What makes a valid baptism? Truth of the Spirit with Patti Brunner explores the recent ruling about invalidity and discusses why baptism is important and what the Church teaches. Official statements referring to the recent invalid baptisms and the script of this episode are found below. For audio and video links please continue reading.
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There has been much in the news[i] about a priest who invalidly baptized a lot of people by saying “We baptize you” instead of “I baptize you”. Scripture tells us in Psalm 94 verse 18, “When I say, “My foot is slipping,” your mercy, LORD, holds me up.” By the mercy of God, this error was discovered and is being remedied. His Bishop, Thomas J. Olmsted, the Bishop of Phoenix, carefully investigated the issue. His determination was made after careful study by diocesan officials and through consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome.
The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith recently issued a doctrinal note[ii] alerting the Church throughout the world that baptisms were not valid in which the formula was changed to say “We baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In making this clarification, the Congregation referred to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, which reminded us that no one “even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.” The priest who was involved stepped down as pastor so that he could spend his time repairing his error. The good news is that all Catholic Church parishes are required to keep records of all baptisms.
You may ask, “What’s the big deal?” The importance ties to the importance of the Sacrament of Baptism itself. Canon Law[iii], while it says much about Baptism, sends you to the Liturgical Rite for the formula for Baptism. The rites have been a part of the Church from the beginning. Before Jesus ascended he commissioned the disciples to baptize. Matthew 28:18 reports, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit.” As I reviewed the Rite of Baptism for Infants, I can understand part of the confusion. The plural “we” is used in the introductory portion of the rite but it transcends to the “I baptize” as the water is poured and the immersion takes place. The Sacrament of Holy Orders ordains the priest to stand in the person of Christ for the administration of all sacraments. Even when other ministers or laity baptize, St. Augustine reminds us, “the virtue of Baptism would be attributed to Him alone on whom the dove descended, and of whom it was said: ‘It is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit’” That’s in John 1:33[iv]. In other words, it is Jesus Christ who ultimately baptizes, not a community.
The Lord has told me, “Baptism brings life, eternity with God, and the grace to fulfill his plan to rescue those affected by choices made. Redemption allows the indwelling of God within the heart of man in relationship not just as Creator and created. The water—symbol of life, of cleansing, of power, of grace is the sign of this sacrament. This episode keys in on the transformation and adoptive sonship. When man receives the grace of salvation time stands still and eternity enters the soul. Through Baptism the life that was meant to be is thus entered and the life to be lived in abundance is begun.”
Welcome to Truth of the Spirit. I’m your host, Patti Brunner. You are listening to “Valid Baptism”.
Like my children, my grandchildren, and some of my grandparents and great-grandparents, I was baptized as a baby. My son-in law went to RCIA for about a year when he was baptized at age 45. My dad was baptized on his deathbed when he was 33 years old. He died 3 days later. Whether you receive baptism as a baby, as a convert or on your deathbed, it is the same Baptism in Christ Jesus!
Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, and are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission. [CCC 1213]
The Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraph #1214 says “this sacrament is called Baptism, after the central rite by which it is carried out: to baptize (Greek baptizein) means to “plunge” or “immerse”; the “plunge” into the water symbolizes the catechumen’s burial into Christ’s death, from which he rises up by resurrection with him, as “a new creature.”6”
My pastor, Msgr. David LeSieur, climbs into our parish’s large baptismal font at the Easter Vigil to baptize adults. He says the slight struggle of the catechumen of being immersed in the water, which he does three times, shows the struggle between death and life.
We can learn in the Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraph #1215 that “This sacrament is also called “the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit,” for it signifies and actually brings about the birth of water and the Spirit without which no one “can enter the kingdom of God.”7
We are born again of water and Spirit. The Lord told me,“When man receives the grace of salvation time stands still and eternity enters the soul. The life that was meant to be is thus entered and the life to be lived in abundance is begun. Baptism thus brings life, eternity with God, and the grace to fulfill his plan.”
I want to share with you today some of the wonderful benefits of Baptism. It is like the Lord set a “delicious banquet” for His Children. Through Baptism we become priest, prophet and king. Let’s talk about what benefits these mean for you. “The Lord your God has set into motion a plan of salvation to rescue those affected by choices made.”
