriend was a single mom with her oldest child. the priest refused at first to baptize the child, because it had been conceived out of wed-lock. the grandfather went back and argued that he was casting the first stone at the child, why would you condemn the child for the mother's sin. he did finally get his point across and the baby was baptized. depending on the priest you may just have to fight for the baby's rights. good luck.

Answer 10

well i wudn't know because i am not chatholic and never was baptised and i don't live in ny, but i would suggest that you go to ur church and ask but seriously i don't know why they wudn't baptise a child of a single mother.