Jim Fair·
Pope Francis
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Pope Francis Baptizes 16 Infants in Sistine Chapel

Celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

16 Infants in Sistine Chapel
© Vatican Media

Pope Francis today baptized 16 infants in the Sistine Chapel, celebrating Mass on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, reported Vatican News.

The Holy Father personally administered the Sacrament of Baptism on the nine girls, and seven boys, who are the children of Vatican employees working here at the Holy See. Today’s celebration marks the feast day that recalls Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan.


16 Infants in Sistine Chapel
© Vatican Media

Recalling a liturgical hymn for this feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Pope described how it recounts how the People of Israel went to the Jordan with their feet and soul totally exposed as a sign of our need for God and to be cleansed by Him. So too are these infants here today, he observed, ready to receive the justification and strength from God to go forward in life with the help of their parents and godparents who have the responsibility to help them preserve their Christian identity.

In conclusion, the Pope encouraged the parents of the soon-to-be baptized to keep their infants warm, since it can be quite cool in the Sistine Chapel during the Winter months, and to make them feel at home, nurse them, and to realize that if they cry, it is also an expression of their spirit being in community with all those present.
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Jim Fair
Jim Fair has spent the past two decades as a communicator for Catholic organizations. He is a convert to the Catholic faith and is grateful to his wife, Charmaine, for her continuing efforts to save his soul. They have a son and daughter, both happily married, and four grandchildren. Before devoting his life full-time to things Catholic, Jim enjoyed a 23-year career in various communications roles for large corporations. Before that, he worked as a newspaper reporter, photographer, and editor. He has served as president of the Chicago Public Relations Forum, chairman of the American Petroleum Institute General Committee on Communications, and a fellow of Greater Leadership Chicago. He was a member of the founding committee of the chemical industry’s Responsible Care Program. Jim is an active member of St. John Vianney Parish in Northlake, Illinois, where he chairs the finance council.
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