The Sacrament of Baptism
The word 'baptism' comes from the Greek word baptizein which means to plunge or immerse. Baptism has its roots in Judaism where converts had to undergo a purificatory bath as part of the rite of conversion. Jesus began his public life after being baptised by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. After his resurrection, Jesus told his disciples: 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you' (Matthew 28:19-20). Throughout history, the Church has followed Jesus' command, instructing catechumens and then baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism marks the entry of the believer into the Christian community. Along with Confirmation and the Eucharist, Baptism is one of the sacraments of initiation, It acts rather like a sort of gate which opens into the other sacraments. Through Baptism, we have access to the full sacramental life of the Church. We are freed from sin and joined with Christ, sharing in his divinity and destined for eternal life. Baptism leaves us indelibly marked and permanently changed.

Once baptised, we are no longer the person we once were. We have been reborn, dying to our old selves, dying to death and sin, and rising to new life in Christ.

Very ancient baptismal rites were very dramatic in their portrayal of baptism as death and rebirth. In the very early Church, the baptismal fonts were quite large cisterns, often in the form of a cross. The catechumens went down some steps on one side and stood waist-deep in the water. The celebrant then baptised them, putting his hand on their head and plunging them into the water three times, saying the Trinitarian formula. This dramatic ducking signified their death, and their emergence from the water signified their resurrection. So St Paul says: We were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life'(Romans 6:4).
The practice of baptism was a common rite of initiation in many religious expressions in the ancient Mediterranean world. From the time of Jesus, Christianity also expressed through water baptism freedom from sin, union with Jesus Christ and all other baptized persons, our participation in the salvific death and resurrection of Jesus and our new life in the Spirit.
St. Paul, the first great theologian of baptism, expressed its meaning in terms of a break with the old and beginning of new life in Christ. He understood well the reality of the relationship that baptism establishes between us and God and his Son Jesus. The New Testament provides the basis and focal point for the Church’s understanding of baptism.
Baptism in the Gospels
Jesus’ own baptism, to which all four Gospels make reference (John less directly than the other three), provides a starting point for any serious study of the sacrament.
Contrary to some writers’ opinions, Jesus’ baptism was not simply an affirmation of his messiahship, but rather a proclamation of his relationship as Son to the Father. In the baptismal scene in the Gospel of Mark, for example, God speaks directly to Jesus: "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11). In Matthew, the voice addresses the crowd: "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). In Luke, again the voice is directed to Jesus: "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22).
Here we find the basis for the meaning of baptism as the ritual in which one becomes a child of God. Just as Jesus is God’s Son, so also the baptized person is a daughter or son of God and is called by God to take on the family resemblance in living and loving as Jesus did.
In the Fourth Gospel, John the Baptist witnesses to Jesus’ identity as God’s Son: "And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God" (John 1:34). His sonship is affirmed by the Spirit who rests on him (John 1:32). John the Baptist proclaims him to be the "Lamb of God" who destroys the world’s sin through his death and resurrection. John thus affirms that the action of choosing is of God. St. Paul speaks of God’s choosing us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Hence baptism is not our choice or our achievement but an election by God.
The role of the Spirit in baptism is attested by all three Synoptic Gospels. The Spirit is the greatest gift of Jesus in baptism. John declares, "I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit" (Mark 1:8; see also Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16).
Two passages concerning the waters of baptism stand out in the Gospel according to John. The first is a statement by Jesus to Nicodemus: "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit" (John 3:5). The other is the story of the man born blind in John 9:1-41. Jesus tells the man to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, and the evangelist tells us that "Siloam" means "the one sent." In other words, the blind man is to wash himself in the person of Jesus who was sent by the Father.
Baptism in Acts
Acts of the Apostles adds to our understanding of baptism with references to belief in Jesus, which is the heart and basis for baptism. Paul’s account of his conversion in Acts is a good example.
Ananias says to Paul, "Brother Saul, regain your sight!" Paul tells us, "In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear his own voice; for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name’" (Acts 22:13-16).
Thus Acts of the Apostles associates baptism with the Holy Spirit and his gifts of salvation, belief in Jesus and God, preaching the Good News and repentance of sin. Clearly, both in the Gospels and in Acts, baptism is never simply a private matter. Baptism is always between Jesus and the person baptized, but at the same time, it is an act of the Church with Jesus as its center.
Baptism in Paul
In Paul’s letters, we find a more developed theological understanding of baptism, even though it is generally agreed that Paul’s letters preceded the writing of the Gospels. However, the sources used by the evangelists concerning the baptism of Jesus predate Paul’s letters and hence would reflect an earlier understanding on which Paul himself built.
Paul speaks of the transformation through the power of the Spirit that occurs in baptism: "And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11). Thus Paul emphasizes the dignity to which a person rises in baptism: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19). Baptism, therefore, raises the person to a dignity that God will never deny; once a chosen child of God, one always remains God’s dearly loved child.
St. Paul tells us that the baptized person is one with the Lord: "But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him" (1 Corinthians 6:17). So intimate is this union with the risen Lord, Paul says, that "if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his" (Romans 6:5). The Greek word for "united," symphytos, is a horticulture word that means "grafted." In other words, Paul is saying that like a grafted shoot, the baptized person is so closely united with Christ that he or she derives life from Jesus Christ himself. Thus baptism marks the end of the power of sin for the baptized, so that the believer lives a new kind of life for God in Christ, to whom he or she is intimately united. Baptism communicates to the believer the life-giving power of the risen Lord.
That union with Christ, however, is not individualistic but rather a corporate one, for the Christian is one with all other believers: "[L]ead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ... making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, ... one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all" (Ephesians 4:1-4).
Paul states that in baptism, "[I]f you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29). By the waters of baptism, the Christian enters into the fullness of salvation history. Merely by belonging to Christ, one becomes an heir of the promises made to Abraham. "[I]n Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26).
That which happened to Christ in his death and resurrection is transferred to the believer in baptism: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4).
Baptism and the Church
Out of God’s revealed word, the Church has developed a theology of baptism that takes into account the lived experience of the Church throughout its history, its liturgical life and its theological developments.
The notion of baptism as a sacrament dates back to the early centuries of Christianity. The word "sacrament" is borrowed from the Latin, sacramentum, which in Roman times referred to an initiation rite in which soldiers promised their fidelity to their commander. In teaching Gentiles, the Church used the word sacramentum to explain the rite of Christian initiation in which the initiates would commit themselves to the service of God. When Christianity supplanted polytheism in the empire, the Roman sense was dropped, and the word was expanded to any symbol that represented one’s relationship to God.
By the fifth century, St. Augustine referred to a sacramentum as anything that was "a sign of a sacred reality." By the twelfth century, the word was restricted to the seven rituals of the Church which Catholics refer to as the seven sacraments.
In the first century, however, the word "baptism" was not specifically a Christian designation for a sacrament. The ancient mystery religions made use of initiation rites which had similarities to Jewish and Christian baptisms. Hebrews 6:1-2 speaks of "baptisms" that were practiced by the Jews before the resurrection of Jesus. These baptisms were largely purification rites. By the second century A.D., these Jewish rituals had developed into initiatory rites for proselytes and included instruction, circumcision and water baths. They were initiatory rites that made Gentiles Jews by purifying them from their state of uncleanness and admitting them into the covenant life of Judaism, which in turn was culminated by the offering of sacrifice.
The Church’s baptismal tradition has shaped the rite as we know it in the Catholic Church today. From the Church’s expression of corporate faith in the early Church, through conversion and a ritual that was aimed at sustaining one in the faith in the face of persecution and death, to its present ritual form, baptism continues to unite the baptized individual with Christ and his body, the Church.
Since the liturgical reforms initiated by Vatican II there are three separate rites for Baptism:

