Baptism is one of the seven sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ
It is the first sacrament that a person receives and is the gateway to all the other sacraments
Baptism is the first sacrament of initiation and is necessary for salvation
This means that in order to receive the fullness of God's grace and to be saved, we must be baptized
Jesus instructed his disciples to baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, saying
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age
Infant baptism is a common practice based on the belief that baptism cleanses infants of original sin and incorporates them into the Christian community
This emphasizes the importance of baptism as a means of receiving the grace necessary for eternal life
Infant baptism also emphasizes the communal nature of the Christian faith. The process for adults being baptized into the Catholic Church is called the rite of Christian initiation of adults, also known as R.C.I.A
The R.C.I.A. is a process of formation and initiation that prepares adults for baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist
The sacrament is administered in slightly different ways for infants and adults, but both involve the use of water and the invocation of the Holy Trinity
Overall, baptism is a sacrament of initiation that incorporates us into the Christian community and gives us the grace to live a life of faith
The R.C.I.A. is a sacrament of initiation that incorporates us into the Christian community and gives us the grace to live a life of faith