• Children's Baptism: Procedure
• Online Baptism Seminar
• Documents Required
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

ABOUT

“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission” (CCC 1213, see also  Mathew 28:19,  John 3:5,  Acts 10:47-48,  Acts 2:38-39)

ADULT BAPTISM

EMERGENCY MEDICAL CASES (Adults/Children)

We welcome you to baptize your child here at St. Joseph cathedral in Abu Dhabi. Parents have a serious obligation to baptize their children as early as possible. Baptism is an important part of their duty to raise the children in the faith handed down by Jesus in the Catholic Church. Our parish is happy to support families and parents in this important task.

We recommend that parents and godparents prepare for the baptism as early as possible - even before the child is born, or at least 2-3 months before the baptism. This enables the preparation to be more relaxed and meaningful.  

Please follow the steps below to book your child's baptism at St. Joseph's:.

1. Choose the godparents (please see our FAQ  for the criteria for church godparents) and assemble the required documents (click here) for parents and godparents.

2. Parents and godparents must complete the Baptism Seminar/Preparation Course. The Baptism Seminar at St. Joseph is currently conducted online (click here to register). There are no requirements for registration or taking the course. Note that it will be minimum 20 days from taking the Seminar to having the baptism ceremony - families are requested to plan accordingly.

3. After the Seminar Week ends (and not prior), parents will receive the Form for the Baptism Register. To book the baptism, please bring the completed form and all required documents (incomplete or pending documents not accepted) to the Parish Office. The Office will then advise you of the available schedule.

Days/Hours for Baptism: contact Parish Office for schedule. Baptisms can be booked 7 or more days before the available date. Parish Baptisms are usually conducted on Friday evenings. There are a limited number of slots available for each Friday. 

Note 1: Couples not married in the Catholic Church must speak with a priest after completing the Seminar and prior to booking the baptism. The priest will give any further forms or procedures according to the individual situation of the couple. Information on booking an appointment with the priest is provided during the Baptism Seminar.

Note 2: Families are advised not to make any other arrangements (applying for leave, invitations, etc.) for the baptism until the date is booked and confirmed at the Parish Office, to avoid any disappointments. Planned dates are frequently not available..

4. Baptism. The church capacity is limited. 15 persons may accompany the child being baptized. If you wish to bring more persons, please contact the Parish Office to find out if there will be extra space on that day.  Due to the number of children baptized at each ceremony, we are often not able to accomodate requests for extra guests. 

For more information, please see our FAQ.

St. Joseph Cathedral Online Baptism Seminar consists of an online video and individual online responses. Links are sent to parents and godparents by 8PM on the date they select during registration. (If you do not receive the link, please check your "Spam" or "Junk" mail; otherwise, email the Parish Office.)

The links are available for one week, and parents and godparents can complete the seminar at their convenience at any time during that week. Note that  Seminar Participation certificates are only released after the Seminar week and not before, even if participants have submitted their response early. Please see the FAQ for more information on the Seminar.

Click the appropriate button below to register. There are no requirements for registration. 

REGISTRATION FOR the parents

Registration for the Godparents

The following required documents can be submitted to the Parish office to book the baptism.

• Completed Form for Baptismal Register (sent by the Parish Office to all parents who have successfully completed the St. Joseph Online Baptism Seminar. If you have done a Seminar elsewhere, and it is accepted by the Parish Office, then please email the Office for this Form).
• Photocopy/ Scan of the parents' Church Marriage Certificate. If not married in the church, must speak with a priest after the Baptism Seminar.
• Photocopy/ Scan of child's Birth Certificate 
• Photocopy/Scan of proof that Godparent(s) have received the Sacrament of Confirmation (e.g. old or new Confirmation Certificate. Please see FAQ for other possible proofs. Baptism certificate not accepted except for Orthodox/Eastern Catholics.)
• Baptism Seminar Certificate for Catholic parents and godparents. If seminar done at a Catholic church outside UAE, kindly contact the Parish Office to find out if it is accepted. 

NOTES:

• Godparents must be baptized and confirmed practicing Catholics. There can be one godfather OR one godmother OR one godfather and one godmother.  For more information, please see the FAQ. 
• Parents not living in Abu Dhabi (St. Joseph Parish) also require a 'no objection'/permission letter from their parish priest. 

The Parish Office receives many questions on Baptism and our procedures. We have made a list of the most common questions we receive. Click the link below to see if your question is answered here, before contacting the Parish Office (abuparish@yahoo.com)

Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

Note: Time taken from beginning the Online Baptism Seminar to having the baptism ceremony is at least 20 days. Parents are asked to be mindful of this and begin the seminar as soon as possible, even before the birth of the child. For emergency (e.g. medical) circumstances, please contact the Parish Office.