The first benefit is purification from sins. Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraph #1263 teaches, “All sins forgiven; Original Sin inherited from Adam & Eve and personal sin as well as all punishment for sin.” Paragraph #1264 says, “Yet certain temporal consequences of sin remain in the baptized, such as suffering, illness, death, and such frailties inherent.” Paragraph #1263 says,“In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam’s sin, nor personal sin, nor the consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God.”
Baptism gives us a new birth in the Holy Spirit; and through this we become an adopted child of God and a partaker in the divine nature. We have full benefits as adopted children and thus co-heirs with Christ. We become a temple of the Holy Spirit, a living tabernacle, where God dwells. Another benefit of Baptism is that we become a member of the Body of Christ. And we become a member of one another which is known as the Church. When we are baptized we become a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation: God’s own people. In our royal priesthood we are consecrated for Christian religious worship.
Once we have received Baptism either as a child or an adult, we receive the rights to receive other sacraments such as Eucharist, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. We receive the rights to be nourished by the Word of God, to be sustained by the other spiritual helps of the Church, and to be called Christians and brothers and sisters by the children of the Catholic Church.
Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness of God. Justification establishes cooperation between God’s grace and man’s freedom. [CCC 1992]
By the simple pouring of water and the words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” we receive sanctifying grace which is the grace of justification that changes us forever. This sanctifying grace gives us the ability to believe in God, to hope in him and to love him. It gives us the power to live and act under the prompting and through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It allows us to grow in goodness through moral virtues.
Once we are baptized, we are baptized forever. We receive an indelible spiritual mark of belonging to Christ even if subsequent sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation [CCC 1272]. Paragraph #1264 of the Catechism tells us, “In life weaknesses of character as well as an inclination to sin that Tradition calls concupiscence cannot harm those who do not consent but manfully resist it by the grace of Jesus Christ.” Indeed, “an athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.””
We have the right and the duty to repent, confess our sins and be restored to the fullness of grace. We receive the “seal of eternal life” and Christians who ‘keep the seal’ and are faithful to the demands of Baptism until death can expect the vision of God and the hope of resurrection.
Truly amazing benefits, aren’t they! Since the creation of Adam, God has wanted us to receive these benefits but as sin entered the world by Adam’s disobedience and evil took root in the hearts of mankind witnessed by the murder of Abel by Cain, mankind could not become a tabernacle of the living God. So, God put his plan into motion until the world was ready to be shown the way by Jesus.
Let me share with you some of the ways the Catechism shares of how Baptism has been foreshadowed throughout the history of mankind. Let’s start with the Old Testament.
Catechism Paragraph #1218 says, “Since the beginning of the world, water, so humble and wonderful a creature, has been the source of life and fruitfulness. Sacred Scripture sees it as “overshadowed” by the Spirit of God: At the very dawn of creation [the Holy] Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraph #1219 says, “The Church has seen in Noah’s ark a prefiguring of salvation by Baptism, for by it “a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water””.
Catechism Paragraph #1221 says, “But above all, the crossing of the Red Sea, literally the liberation of Israel from the slavery of Egypt, announces the liberation wrought by Baptism: [The Lord] freed the children of Abraham from the slavery of Pharaoh, bringing them dry-shod through the waters of the Red Sea, to be an image of the people set free in Baptism.”
Catechism Paragraph #1222 says, “Finally, Baptism is prefigured in the crossing of the Jordan River by which the People of God received the gift of the land promised to Abraham’s descendants, an image of eternal life. The promise of this blessed inheritance is fulfilled in the New Covenant.”
Paragraph #1223 reminds us, “All the Old Covenant pre-figurations find their fulfillment in Christ Jesus. He begins his public life after having himself baptized by St. John the Baptist in the Jordan.”
The Lord explained to me, “In John’s Gospel the coming of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the Father at the baptism of Jesus shows the world the effect of baptism for all. The water—symbol of life, of cleansing, of power, of grace is the sign of this sacrament.”
Catechism Paragraph #1224 teaches us, “Our Lord voluntarily submitted himself to the baptism of St. John, intended for sinners, in order to “fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus’ gesture is a manifestation of his self-emptying.20 The Spirit who had hovered over the waters of the first creation descended then on the Christ as a prelude of the new creation, and the Father revealed Jesus as his “beloved Son.””
