The night the Church waits for

Adult Baptism in the Catholic Church almost always happens on a single night of the year: the Easter Vigil, celebrated after sunset on Holy Saturday. The Vigil is the most important liturgy in the Christian calendar. It begins in darkness outside the church, around a new fire, and ends with the proclamation of the Resurrection. If you are being baptised this year, the Church has been holding this night for you since Lent began.

In Shrewsbury, the surge of adult converts has made the Vigil unforgettable. The 171 candidates who attended the 2026 Rite of Election at the Cathedral, alongside 100 in 2025 and 82 in 2024, were preparing for that one night.

This stream of new converts is evident across our Diocese and country and indeed across the western world. It is all the more remarkable because this new generation of converts have been drawn to the Church by no special initiative on our part, rather by the constancy of faith, the reverence of worship and the authentic witness they have found.

Bishop Mark Davies, Pastoral Letter for Lent 2026.

The shape of the rite

The Easter Vigil has four parts. The Service of Light, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of Baptism, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Adult Baptism takes place in the third part, after the Scripture readings have walked the congregation from creation through the prophets to the empty tomb.

You will be called forward by name, with your godparent at your side. The priest or bishop will:

• Bless the water of the font, recalling the waters of creation, the Red Sea, the Jordan and the side of Christ.
• Ask you to renounce sin and the empty promises of evil.
• Ask you to profess the Creed, the faith of the Catholic Church, in your own voice.
• Baptise you, either by pouring water three times over your head or by full immersion if the parish has the capacity, while saying "I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
• Anoint you with the oil of chrism, the same oil consecrated by Bishop Davies at the Chrism Mass in Holy Week.

The Catechism teaches that this washing is no symbol only. "Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments" (CCC 1213). Saint Peter preached on the day of Pentecost: "Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).

The white garment and the candle

After the anointing, you are given two signs that are older than the English language. The first is a white garment. It may be a simple cloth laid over your shoulders, or, if you have brought one, a white robe you put on. The Church has used this sign since the earliest centuries to say that you have put on Christ. "As many of you as were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Galatians 3:27).

The second is a lit candle. Your godparent steps forward, takes a taper from the great Easter Candle that was blessed at the start of the night, and lights the candle that has been prepared for you. The priest tells you to keep the flame of faith alive, so that when the Lord comes you may go out to meet him with all the saints.

Many people keep that candle for life. It is brought out for anniversaries, weddings, and the Baptism of children.

The role of godparents and family

If you are a parent bringing children with you, the rite makes space for that too. The Catechism reminds parents that they are "the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children" (CCC 2225). Children may be baptised in the same liturgy, or in a separate parish celebration soon after.

Godparents are not optional ornament. They are witnesses chosen by you, approved by the parish, and asked to share responsibility for your faith. The Code of Canon Law requires that a godparent be a confirmed Catholic in good standing, at least sixteen years old, and not the candidate's parent. Choose someone whose Catholic life you would like to learn from.

How to prepare for the night

Practical preparation matters. So does interior preparation.

• Fast on Holy Saturday if you can. The Vigil is long and prayerful. A light meal in the afternoon is fine.
• Bring your godparent. Travel together if you can.
• Wear something simple and clean. Many parishes provide the white garment.
• Make a final confession in the days before, if you have already been baptised in another tradition and are being received into full communion. For unbaptised candidates, Baptism itself remits all sin.
• Pray. The Church has been praying for you through Lent. Pray with her.

What to do next

If you have not yet begun OCIA but want to know how all of this might unfold for you, the path begins with a single conversation.

• Speak to your local parish priest. The Bishop himself recommends this as the first step.
• Find your nearest parish at catholicshrewsbury.com/find/parishes.
• Visit Shrewsbury Cathedral on a Sunday.