1. one for infants
2. one for children old enough to understand
3. one for adults

The essential part of the baptismal rite consists of pouring water over the head and saying the Trinitarian formula: 'I baptise you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' The usual minister of Baptism is the priest or deacon, but anyone can baptise in an emergency. Although water and the Trinitarian formula make the sacrament valid, the ordinary rite usually includes the anointing of the forehead of the candidate with holy oil. This oil is blessed by the bishop at the Mass of Chrism on Maundy Thursday. In the Old Testament, priests, prophets and kings were anointed with oil, and as the priest or deacon anoints the candidate he says:

God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin, given you a new birth by water and the Holy Sprit and welcomed you into his holy people. He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation. As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet and King, so may you live always as a member of his body, sharing everlasting life.

Once the newly baptised have been anointed they are given a white garment, to signify their new life in Christ, and a candle lit from the paschal candle. Like Christ who is the light of the world, the newly baptised Christian carries the light of Christ out into the world.

Baptism cleanses us from sin. This means that it cleanses us from all the sins which we have committed so far. The early Church had a problem — what if you committed sins after Baptism? Could you be forgiven these too? At first the Church was not sure that it had the power to forgive sins committed after Baptism, and this became such a cause of anxiety that many delayed their baptism for as long as possible because they did not want to fall into serious sin and have no way of remedying the situation. St Augustine was not baptised until he was well into his thirties and St Ambrose waited until he was thirty-four, and then it was part of the ceremony which made him into a bishop!

Obviously this situation was not a very healthy one, and the Church gradually evolved mechanisms for dealing with post-baptismal sin. A system of penance's was instituted which became the early form of our modem day sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.

Water
This is for cleansing and is a sign that our sins are washed away. Baptism cleanses us from original sin with which we are all born and, in the baptism of adults, of every sin committed prior to baptism.

Water is also a sign of new life. The newly-baptised is given the new life of the Holy Spirit which unites the person in the life of the Trinity. We call this new life "sanctifying grace".

The Christian name given at the "Christening" is a symbol of the truth that the newly-baptised person belongs to Christ and is made like him.

What Are The Effects of Baptism?
Baptism gives us the character of Christ. This is like the impression made by a parent on their child; it is permanent and irrevocable. Augustine compared the baptismal character to the mark or seal tattooed on a soldier to show who was his lord. When the sacrament is celebrated validly the baptismal character is always given. Therefore, this sacrament can never be repeated.