At the beginning of his public life, his baptism shows us the transformation that comes with our own adoptive sonship and acknowledgement by God as our Father.
Baptism is the sacrament of faith. But faith needs the community of believers. It is only within the faith of the Church that each of the faithful can believe. The faith required for Baptism is not a perfect and mature faith, but a beginning that is called to develop. [CCC 1253]
The Church realizes the importance of baptizing children, to bring them into adoption as soon as possible. Yet recognizing the utmost importance of the family as a community of believers, it places restrictions on children whose parents cannot state the desire to catechize the children because they have wandered so far off the path. Years ago a co-worker of my husband wanted to baptize his baby but he didn’t want to go to Mass on Sundays or agree to take his child to receive instruction in the faith. We might call him a “cultural Catholic” or INO: “in name only”. He wasn’t even a CEO Catholic—Christmas, Easter, only. He got really mad at the Church who hoped that this would help him see the dangerous place his soul was in. In the hardness of his heart, he walked away.
The Canon Law of the Catholic Church, Canon. 868 §1. says “For an infant to be baptized licitly: 1/ the parents or at least one of them or the person who legitimately takes their place must consent; 2/ there must be a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic religion; if such hope is altogether lacking, the baptism is to be delayed according to the prescripts of particular law after the parents have been advised about the reason.”
The Canon Law continues to say: §2. “An infant of Catholic parents or even of non-Catholic parents is baptized licitly in danger of death even against the will of the parents.”
The Lord told me, “Once man is baptized he is reborn in light and the darkness is overcome, however, the darkness of the world constantly tries to extinguish the light of Christ.”
The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion. Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness. [CCC 1989]
In Baptism, the Lord told me, “You are joined to Body of Christ and life. The fullness of this life is revealed to you in stages–as you open your hearts to the fullness.”
For all the baptized, children or adults, faith must grow after Baptism. For this reason the Church celebrates … the renewal of baptismal promises. The whole ecclesial community bears some responsibility for the development and safeguarding of the grace given at Baptism. [CCC 1254]
What wonderful benefits! Why wouldn’t everyone choose to receive baptism?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraph #1223 says, “After his resurrection Christ gives this mission to his apostles: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Mt 28:19-20).”
How well have we Christians accepted this mandate of Jesus? We don’t have to look very far in this world to find those who have not yet been baptized. Recently a prominent woman in our town received baptism on her death bed. When her husband told us it was the best day of his life, I was shocked. I had served on committees in our parish with this woman and I didn’t know she was not Catholic and I had no idea she had not been baptized!
Can one be saved without baptism? The Catholic Church says in Paragraph #1257 “The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation.60 He also commands his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them.61 Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament.62 The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are “reborn of water and the Spirit.”
The Catechism Paragraph #1258 says, “The Church has always held the firm conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This Baptism of blood, like the desire for Baptism, brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament.”
Catechism Paragraph #1259 teaches, “For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament.” This is the teaching that allowed my dad to be baptized after his car wreck even though he was unconscious. He had stated the desire earlier to join the Church.
The Lord taught me, “God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but He himself is not bound by his sacraments.”
The Catechism says in Paragraph #1260,”Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery.”63 Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.”
Paragraph #1261says “As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus’ tenderness toward children which caused him to say: “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,”64 allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church’s call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.”
Who can receive baptism? The Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraph #1246 says, “Every person not yet baptized and only such a person is able to be baptized.”
You can’t be baptized twice—not if it was a licit baptism the first time.
Paragraph #1226 also says, “From the very day of Pentecost the Church has celebrated and administered holy Baptism. Indeed St. Peter declares to the crowd astounded by his preaching: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The apostles and their collaborators offer Baptism to anyone who believed in Jesus: Jews, the God-fearing, pagans. Always, Baptism is seen as connected with faith: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household,” St. Paul declared to his jailer in Philippi. And the narrative continues, the jailer “was baptized at once, with all his family.”
“The Redemption of Baptism allows the indwelling of God within the heart of man in relationship not just as Creator and created but in true relationshipas the Holy Spirit dwells within us.
