The first year we were in a new parish we had an Easter Vigil with no baptisms, which was kind of a bummer. So when I got pregnant that June, I joked that this was to provide at least one baptism for the next Vigil. That turned out to be only 3 weeks after a fairly traumatic delivery, so it didn’t happen. But four years later we were all ready to baptize the 4.5-week-old little sister at the Vigil. My family drove 1000 miles and arrived at 9pm on Good Friday. At 10pm the 4-yr-old big brother announced “Dad, I’m going to throw up” and promptly blew chow. By the next day everyone in the house except for my husband, the newborn, and my 9-mo-old nephew was desperately ill. So hubby went over to church to light the Easter fire and came right home to take care of the sickies.
We recovered relatively quickly and had a lovely baptism that Wednesday evening. My daughter’s godfather was director of music and liturgy and planned a beautiful ceremony, and the whole choir and their families turned out so the music was fantastic. My daughter screamed bloody murder (she apparently preferred to stay a pagan baby…) but everyone else had a grand time!

Deacon Greg,
It sounds like you made it through the experience all the more informed for the next time… The Holy Spirit sure has a way of challenging you when you least expect it, no doubt after experiencing the peace and serenity of the All Saints Day masses earlier in the morning…
When I teach the baptismal instruction class prior to the celebration I always caution the adults that they “should know” how to act in church, whereas “children will be children and do what they do best,” much of which you’ve described in your experience of yesterday. In my current parish, we are usually able to limit the number of children being baptized to no more than six in the group celebration, primarily because the number of children being presented during our six week cycle tends to lend itself well to that maximum or less. It doesn’t sound like this is an option in your parish, given the somewhat large number in the celebration, but I do know from previous stories from other deacons that there is nothing worse than having a family present their child for the sacrament and having the celebration be chaotic and at times far from the reverent experience they expected. It’s almost like they blame the celebrant for not being able to keep control of the celebration, when he himself had nothing to do with the chaos…
A word of advice if you don’t already do it, invite your wife to join you and assist you in the celebration. It definitely makes the celebration move faster and flow more easily, even though I will praise you for getting the celebration completed in forty minutes. My average is usually closer to fifty minutes because I try to explain the different aspects of the celebration and sow some seeds in the process… I also had an experience in the past where I was asked to baptize a child of a family friend at their parishes group baptism celebration, where the presiding deacon was none other than one of my classmates. There was also ten or twelve children being baptized. We assisted one another in celebrating the rite. It was a wonderful experience and between the two of us we were able to maintain a good balance of order and celebration. If you ever need a hand in the future, just let me know, assuming your pastor would be supportive of the diaconate tag-team approach…
Either way, I’m sure the Holy Spirit was in great abundance either in sacrament or the speaking of tongues… ;^)
Peace!

Alex…
At the beginning of the ceremony, I delivered my usual welcome speech about remembering that we are in the presence of Jesus, that the Blessed Sacrament is just a few feet away, that this isn’t a catering hall, blah blah blah. I also told them if they wanted to take pictures, stay in one place and don’t run around like paparazzi chasing Britney Spears (requisite big laugh.) It didn’t do any good. I was completely ignored. I was flabbergasted.
The church sounded, for all the world, like Grand Central Station during rush hour, and I spent most of the ceremony screaming, just to be heard.
We try to limit it to eight babies, but the church secretary has gotten in the habit of over-booking, to compensate for the no-shows.
This was the result.
G.

Deacon, does your parish not do baptisms during the regular Sunday liturgy?

Jason …
No. Like many parishes today, we do them once a month, on the first Sunday, at 2:30 in the afternoon. Once in a great while, we will do private baptisms, if a family will provide its own priest or deacon and if it doesn’t conflict with other events in the church (weddings, etc.) But we discourage that, and encourage keeping the celebration communal.
Dcn. G.

