Is it better to baptize the baby, or wait until he or she grows up? Do the godparents need to be believers? And what happens to those who die unbaptized? Many lifelong Catholics may be unable to answer these questions with any degree of certainty. As Thomas Scirghi explains here, if people remain confused about baptism, they will be confused about the sacramental life of the church, and, by extension, their faith. Citing Scripture, literature, and examples from everyday life, Scirghi clarifies how and why baptism is the beginning of one's life in the community of the church, and the "gateway" to the rest of the sacraments.