You’ve been listening to Truth of the Spirit bring you “Valid Baptism”. I’m Patti Brunner. Be sure and check out the other sacraments on our YouTube channel and on our website, PatriarchMinistries.com. The script of this episode is available at PatriarchMinistries.com/199. And then come back for more. With the Holy Spirit, there’s always more! Amen.
Note: See more below including references and documentation.
[i] Addressing the Validity of Baptisms – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix (dphx.org)
“We are saddened to announce some difficult information regarding baptisms performed by Rev. Andres Arango, a priest of the Diocese of Phoenix, who also had been a member of the Eudist religious community. After careful study, it has been determined that the form (words) Fr. Andres used for the sacrament of baptism has been incorrect, and all of the baptisms he has performed until June 17, 2021, are presumed invalid. Any baptisms performed by Fr. Andres after June 17, 2021, are presumed valid and do not need to be repeated.
“Please be assured that things like this have happened before in the history of the Church, and the Diocese of Phoenix is ready to do all we can to address every person who has been invalidly baptized by Fr. Andres. Below you will find a letter from Bishop Olmsted, a letter from Fr. Andres, Frequently Asked Questions about the specific error, the Vatican’s guidance, and how to proceed if your sacraments are in question. We offer these resources in the hope of offering help and healing to those whose baptisms were invalidly celebrated.”
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Message from Bishop Olmsted – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix (dphx.org)
“A Message from Bishop Olmsted
January 14, 2022
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit.” – Matthew 28:18
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
“Peace be with you!
“I write to you today for the purpose of sharing some information that is as difficult to hear as it is challenging for me to announce. As the chief shepherd of the Diocese of Phoenix and as your spiritual father, I am charged with the responsibility of being vigilant over the celebration of the sacraments. It is my duty to ensure that the sacraments are conferred in a manner that is in keeping with the commands of Jesus Christ in the Gospel and the requirements of sacred tradition.
“It is with sincere pastoral concern that I inform the faithful that baptisms performed by Reverend Andres Arango, a priest of the Diocese of Phoenix, are invalid. This determination was made after careful study by diocesan officials and through consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome.
“Specifically, it was reported to me that Fr. Andres used the formula, “WE baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The key phrase in question is the use of “We baptize” in place of “I baptize.” The issue with using “We” is that it is not the community that baptizes a person, rather, it is Christ, and Him alone, who presides at all of the sacraments, and so it is Christ Jesus who baptizes.
“The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith recently issued a doctrinal note alerting the Church throughout the world that baptisms were not valid in which the formula was changed to say “We baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In making this clarification, the Congregation referred to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, which reminded us that no one “even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.”
“I do not believe Fr. Andres had any intentions to harm the faithful or deprive them of the grace of baptism and the sacraments. On behalf of our local Church, I too am sincerely sorry that this error has resulted in disruption to the sacramental lives of a number of the faithful. This is why I pledge to take every step necessary to remedy the situation for everyone impacted. This commitment is, in part, why I write to you today, with the hope that you may assist me and diocesan officials in identifying those in need of the sacraments. If you believe your own reception of baptism may be connected to Fr. Andres Arango’s ministry, please call your parish for more information about how to proceed. I also encourage you to visit, dphx.org/valid-baptism for more information.
“I ask that you join me in praying for Fr. Andres and for all of those who are going to be impacted by this unfortunate situation. I pledge to work diligently and swiftly to bring peace to those who have been affected, and I assure you that I and our diocesan staff are wholeheartedly committed to assisting those who have questions about their reception of the sacraments. I invite you to join me in prayer as we move forward together as a local church in reaching out to those who may need this particular pastoral assistance. May God continue to fill us with His grace, mercy and love.
“Sincerely Yours in Christ,
“+Thomas J. Olmsted
Bishop of Phoenix”
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Message from Fr. Andres Arango – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix (dphx.org)
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It is with a heavy heart that I find myself writing this letter of notification to a wonderful parish family that I once served.