When my daughter was born, we were attending a university parish. The parish also served 4 hospitals, including a very large children’s hospital. The net result is that the parish had the highest baptismal rate in the diocese, but almost no infant baptisms in the Church. Almost all of the baptisms were either emergency baptisms at the hospital or college converts. So our priest was most happy to have our baptism during a Sunday mass. We were one of only two the whole year.
Of course, we brought our own deacon to do the baptism. I don’t know if he was prouder as deacon or as grandpa.
As to your actual post, I think this just shows the need for more clergy and actual baptisteries. Babies are unpredictable, and one baby crying at her own baptism is kinda cute, but a couple babies crying through someone else’s baptism isn’t so much. I understand the practice of group baptisms, but think it is far less than ideal. But more clergy, both deacons and priests, means greater ability to do individual baptisms. And Baptisteries mean the space to do it without monopolizing the church.

Been there….done that

This year, on consecutive Sundays, I went to two multi-baby baptisms like that — one in Western PA and one in Astoria, Queens.
Gotta say, I’m not fond of the format. (At one of these, I had Godfather duty.)
Wouldn’t it be better to spread these baptims out — either after Masses or during Masses?
I actually think an infant Baptism during Mass every once in a while would be a nice thing for a whole parish to experience. (Announce it in the bulletin ahead of time, of course, so people know that Mass will be longer.)

$825 collected??? You mean there is a charge?? Seems to me this is wrong. If one belongs to a parish, practices stewardship, there should not be a fee for the sacraments.
My parish offers baptisms during Mass once a month (recommended by the Bishop, as a reminder of the communal aspect- being initiated into the faith community). The rite is shortened, & creed omitted, so Mass time is unchanged.
–Deacon Ken

Dcn. K…
It’s a free will donation. Suggested offering: $75. Some give more, some give less, some give nothing.
Dcn. G.

As a mother of young children, I have to tell you this post smarts on several levels.
I’m sorry you had what seemed to be a crowd of irreverant participants involved and would like you and your readers to know that this is not representative of all young families, or how the majority of families behave at baptisms.
Our children were baptized after Mass each time, and the ceremonies were quiet, respectful, calm and wonderful. Our priest invited all children to come up to the baptismal font and he explained, in terms they could follow what he was doing, and what each part of the ceremony meant. An explanation which was probably useful for several of the adults present I’d venture to add.
The parish of which we are members now, conducts baptisms periodically, during the Mass celebration and I have to say it’s beautiful also. Respectful, inclusive, and an opportunity for all of us as parishioners to welcome new members into our faith community.
Perhaps something more should be done during the baptism preparation classes to educate your parish members seeking baptism on what it is they are actually doing, and on how to contribute towards a peaceful, respectful, meaningful and beautiful ceremony?

Deacon, your parishioners may not appreciate your public discussion of the administration of a Sacrament that is their right. Their poor behavior should be addressed privately. I have become very wary of clergy posting on the internet.

Sounds like a typical mass baptism.

I am the father of one of the 11 baptized by the good deacon two days ago. The deacon’s description was accurate, if understated. He was way too nice.
It should be mentioned that we’re thrilled our boy received the sacrament. The deacon’s message was wonderful. He talked about how, like the Jordan River, the waters of baptism are teeming with life (and yes, he threw in a joke about Britney Spears that got a laugh). It was a thrill to see our baby wear the same dress I wore as a baby when I was baptized as a baby. It was a thrill to bring my own kid to the baptismal font. It gave me goosebumps.
That said…wow. As convert to Catholicism, I had never witnessed the baptism baby factory before. It was a clown show. Thankfully the efficacy of the sacrament isn’t contingent on the participants’ behavior.
I wrote a long diatribe about the annoying spectacle just now, and described all of the various things that truly annoyed my wife and me. But then I erased it, because it wasn’t very nice or written in love.
Instead, let me just mention that Benedict often talks about how the church is too big. This last Sunday was proof.

Nate…
Thank you
In fairness, I have to say most baptisms aren’t that bad. I’ve been doing this for a couple years, with anywhere from three to 12 babies (and the friends and families…). Most go off without a hitch. And most parents are respectful and well-behaved. But this was truly unreal. I’m not sure why this was so out of control. My voice was actually hoarse at the end, from trying to talk over the mob.
Hopefully, next time will go more smoothly … sigh…
Dcn. G.

I’ve never seen a “Baptism factory” (great phrase, btw), as every parish I’ve known does its baptisms at mass. I imagine such things depend a lot on the size of the parish.