OPENING DIALOGUE
The Priest addresses the sick person in these or similar words:

Priest:            Dear brother/sister, you have asked to be baptised because you wish to have eternal life.

This is eternal life: to know the one, true God and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent.

This is the faith of Christians. Do you acknowledge this?

Candidate:  I do.

Priest:            As well as professing your faith in Jesus Christ, you must also be willing to follow His commands,

as Christians do. Are you willing to accept this?

Candidate:  I am.

Priest:            As you prepared to live as Christians do?

Candidate:  I am.

Priest:            Promise, therefore, that once you have recovered your strength,

you will try to know Christ better and follow a course of Christian formation.

Do you so promise?

Candidate:  I do.

AFFIRMATION BY THE GODPARENT AND WITNESSES
Turning to the godparent and to the witnesses, the minister asks them the following questions:

Priest:            You have heard N.’s promise. As his/her godparent, do you promise to remind him/her of it

and to help him/her to learn the teaching of Christ, to take part in the life of our community,

and to bear witness as a true Christian?

Godparent:  I do.                               

Priest:            And will the rest of you, who have witnessed this promise, assist him/her in fulfilling it?

Witnesses:   We will.

Then the Priest turns to the sick person and says:

Priest:            Therefore you will now be baptised into eternal life,

in accordance with the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.

LITURGY OF THE WORD – GOSPEL READING
According to time and circumstances, the minister reads some words from a gospel and explains them. The following may be used.

GOSPEL John 3:1-6
Unless you are born again, you will not see the kingdom of heaven.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicode’mus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicode’mus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

      The Gospel of the Lord.

The people reply:

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

INTERCESSIONS FOR THE CANDIDATE
The Priest may adapt or shorten the intercessions according to the condition of the sick person. These may be omitted if the sick person appears to be tiring.

Priest:            Let us pray to the God of mercy for our sick brother/sister who has asked for the gift of baptism;

let us pray for his/her godparent and for all his/her family and friends.

Response:   Lord, hear us.

1   Father, increase his/her faith in Christ, Your Son and our Saviour;

 in faith we make our prayer:                R./

2   Grant his/her desire to have eternal life and enter the kingdom of heaven;

 in faith we make our prayer:   R./

3   Fulfil his/her hope of knowing You, the Creator of the world and the Father of all;

  in faith we make our prayer:  R./

4   Through baptism forgive his/her sins and make him/her holy;

  in faith we make our prayer:            R./

5   Grant him/her the salvation that Christ won by His death and resurrection;

  in faith we make our prayer:       R./

6   In Your love adopt him/her into Your family;

  in faith we make our prayer:               R./

7   Restore him/her to health so that he/she may have the time to know and imitate Christ more perfectly;

 in faith we make our prayer:             R./

8   Keep united in faith and love all who have been baptised into the one Body of Christ;

  in faith we make our prayer:                 R./

PRAYER OVER THE CANDIDATE
The Priest concludes the intercessions with the following prayer:

Priest:            Father, look kindly upon the faith and longing of your servant N.;

through this water by which You have chosen to give us birth from above,

join him/her to Christ’s death and resurrection.

Forgive all his/her sins, adopt him/her as Your own, and count him/her among Your holy people.

Grant also that he/she may be restored to health, to render You thanks in Your Church

and grow in faithfulness to the teaching of Christ.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All:                Amen.

CELEBRATION OF BAPTISM – RENUNCIATION OF SIN
The Priest first asks the sick person to renounce sin.

Priest:            Do you reject Satan, and all his works, and all his empty promises?

Candidate:  I do.

PROFESSION OF FAITH
A profession of faith is then made. The following formulary may be used.

Priest:            N., do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?

Candidate:  I do. 

Priest:            Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead,

and is now seated at the right Hand of the Father?

Candidate:  I do.

Priest:            Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church,

the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting?

Candidate:  I do.

BAPTISM
The Priest, using the name the sick person desires to have, baptises him or her, saying:

Priest:            N., I baptise you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

CELEBRATION OF CONFIRMATION – INVITATION
The Priest first speaks briefly to the newly baptised in the following or similar words:

Priest:            N., born again in Christ by baptism, you have become a member of Christ and of His priestly people.

Now you are to share in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit among us,

the Spirit sent by the Lord upon His apostles at Pentecost

and given by them and their successors to the baptised.

All pray in silence for a short time.

LAYING ON OF HANDS
The Priest lays hands on the newly baptised and says the following prayer.

Priest:            All-powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit,

You freed Your son/daughter from sin and gave him/her new life.

                        Send Your Holy Spirit upon him/her to be his/her helper and guide.

Give him/her the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage,

the spirit of knowledge and reverence.

Fill him/her with the spirit of wonder and awe in Your presence.

                        We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All:               Amen.

ANOINTING WITH CHRISM
The Priest dips his right thumb in the chrism and makes the Sign of the Cross on the forehead of the one to be confirmed, as he says.

Priest:  N., be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Newly Confirmed: Amen.

Priest:                     Peace be with you.

Newly Confirmed: And with your spirit.

CELEBRATION OF VIATICUM
The Priest addresses the sick person:

Priest:            N., God our Father has freed you from your sins,
has given you a new birth
and made you His son/daughter in Christ.

                        Before you partake of the Body of the Lord and in the spirit of the adoption which you have received today, join us now in praying as our Lord Himself taught us.

Then the sick person and all present join the Priest in the Lord’s Prayer:

All:                Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

COMMUNION AS VIATICUM
The Priest shows the Eucharistic Bread to those present, saying:

Priest:            Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world.

Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

The sick person and all who are to receive communion say:

All:                Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

The Priest goes to the sick person, and showing the Blessed Sacrament, says:

Priest:                The Body of Christ.

Communicant:    Amen.

Immediately, or after giving communion to the sick person, the Priest adds:

Priest:                     May the Lord Jesus Christ protect you
and lead you to eternal life.

Communicant:    Amen.

Others present who wish to receive communion then do so in the usual way.
A short period of silent prayer may follow.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Priest:            Let us pray.

Father, Almighty and eternal God, our brother/sister has received the Eucharist with faith in You and in Your healing power. May the Body and Blood of Christ bring him/her eternal healing in mind and body.

We ask this in the Name of Jesus our Lord.

All:                Amen.

CONCLUDING RITES – BLESSING
The Priest blesses the sick person and others present, saying:

Priest:            The Lord be with you.

All:                And with your spirit.

Priest:            May Almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son ✠ and the Holy Spirit.

All:                Amen.

SIGN OF PEACE
The Priest and others present may then give the sick person a sign of peace.