It saddens me to learn that I have performed invalid baptisms throughout my ministry as a priest by regularly using an incorrect formula. I deeply regret my error and how this has affected numerous people in your parish and elsewhere. With the help of the Holy Spirit and in communion with the Diocese of Phoenix I will dedicate my energy and full time ministry to help remedy this and heal those affected. In order to do this, I have resigned from my position as pastor of St. Gregory parish in Phoenix effective February 1, 2022.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank God for having given me the opportunity to serve your community so many years ago. You have all enriched my life beyond measure. It has been a blessing and an honor to have served and worked alongside people that I consider my dear friends and family.
On the Diocese of Phoenix website, there is a letter from Bishop Olmsted about this and a link to a form where you can provide your name and contact information if you believe you were baptized by me, so that the Diocese can begin the process of baptizing all who are affected.
I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience my actions have caused and genuinely ask for your prayers, forgiveness, and understanding.
Respectfully in Christ,
Fr. Andres Arango
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[ii] “Responsum” of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to a doubt about the validity of Baptism conferred with the formula “We baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (vatican.va)
DOCTRINAL NOTE
on the modification of the sacramental formula of Baptism
Recently there have been celebrations of the Sacrament of Baptism administered with the words: “In the name of the father and of the mother, of the godfather and of the godmother, of the grandparents, of the family members, of the friends, in the name of the community we baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. Apparently, the deliberate modification of the sacramental formula was introduced to emphasize the communitarian significance of Baptism, in order to express the participation of the family and of those present, and to avoid the idea of the concentration of a sacred power in the priest to the detriment of the parents and the community that the formula in the Rituale Romano might seem to imply[1]. With debatable pastoral motives[2],here resurfaces the ancient temptation to substitute for the formula handed down by Tradition other texts judged more suitable. In this regard, St. Thomas Aquinas had already asked himself the question “utrum plures possint simul baptizare unum et eundem” to which he had replied negatively, insofar as this practice is contrary to the nature of the minister[3].
The Second Vatican Council states that: “when a man baptizes it is really Christ Himself who baptizes”[4]. The affirmation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, inspired by a text of Saint Augustine[5], wants to return the sacramental celebration to the presence of Christ, not only in the sense that he infuses his virtus to give it efficacy, but above all to indicate that the Lord has the principal role in the event being celebrated.
When celebrating a Sacrament, the Church in fact functions as the Body that acts inseparably from its Head, since it is Christ the Head who acts in the ecclesial Body generated by him in the Paschal mystery[6]. The doctrine of the divine institution of the Sacraments, solemnly affirmed by the Council of Trent[7], thus sees its natural development and authentic interpretation in the above-mentioned affirmation of Sacrosanctum Concilium. The two Councils are therefore in harmony in declaring that they do not have the authority to subject the seven sacraments to the action of the Church. The Sacraments, in fact, inasmuch as they were instituted by Jesus Christ, are entrusted to the Church to be preserved by her. It is evident here that although the Church is constituted by the Holy Spirit, who is the interpreter of the Word of God, and can, to a certain extent, determine the rites which express the sacramental grace offered by Christ, does not establish the very foundations of her existence: the Word of God and the saving acts of Christ.
It is therefore understandable that in the course of the centuries the Church has safeguarded the form of the celebration of the Sacraments, above all in those elements to which Scripture attests and that make it possible to recognize with absolute clarity the gesture of Christ in the ritual action of the Church. The Second Vatican Council has likewise established that no one “even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority”[8]. Modifying on one’s own initiative the form of the celebration of a Sacrament does not constitute simply a liturgical abuse, like the transgression of a positive norm, but a vulnus inflicted upon the ecclesial communion and the identifiability of Christ’s action, and in the most grave cases rendering invalid the Sacrament itself, because the nature of the ministerial action requires the transmission with fidelity of that which has been received (cf. 1 Cor 15:3).
In the celebration of the Sacraments, in fact, the subject is the Church, the Body of Christ together with its Head, that manifests itself in the concrete gathered assembly[9]. Such an assembly therefore acts ministerially – not collegially – because no group can make itself Church, but becomes Church in virtue of a call that cannot arise from within the assembly itself. The minister is therefore the sign-presence of Him who gathers, and is at the same time the locus of the communion of every liturgical assembly with the whole Church. In other words the minister is the visible sign that the Sacrament is not subject to an arbitrary action of individuals or of the community, and that it pertains to the Universal Church.
