KLM

uderin02

In response to your post about baptism...funny you should ask because we are in the process of figuring out our religious beliefs and what to do for Logan.



What religion are you and your husband? Do you go to church or did either of you have a strong religious upbringing?


I'm Catholic and Jeremy is Lutheran. We're going back and forth on what to do for L. We definitely want him baptiZed and want religion in his life, but it's nothing we'll force on him as he gets older. He will go to Sunday School and church until he is old enough to make his own decisions and give me valid reasons on why he doesn't wanna participate anymore. We're just torn between which church. I never in a million years thought I would lean more towards Lutheran, but I think I am. We're still going to different churches and then well pick what works best for us.



I believe some churches do a "dedication" which is different than a baptism, but not sure what it is. Maybe look into that? As long as you give her freedom when she's older I see nothing wrong with baptizing her now.

mrsskiz

I thought we would have this issue too since DH is Catholic and Im not. We had a Methodist wedding ceremony and it was never even an option for DH. He didnt want a Catholic wedding at all. I worry his mother is going to have an issue with our child not being baptised Catholic, but DH said he would handle her because its not her decision. He was forced into the religion as a child and refuses to raise our child in that religion because of her. She will get over it, just like she did with our wedding. At least SIL did the Catholic thing for their wedding and our neices baptism. That and she takes DS to mass whenever hes with her. So at least someone in our house is getting some Jesus.

mammersoh

Mrs.Skiz said:

So at least someone in our house is getting some Jesus.

Haha, A goes with my parents when they go to church and thats what we always tell him. We are also in the same boat kinda. Neither kid is baptized though and I don't think that we will doing it. I just don't think it seems like something I should do if I'm not really practicing a particular religion. DH went to catholic school all of his life, I was baptized catholic but that was basically the extent of it. Our wedding ceremony wasn't religious at all and we don't ever go to church. We do however believe in God, heaven, and all of that which we talk about to the kids but I'm letting them make their own choice. My grandmother and my mom give me a hard time about it sometimes but I blow them off. 

court115

It's a hard decision to make. I was raised Catholic and come from a really strong Italian Catholic family (more so my grandparents than anything). H was raised Methodist. We had a Catholic wedding. But when it came time to baptize Teddy, I didn't want to go to the Catholic church and Shawn didn't have strong feelings either way.

So, at the suggestion of a friend, we started attending a Lutheran church and had T baptized there. It's wonderful. I'm really glad we made the switch. We just have to get better at going every single week! Of course once he gets older, he can make a decision for himself just like we did.

amccul20

Ben and I aren't particularly religous but I did grow up Catholic.  I'm sure my family expects Bear will be baptized catholic, but I don't plan on that.  DH did go to church for a short while growing up and doesn't really care what I want to do in terms of church/baptizing for the baby.

GAH. i'm glad I have some time to figure this one out.

I do plan on bringing him to church and sunday school and will let him make his own decision about religion when he's old enough.

janma529

Ladies, here is my plan: As a former Catholic school teacher, I will conduct Sunday school in my home and all your little ones can attend!  And then we can have cocktails afterwards :-)

Seriously, though, I'm no help as far as picking denominations is concerned.  I was raised Catholic and H is Episcopalian, which is essentially Catholic-light.  Our hypothetical children will probably be Episcopalian, mostly because I'm apparently a mortal sinner for getting married outside of the Catholic church.  Although, if you aren't baptized in the Catholic church, you aren't supposed to receive Communion in the Catholic church.  Episcopals don't care and let anyone (if they believe in Transubstantiation) receive it.  So maybe a Catholic baptism would be better to cover all bases...hmm...

klm42404

I like your plan @janma529. Thanks for the advice everyone! Maybe we will research some other options. I was just thinking that I wasn't sure what would be involved to get M baptized. We would need to join a church. Then I'm sure other classes would be involved since DH didn't get married in a catholic church. Like I said, we weren't practicing and I felt hypocritical going there to be married when I hadn't been in years.

uderin02

We weren't married in a church at all and J is divorced so I'm sure the Cathoilc church loves me. @amcourt09 what Lutheran church did you attend up here? We've been to one, but want to go to another one. Also, did they require anything of T's godparents? My brother and SIL are Logan's godparents, but don't belong to a church, so I know baptizing him Catholic will be hard because the godparents need a letter from their church...

court115

@uderin02 - We went to Good Shepherd on Foulk Road so it wasn't really near us - or you for that matter. But it was wonderful and I wish it was closer. I love the pastor so much. They required nothing of T's godparents. Just that they would promise to love and protect him and help him to have a relationship with God. T's godparents are my brother and sister and they probably couldn't tell you the last time that either of them were in a church (other than for my wedding).

uderin02

amcourt09 said:

@uderin02 - We went to Good Shepherd on Foulk Road so it wasn't really near us - or you for that matter. But it was wonderful and I wish it was closer. I love the pastor so much. They required nothing of T's godparents. Just that they would promise to love and protect him and help him to have a relationship with God. T's godparents are my brother and sister and they probably couldn't tell you the last time that either of them were in a church (other than for my wedding).

Thank you for this info. Maybe well check it out. We went to St. Paul's in Newark, and we liked it, but not sure if it's the church we'll choose. And good to know they don't require any forms for godparents!