Because baptism confers the character of Christ, it gives the one who is baptised a share in Christ's priesthood and the power therefore to worship. This is the reason why a person must be baptised before being able to celebrate any other sacraments.

Godparents
In the earliest days of the Church the sponsors at the baptism of a child were the parents. But as most of the baptisms in those days were of older candidates this was often not possible. Many parents of converts could not or would not stand as sponsors. Slaves were without their parents, and many younger children had been abandoned by their parents and had to be taken in by Christian communities. Very often sponsors at these baptisms were deacons or deaconess's. Only one sponsor was required, in the case of adults they had to be of the same sex as the candidate. These sponsors were called "spiritual parents" and their duty was to give instruction both before and after baptism and to be a guardian of the spiritual life of the baptised person. This is the origin of the term "godparent".

Today, the role of godparents is secondary in the case of infant baptism. If necessary, godparents should be ready to help in the spiritual education of their godchild. It's important that a godparent is sufficiently mature (usually over sixteen), already initiated as a Christian (by baptism, confirmation and the Eucharist) and a member of the Catholic Church. A parent cannot be godparent to his or her own child.

What Happens at Baptism?
Those who are to be baptised, their families and friends and the community of Christians, gather together to celebrate this sign of God's life in the world.

Words of welcome are exchanged. The names that have been chosen for baptism are announced and all present are united in the opening prayers.

Everyone present listens to the word of God read from the Scriptures.

Prayers are offered for those who are to receive the sacrament, for their families, friends and all who are present.

To prepare for baptism the candidate is anointed with Oil of Baptism as a sign of Christ's strengthening power in overcoming evil.

All present renew their own baptismal vows.

The baptism takes place. The minister pours the baptismal water over the forehead three times as he says the words of baptism.

The newly baptised are then anointed with Oil of Chrism as a sign of sealing with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Like Christ the one baptised is now an "anointed one".

As a sign of being a new creation clothed in Christ, the one who has been baptised is now clothed in a white garment.

A candle is presented to light at the paschal candle as a sign of the light of Christ now present in the newly baptised life.

Final prayers and a blessing is given that all present may love and serve the Lord in peace and goodwill.

The Baptism of Adults

A baby is brought to baptism in the Church by the faith of his or her parents. This is clearly not so for adults who, after hearing about Jesus Christ, are moved by the Holy Spirit within them consciously and freely to seek baptism.

The growth of the Church in the first centuries came very largely through the baptism of adults. In more recent years the Church has returned to many of the ceremonies of those first centuries for welcoming people who seek baptism into the Church. The whole period of deepening conversion and the ceremonies that accompany it have been brought together in what the Church calls The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA.

The RCIA is a reminder of a truth that has always been recognised by the Christian community: to be a Christian it isn't enough to walk off the street and into a church and ask a priest for baptism. There is no such thing as an "overnight conversion". Growth in faith, rather, is a gradual process and this is as true for an adult seeking baptism as it is for someone baptised as a baby who then grows into the faith as they mature into childhood, adolescence and adulthood. It is this usually gradual growth in faith which frequently leads the Christian life to be referred to as a "journey" or "pilgrimage". For in every Christian's growth in faith there are periods of rapid movement but also times when we hardly know where we are going; there are moments of excitement but also situations where we experience an uphill struggle. And so all the steps of the RCIA may take a year or two or even more. The steps mark important moments of growth in the knowledge and love of God which apply to people seeking baptism but which can be applied equally to all Christians who seek to mature in faith.

Even a simple chart of these rites of the RCIA which mark entry of an adult into the Church can appear rather complicated and daunting. Most dioceses and parishes adapt the ceremonies to their own particular circumstances. It is useful, however, to chart the rites in a way which provides an overall picture of the RCIA process.

Outline For Christian Initiation of Adults
The initiation of adults into the Catholic Church may be divided into three principal steps, each step being preceded and followed by a period of maturing in faith.

PERIOD OF EVANGELISATION
of no fixed duration, when the candidate is introduced to the Gospel and experiences the beginnings of faith.

FIRST STEP
ACCEPTANCE INTO THE ORDER OF CATECHUMENS
First public declaration of intention to become a member of the Church.

PERIOD OF CATECHUMENATE
of no fixed duration, when candidate's faith is nurtured and instruction is received iii the mysteries of faith and the teachings of the Catholic Church. May include celebrations of the Word of God and blessings.

SECOND STEP
ELECTION OR ENROLMENT OF NAMES
Usually celebrated on 1st Sunday of Lent when the Church formally accepts candidates for entry into the Church and enrols their names in the book kept for that purpose.

PERIOD OF PURIFICATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT
usually the Season of Lent. It is a time of reflection centred on conversion. May include the scrutinies and presentations of the Creed and the Lord's Prayer.

THIRD STEP
CELEBRATION OF SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION
that is, Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist — usually at the Easter Vigil.

PERIOD OF POST - BAPTISMAL INSTRUCTION
usually the Easter Season, when newly-baptised are more fully drawn into the Christian community, especially through the Sunday Eucharist, for the deepening of commitment of all God's faithful.