In this light must be understood the tridentine injunction concerning the necessity of the minister to at least have the intention to do that which the Church does[10]. The intention therefore cannot remain only at the interior level, with the risk of subjective distractions, but must be expressed in the exterior action constituted by the use of the matter and form of the Sacrament. Such an action cannot but manifest the communion between that which the minister accomplishes in the celebration of each individual sacrament with that which the Church enacts in communion with the action of Christ himself: It is therefore fundamental that the sacramental action may not be achieved in its own name, but in the person of Christ who acts in his Church, and in the name of the Church.
Therefore, in the specific case of the Sacrament of Baptism, not only does the minister not have the authority to modify the sacramental formula to his own liking, for the reasons of a christological and ecclesiological nature already articulated, but neither can he even declare that he is acting on behalf of the parents, godparents, relatives or friends, nor in the name of the assembly gathered for the celebration, because he acts insofar as he is the sign-presence of the same Christ that is enacted in the ritual gesture of the Church. When the minister says “I baptize you…” he does not speak as a functionary who carries out a role entrusted to him, but he enacts ministerially the sign-presence of Christ, who acts in his Body to give his grace and to make the concrete liturgical assembly a manifestation of “the real nature of the true Church”[11], insofar as “liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations of the Church, which is the ‘sacrament of unity,’ namely the holy people united and ordered under their bishops”[12].
Moreover, to modify the sacramental formula implies a lack of an understanding of the very nature of the ecclesial ministry that is always at the service of God and his people and not the exercise of a power that goes so far as to manipulate what has been entrusted to the Church in an act that pertains to the Tradition. Therefore, in every minister of Baptism, there must not only be a deeply rooted knowledge of the obligation to act in ecclesial communion, but also the same conviction that Saint Augustine attributes to the Precursor, which “was to be a certain peculiarity in Christ, such that, although many ministers, be they righteous or unrighteous, should baptize, the virtue of Baptism would be attributed to Him alone on whom the dove descended, and of whom it was said: ‘It is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit’ (Jn 1:33)”. Therefore, Augustine comments: “Peter may baptize, but this is He that baptizes; Paul may baptize, yet this is He that baptizes; Judas may baptize, still this is He that baptizes”[13].
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[1] In reality, a careful analysis of the Rite of Baptism of Children shows that in the celebration the parents, godparents and the entire community are called to play an active role, a true liturgical office (cf. Rituale Romanum ex Decreto Sacrosancti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II instauratum auctoritate Pauli PP. VI promulgatum, Ordo Baptismi Parvulorum, Praenotanda, nn. 4-7), which according to the conciliar provisions, however, requires that “each person, minister or layman, who has an office to perform, should do all of, but only, those parts which pertain to his office by the nature of the rite and the principles of liturgy” (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 28).
[2] Often the recourse to pastoral motivation masks, even unconsciously, a subjective deviation and a manipulative will. Already in the last century Romano Guardini recalled that if in personal prayer the believer can follow the impulse of the heart, in liturgical action “he must open himself to a different kind of impulse which comes from a more powerful source: namely, the heart of the Church which beats through the ages. Here it does not matter what personal tastes are, what wants he may have, or what particular cares occupy his mind…” (R. Guardini, Vorschule des Betens, Einsiedeln/Zürich, 19482, p. 258; Eng. trans.: The Art of Praying, Manchester, NH, 1985, 176).
[3] Summa Theologiae, III, q. 67, a. 6 c.
[4] Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7.
[5] St. Augustinus, In Evangelium Ioannis tractatus, VI, 7.
[6] Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, 5.
[8] Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, 22 § 3.
[9] Cf. Catechismus Catholicae Ecclesiae, n. 1140: “Tota communitas, corpus Christi suo Capiti unitum, celebrat” and 1141: “Celebrans congregatio communitas est baptizatorum”.
[11] Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, 2.
[13] S. Augustinus, In Evangelium Ioannis tractatus, VI, 7.
[00923-EN.01] [Original text: English]
Canon Law on Baptism
BOOK I. GENERAL NORMS
Can. 1 The canons of this Code regard only the Latin Church.
