General Parish Protocols
St. Thomas More parish abides with the following archdiocesan and county health directives:
- Mandatory use of face masks or cloth face coverings for everyone inside the church
- Families are required to sanitize their hands before entering the church
- Submission of Waiver or Informed Consent forms by each family in attendance (click to download)
- Social distancing protocols
- Advising family members and guests to skip the ceremony if they are sick, elderly, having respiratory illness or are just wary about attending public gatherings
The parish will also implement changes and adaptations in the baptismal rites provided by the archdiocese including limiting the in-church gathering to 40 minutes. While we will ensure that the family will have some time for picture-taking after the baptism, everybody should vacate the church after 40 minutes.
Pews and other church areas used during the rite will be sanitized after each baptism. In as much as possible while still conforming to social distancing protocols, we will confine the attendance to one area of the church near the baptistery.
Families are advised to observe social distancing protocols during the baptismal rite and during picture-taking activities after the rite.
Guidance for Parents and Families
Parents and principal godparents are required to attend a Baptismal Preparation at St. Thomas More, or at another parish, or at any online classes offered by various organizations on the internet (click here for an example). Please call the office for the schedule of baptism preparation classes at St. Thomas More Church.
Required forms to be completed and submitted are:
- Baptism Registration Form – pick up blank form from office or download from the parish website (click to download)
- Birth Certificate of the child to be baptized,
- Certificate of completion of Baptismal Preparation for parents and principal godparents attending online or at another parish.
- Donation of $200 (includes cost of sanitizing the church after each baptism)
All four items above should be completed and dropped off at the parish office before the date of baptism.
A parent should hold the child to be baptized at all times
Principal godparents who cannot be present at the service because of sickness, susceptibility to infection or simply wary of being in a group setting can be represented by proxy.
