Baptism is one of the most revered and significant actions of the Church.  It is clearly rooted in Jesus' own Baptism in the Jordan River by his cousin, St. John the Baptist, and it is grounded in the theology of St. Paul the Apostle who wrote:  "Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  Therefore we have been buried with Him by Baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life." (Romans 6:1-4).

The earliest evidence of special places for Baptism is in third century in what is now known as Syria and Southeastern Turkey.  In the fourth century, buildings called "Baptistries" were provided for Baptism.     The most famous of these special places is in Florence in front of the "Duomo" (Cathedral); its doors and carvings are most magnificent.   

These buildings contained the "Baptism Font".  This font was large enough for an adult to be baptized by immersion.  The word "to baptize" means "to dip."  "Immersion" means that the one being baptized stands or kneels in inches or about two feet of water while copious amounts of water are poured over his or her body.  These early fonts were not large enough for submersion, that is, the whole body being put under the surface of the water.  This practice of immersion continued until well after the time of Middle Ages.  However, as fewer and fewer adults were baptized, and the Baptism of children became the norm, the font became smaller and smaller, and it was moved from the Baptistry into the church itself.

With the Revised Easter Vigil Service by Pope Pius XII in 1951, and then the Development of Special Rites for the Baptism of Children by Vatican II in 1969 and for the RCIA process for adults by Vatican II in 1972 and 1988, the font is once again regaining is proper place.

Baptism is celebrated at the threshold of the life of faith, so it is appropriate for the font to be located near the front door of the church.  In fact, the font should be so located as to impede all we do and all we are.     For, it is our Baptism into Christ that assembles us together as Church to celebrate the Sunday Eucharist and the Sacramental Encounters with Christ.  It is our Baptism by which we die to self to live for Christ, that impedes us from behaving like our neighbors and causes us rather to ask:   "What would Jesus do or say in this particular situation?"  "How would Jesus behave?"  Besides, having the font near the front door of the church provides ample space for the funeral processions to pause beside the font for the blessing of the remains of the Christian in the casket.  It allows brides and grooms to bless themselves with the water to seek God's help and strength as they begin their married life in Christ.  It allows the Gathered Assembly to leave the Sunday Eucharist by signing themselves again with the Baptismal Water that flowed over them, when they were initiated into Christ.   Thus, the design and scale of the font must clearly reflect the significance that the Church attaches to Initiation, to the Mystery of

The CPNI is a non-profit organization whose simple goal is to promote understanding and interaction between the Catholic and Protestant teenagers in Northern Ireland, their families and friends, in an effort to break the cycle of fear, mistrust and violence.  The organization's focus on preparing a new generation of leaders to find cross-cultural solutions for living harmoniously is crucial for a generation who has known only a couple of years of relative peace.

Host families are desperately needed to help this work continue.  A loving, tolerant environment is all that is required.  If you would like to host one Catholic and one Protestant teenager in your home this summer between July 2^nd and July 30^th, please visit our website at www.cfpni.org or call California State Coordinator, Cindy Flannery at 805 - 499 - 0845.  Tomorrow, April 15^th is the deadline to volunteer to host two teenagers this summer.