Mike Piazza has daughter baptized

Major League Baseball player Mike Piazza and his wife, Alicia, had their four-month-old daughter, Nicoletta Veronica Piazza, baptized on Thursday, June 21 at St. James Cathedral Basilica in Brooklyn, New York.

Longtime friend of the 12-time All Star, Bishop Catanello, administered the sacrament. Following the service, he stated,

Mike told me how happy he was to have his daughter in the fold andsaid he had every intention of seeing that she’s brought up in thefaith. He described the baptism as a powerful and moving event in hislife.

Attending the service were a small group of family and friends, including the Mike’s parents,Vince and Veronica Piazza. Mike’sbrother, Vincent, and Alicia’s friend, Loren Ridinger, were thegodparents.

Little Nicoletta was born February 3 at New York University Medical Center.

Source: Catholic Online

Comments

Rachel on June 29th, 2007

Thank you so much Angela, Im still waiting for a picture sigh**

Erin on June 29th, 2007

Actually, she would have been christened. Catholics don’t believe in baptizing infants.

Tammy on June 29th, 2007

I was raised Catholic and our church called it baptism. My husband was raised Luthern and his church called it being christened.

gianna on June 29th, 2007

I love the name Nicoletta, so pretty and very italian.

Karen on June 30th, 2007

This is my ignorance speaking but I thought a christening and baptism were the same thing? But I do know that Catholics believe in infant baptism as do Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians. And it is Protestants, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and non-denominational churches that do not believe in infant baptism.

ElisabethCate on June 30th, 2007

Erin’s misinformed; the Catholic Church def. endorses infant baptism.

Maria on June 30th, 2007

Erin: I beg to differ. Catholics most definitely DO believe in baptizing infants (actually people of all ages). I am Catholic myself, so I know of which I speak.

Erin on June 30th, 2007

I don’t want to take this off topic, but as the child of a Methodist pastor, and well versed via my college education in differences in Christian denominations, the infant baptism in Catholicism is termed christening, and I know in reverse, Catholics will not acknowledge infant baptism done in a Protestant church because the child is not aware of the role of baptism. Also, Karen, Protestants ARE Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, etc., they are NOT grouped in the same “class” as Catholics.

Perhaps we should stick with the topic of the post?

Maria on June 30th, 2007

Erin, you’re wrong. Catholics do call it BAPTISM. There are 7 sacraments of the Catholic church that we celebrate, and the first one is BAPTISM. Besides, since the article came from Catholic Online, I am pretty sure that THEY know what they call it!

Annoynomus on June 30th, 2007

Erin- I am the child of a pastor as well, and, basically, I think it depends on the church. Some Catholic churchs use the term Christining, others use the term baptism. Likewise, some prostestant churches use the term baptism, and others use the term christening.
In fact, I have a friend who is Catholic, and I have heard her use BOTH terms, baptism and christening.

All of that said, you are definently right about Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, etc. being protestants. I can understand why Karen was confused, though, since some prostetant demoniations believe in infant baptism and others do not.

ElisabethCate on July 1st, 2007

Straight from the Vatican itself:

http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a1.htm

As a Catholic, I can confirm that I was indeed baptised as an infant.