Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word.
~Catechism of the Catholic Church 1213

We are happy to support your family during this special time of preparation for the Baptism of your child and/or your preparation to become a godparent.

Baptisms at St. Teresa of Avila

Infant baptism is for children younger than 7 years old. Parents and Godparents commit to raise the child in the faith, then parents and godparents attend class to prepare for this commitment. Please contact Susan Hoeppel the parish office at 706-863-4956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

For children over 7 years of age, the child should be registered for our Baptism PREP program and will be prepared for baptism accordingly. (Note: If the child to be baptized is seven years old or older, the child must have formal instruction prior to the baptism (Code of Canon Law: Can. 97 §2). For information regarding the baptism of a child over seven years old, please contact Susan Hoeppel the parish office at 706-863-4956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  For information regarding the baptism of an adult, please contact Deacon Danny Craig at either This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 706-738-7457.

In order to help the parents prepare for Baptism, and to help the infants to grow in faith as they grow in age, the Church has certain requirements for Baptism. Hence, to have a child younger than seven years old baptized at St. Teresa of Avila, you must do the following:

• Fully complete the Baptism Registry Form. The form may be filled out or downloaded, or it may be requested from the parish office.
• Be a registered member of St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church for more than three months. If you are registered at another parish, you must provide a letter from the pastor which states that you are registered, active parishioners at that parish and which grants permission for the baptism to occur at St. Teresa of Avila. (C857-p2) If you wish to register at St. Teresa of Avila, you can visit the parish website and complete the St. Teresa of Avila Registration Form electronically or download the form and return it to the parish office.
• Normally, two godparents are chosen, one of whom, according to the Canon Law of the Church, must be a practicing Catholic who is above sixteen years old and has received the three sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation). If the Catholic godparent is not a member of St. Teresa of Avila, he/she must provide a letter of permission from his/her local pastor to be the godparent here. If a godparent is a registered parishioner at St. Teresa of Avila, he/she does not need to submit an eligibility letter.
• Parents must attend a Baptism Preparation class at St. Teresa of Avila or submit a letter from the parish where they attended the class. The Baptism Preparation classes are offered in the month of January, March, May, July, September, and November. The dates are on the parish calendar and can found when filtered by Sacrament - Baptism. These consist of a Saturday 3-hour session. Class time includes video instruction, class discussions, and Q & A. Godparents are welcome to attend, in fact, it is highly encouraged to have the godparents attend the baptism prep class too.

Download and print the Baptism Registration form and Sponsor Form.

Download Baptism Registry Form   Download Baptism Sponsor Form    

or fill out and submit the Baptism Registration form electronically below.