When we are baptized, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. Baptism enables us to receive the other sacraments and to grow in the life of the Risen Christ.

Many Catholics receive this sacrament as infants. Before infants are baptized, the parents (and often the godparents as well) receive preparation for their child’s sacramental faith journey. Adults and teenagers who have not been baptized and who wish to become Catholic usually participate in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). After this period of formation, they receive the Sacraments of Initiation, which includes Baptism.

If you are a student, faculty, or staff member interested in having your infant or young child (under the age of 7) receive baptism at Buckeye Catholic, please contact Deacon Stephen Petrill.

If you are a student interested in receiving the Sacrament of Baptism, please contact our OCIA Director, Sarah Botti!

If you or your spouse are an alum of Ohio State within the past 5 years, or are on Ohio State faculty or staff, we are able to baptize your infant.

If you fit the above criteria, please contact Deacon Steve to set up your infant’s baptism.

As the Newman Center is not a parish, we are unable to provide letters of good standing for non-students of OSU for those becoming godparents, etc. Please contact your local Catholic parish for letters of good standing.

• Canon law requires that there be at least one sponsor for the child (a.k.a. godparent), and no more than two. There does not need to be a second sponsor. At least one of the sponsors has to be Catholic. If there are two sponsors, one must be a man and the other a woman. To be eligible to be a godmother or godfather, one must be confirmed in the Catholic Church, a practicing Catholic, and if married, married validly in the Catholic Church. Unless the godparents come to the Newman Center, they will need some sort of letter showing that they meet these criteria—parishes typically have a form letter that suffices.

• Unless they have already taken it in preparation for another baptism, parents and godparents will have to take a baptismal preparation class. Contact Fr. Moloney to arrange a time. If the godparents are coming from out of town, the class can be done very close to the baptism.

If you are looking for a baptismal certificate from the Newman Center, please contact our Administrative Assistant, Natalie Elchynski!