Washed Clean

Why, ringing the bells of course. The tradition in our town upon the baptism of a new member of the Church is to ring the church bells to announce another little soul washed clean. Isaac is the first of our children to be baptised in St. H`s; thus, he is our first child who has ever had the church bells rung upon his baptism. It is truly a wonderful tradition that interweaves our faith with that of the life of our small town. I was especially tickled that our priest let the children do the ringing. Jacob was even lifted off the ground once the bells really began to toll. And, here is our priest. I can't complain about our parish priest - he is the best sort and was more than willing to accommodate us for a last minute baptism. We had Isaac baptised at only three days as my mother was still with us and his godparents happened to be passing through town. Thus, circumstances allowed for a very early baptism that more than removed the worries of a big party and display from my shoulders. The only people present at the baptism were our family, Isaac's godparents and their family, Dave's parents, my mother and our priest. The intimacy of the affair allowed me for the first time to really savour the words, prayers, rituals, sounds and smells of a Catholic baptism. Fr. S was also wonderful at explaining the event to our children and allowing Jacob and Benjamin to act as altar servers.

Joseph spent the majority of his time asking to hold the baby or alternating between eating the baptismal font and trying to pull it over. How true that Catholicism is a very sensual religion.

Isaac anointed with oil, washed clean by water and basking in new-found sanctity.

Fr. S. silently praying for vocations to the priesthood. Note the smile. Isaac`s godfather is in the background looking very godfatherly.

Fr. S., our family and the E. family. The E. family are good friends of ours from the big city. They were married six months before us and started their family with identical twins six months before our fraternal twins arrived. We are godparents to their fourth born and are deeply grateful that our families are so intertwined.

And here they are with their newest godson.

Jacob helping Fr. S. snuff out the paschal candle.

Hannah holding a saint. Isaac is found in her arms much of the time.

I had to include this picture because it cracks me up. The E. girls are looking shy and demure as they are unknowingly framed by our boys who are simultaneously sliding down the rail (right, yellow crocs), jumping with wild abandon down the stairs (left, red crocs) and needing to pee (centre). Complementarity of the sexes.

And now I must go as the newly baptised has not been washed clean of the need to wail.