DAY OF BAPTISMS

December 15, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.

Father Daniel Quinn baptizes Melanie Frias, 15, at the baptismal font on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, at Blessed Sacrament in Albany, N.Y. Cindy Schultz for The Evangelist **(Cindy Schultz)**

Father Daniel Quinn baptizes Kya’Niyah Harris at the baptismal font on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, at Blessed Sacrament in Albany, N.Y. Miss Harris, a first grader at Blessed Sacrament School, was among those who were baptized after mass. Cindy Schultz for The Evangelist **(Cindy Schultz)**

Father Daniel Quinn baptizes Isabella Burgess at the baptismal font on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, at Blessed Sacrament in Albany, N.Y. Miss Burgess, a tenth grader at Blessed Sacrament School, was among those who were baptized after mass. Cindy Schultz for The Evangelist **(Cindy Schultz)**

Father Daniel Quinn shows Rahzier Raymond, center, what the blessing feels like before the baptismal ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, at Blessed Sacrament in Albany, N.Y. Mr. Raymond, a pre-kindergarten student at another school, was among those who were baptized after mass. Cindy Schultz for The Evangelist **(Cindy Schultz)**

Eric Reyes, 10, center, who was just baptized, poses for a picture with his parents and godparents on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, at Blessed Sacrament in Albany, N.Y. Cindy Schultz for The Evangelist **(Cindy Schultz)**

Londyn Raymond, 2, who is newly baptized, is with her godparents Starlette and C.J. Sheffield as they light a ceremonial candle at the conclusion of the ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, at Blessed Sacrament in Albany, N.Y. Cindy Schultz for The Evangelist **(Cindy Schultz)**

On Dec. 3, 17 children were baptized in the Catholic Church. Of that, 11 students attend Blessed Sacrament School. In addition, two teachers, also from Blessed Sacrament, received the Sacrament of Confirmation. The church received special dispensation from Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger to have the confirmations performed the same day as the baptisms.

Two more students and a teacher from Blessed Sacrament also were baptized at the 9 a.m. Mass on Friday, Dec. 8, bringing the total of baptized students to 13.

Alexandra Morazán, principal of Blessed Sacrament School, sent a message out to families asking if they would be interested in having their children baptized. She was shocked by the replies.

“I was expecting between three and five,” she laughed

For a school of around 130 students, 13 baptisms is a “significant number,” she added.

Full story available on The Evangelist.