It’s rare to see an all-school Mass turn into an Easter Vigil-like sacramental celebration, but 13 students ages 6 to 12 from Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic Elementary School in West Brandywine made that Mass on Jan. 9 incredibly special.
Each of the students, ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade, entered into the Catholic Church through the sacrament of baptism. They received the sacrament in the presence of classmates, parents, godparents and a full church of parish members.
Father Michael Olivere, the pastor of St. Peter Parish, which neighbors the school, says that the genesis of the special student baptism came from two different situations that numerous families at the school have experienced.
“Some of the children came from Catholic families, and for whatever reason, they weren’t baptized up to this point,” he said. “Others did not come from Catholic families, but because of what the children saw and experienced in school, they wanted to become Catholics.”
The process began in late summer when St. Peter’s Director of Religious Education Krystal Snyder received calls from several parents wanting baptism for their children who attend Pope John Paul II Regional.
“We conversed with these parents and recognized the fact that the parents were very serious about their children being baptized,” Father Olivere said. “Each situation was somewhat different, especially if the children came from Catholic families. We discussed why they hadn’t been baptized sooner. Krystal and I discerned that, yes, these parents were serious, and the children themselves were serious.”
Initially the plans called for each child to receive baptism individually on a selected date in the typical way, but the pastor brainstormed the idea of each child receiving the sacrament at one all-school Mass, and mentioned the idea to Snyder.
“It would be wonderful for them to do this with their classmates and our parishioners witnessing it, and it would be a wonderful reminder of the faith to the children and the parishioners who were the witnesses,” Father Olivere said.
School Principal Patty Tarquinio was “right on board,” he added.
Group meetings with parents in October and religious education at the school gave the students and families a chance to prepare properly for their baptism.
“They have religion class every day. They experience the Catholic culture of the school. We really believed that all of them had enough to be baptized,” Father Olivere said. “Because the children were the age they were, their religion classes and the Catholic school culture was really enough.”
There was barely enough space inside St. Peter’s for all the people who came to the church that Friday before the Sunday celebration of the Baptism of the Lord.
“The church was full … and it was absolutely beautiful,” Father Olivere said.
“We have almost 600 children in our school,” he explained, and they “pretty much fill the church when we have a school Mass. Add to that their family members. We had one child bring 15 family members. And then our parishioners also usually come to that Mass, especially people who normally go to daily Mass.”
Clearly, the Holy Spirit was “tangibly felt,” he said.
He described how the rite of baptism unfolded beautifully, including “the two anointings, the blessing of the water, when the children are able to renounce Satan and profess faith in Christ,” he said.
“We clothed them with a white garment. We gave them all a special candle lit from the paschal candle. All of those parts of the rite spoke so well, not only to those being baptized, but to the other children and to their families and friends who were gathered there.”
He says those who participated and experienced the 13 baptisms in one Mass made it feel like one of the major parish celebrations of the year.
“Our parish music director, Austin Flynn, said to me, ‘This was really like an Easter Vigil.’ I said it was in every way, especially in the feeling of the risen Lord bringing all this together and bringing these children into the life that only he could offer them,” said Father Olivere.
“The children were awestruck by the whole thing. One of the first-grade boys, when it was finished, said to me, ‘Father, thank you for making me baptized.’”
It appears that his will not be the last group to be baptized through Pope John Paul II Regional School.
“We’ve already received more phone calls, so I have a feeling it’s going to become an annual event,” the pastor said.
He counseled that parents and guardians who did not initially have their infant children baptized should not fall into a trap of letting regret stop them from moving forward with the sacraments for their kids.
“I always say to them, put that regret behind you. You’re doing it now. And that’s the important thing,” Father Olivere said. “This is the time for your child to receive the sacrament and to enter into the sacramental life of the Church that only Jesus can offer them.
“It’s never too late.”
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