The sacrament of Baptism is the beginning of life—supernatural life. Baptism not only gives us sanctifying grace: it also makes us adopted children of God and heirs of heaven. Teens that desire the Sacrament of Baptism will need to complete the above  and  prepare by:

• Attending the Day of Reflection (see calendar usually during lent)
• Select a Godparent(s) (see below) 
  • Godparents need to meet qualifications and have a signed affidavit by their parish.
  • Godparents & Parents need to attend the Baptism Preparation Class
• Parents need to attend the baptism prep class

BAPTISM PREP CLASS INFORMATION
We provide Baptism Classes for Parents & Sponsors on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month at 10 am, located in Room #7 of the Religious Education Building right here at St. Thomas Aquinas.

GODPARENT INFORMATION
You can select one or 2 people for your Godparents. They do not need to be married but they do need to meet the following qualifications.

1.Be a practicing Catholic who is at least 16 years old.
2.Be registered in A Catholic Parish & Receive a letter of Affidavit signed and sealed by their parish.
3.Attend Mass Every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation
4.Go to Confession at least once a year, and receive Holy Communion at least once a year
5.Have Received the Sacrament of Confirmation
6.If Married, be married in the Catholic Church
7.Be a person who leads “A life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on.”
8.NOT BE a parent of the Candidate. (sponsor CAN NOT be the parent of the candidate)

Following thorough preparation, and in the majority of cases, teenagers will receive their baptism during the Easter Vigil Mass at the end of the 2nd year of formation. All necessary paperwork is finalized and submitted to the St. Thomas Aquinas Youth Department." 

• Attending a Life Teen Retreat or Special Event
• Attending the Day of Reflection (see calendar usually during lent)

Those that have completed and are properly formed will receive their:

• 1st Confession During the Lenten Day of Reflection.  
• 1st Holy Communion will be on Divine Mercy Sunday at the 6pm Life Teen Mass

Confirmation Formation adheres to the Archdiocese's established guidelines, which dictate that candidates must engage in one year of preparation before entering their final year of formation. This essentially necessitates a minimum of two years of preparation before they become eligible to receive the sacrament from the Archbishop.

In January, an orientation session will be conducted for teenagers and their parents who express an interest in receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation while actively participating in Life Teen. This orientation aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the confirmation process and furnish details on the following aspects:

Before embarking on their 'Purpose' Confirmation Formation year, teenagers must meet the following prerequisites by May 1st:

• Fulfill general sacrament requirements.  
  • Actively participate in Life Teen and have completed at least one year (about 28 meetings, we meet all year long).
  • Be registered at St. Thomas Aquinas Church (or pay a fee and receive permission from your pastor).  
  • Submit your Baptism certificate.
  • Attend Sunday Mass regularly and submit the Teen Tithing Envelopes.  
  • Master basic formal prayers (provided in October).

Regarding the Purpose Year prerequisites:

• Select a Patron Saint and complete the Saint form (provided in October).
• Choose a qualified sponsor and submit the sponsor affidavit.
• Attend a 3-day retreat or special event (at least one is required; refer to the spring retreat or summer events for options).
• Pass the '100 Things Every Catholic Should Know' quiz (you will receive this in January, with the test scheduled for April).
• Register for the Confirmation Retreat, (which will be discussed during the Confirmation Orientation Meeting in January)

Additional requirements for the Purpose Year will be explained at the commencement of the Purpose Year itself, which begins on Labor Day Weekend, to accommodate the specific needs of the students. 

for any forms or to upload documents please go to stanm.org/upload​/upload​​​