Can. 2 For the most part the Code does not define the rites which must be observed in celebrating liturgical actions. Therefore, liturgical laws in force until now retain their force unless one of them is contrary to the canons of the Code.
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Title II. Custom
Can. 23 Only that custom introduced by a community of the faithful and approved by the legislator according to the norm of the following canons has the force of law.
Can. 24 §1. No custom which is contrary to divine law can obtain the force of law.
§2. A custom contrary to or beyond canon law (praeter ius canonicum) cannot obtain the force of law unless it is reasonable; a custom which is expressly reprobated in the law, however, is not reasonable.
Can. 25 No custom obtains the force of law unless it has been observed with the intention of introducing a law by a community capable at least of receiving law.
Can. 26 Unless the competent legislator has specifically approved it, a custom contrary to the canon law now in force or one beyond a canonical law (praeter legem canonicam) obtains the force of law only if it has been legitimately observed for thirty continuous and complete years. Only a centenary or immemorial custom, however, can prevail against a canonical law which contains a clause prohibiting future customs.
Can. 27 Custom is the best interpreter of laws.
Can. 28 Without prejudice to the prescript of can. 5, a contrary custom or law revokes a custom which is contrary to or beyond the law (praeter legem). Unless it makes express mention of them, however, a law does not revoke centenary or immemorial customs, nor does a universal law revoke particular customs.
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PART I Code of Canon Law BAPTISM (Canon. 849 – 878)
Can. 849 Baptism, the gateway to the sacraments and necessary for salvation by actual reception or at least by desire, is validly conferred only by a washing of true water with the proper form of words. Through baptism men and women are freed from sin, are reborn as children of God, and, configured to Christ by an indelible character, are incorporated into the Church.
Can. 850 Baptism is administered according to the order prescribed in the approved liturgical books, except in case of urgent necessity when only those things required for the validity of the sacrament must be observed.
Can. 851 The celebration of baptism must be prepared properly; consequently: 1/ an adult who intends to receive baptism is to be admitted to the catechumenate and is to be led insofar as possible through the various stages to sacramental initiation, according to the order of initiation adapted by the conference of bishops and the special norms issued by it; 2/ the parents of an infant to be baptized and those who are to undertake the function of sponsor are to be instructed properly on the meaning of this sacrament and the obligations attached to it. The pastor personally or through others is to take care that the parents are properly instructed through both pastoral advice and common prayer, bringing several families together and, where possible, visiting them.
Can. 852 §1. The prescripts of the canons on adult baptism are to be applied to all those who, no longer infants, have attained the use of reason.
§2. A person who is not responsible for oneself (non sui compos) is also regarded as an infant with respect to baptism.
Can. 853 Apart from a case of necessity, the water to be used in conferring baptism must be blessed according to the prescripts of the liturgical books.
Can. 854 Baptism is to be conferred either by immersion or by pouring; the prescripts of the conference of bishops are to be observed.
Can. 855 Parents, sponsors, and the pastor are to take care that a name foreign to Christian sensibility is not given.
Can. 856 Although baptism can be celebrated on any day, it is nevertheless recommended that it be celebrated ordinarily on Sunday or, if possible, at the Easter Vigil.
Can. 857 §1. Apart from a case of necessity, the proper place of baptism is a church or oratory.
§2. As a rule an adult is to be baptized in his or her parish church and an infant in the parish church of the parents unless a just cause suggests otherwise.
Can. 858 §1. Every parish church is to have a baptismal font, without prejudice to the cumulative right already acquired by other churches.
§2. After having heard the local pastor, the local ordinary can permit or order for the convenience of the faithful that there also be a baptismal font in another church or oratory within the boundaries of the parish.
Can. 859 If because of distance or other circumstances the one to be baptized cannot go or be brought to the parish church or to the other church or oratory mentioned in can. 858, §2 without grave inconvenience, baptism can and must be conferred in another nearer church or oratory, or even in another fitting place.
Can. 860 §1. Apart from a case of necessity, baptism is not to be conferred in private houses, unless the local ordinary has permitted it for a grave cause.
§2. Except in a case of necessity or for some other compelling pastoral reason, baptism is not to be celebrated in hospitals unless the diocesan bishop has established otherwise.
Can. 861 §1. The ordinary minister of baptism is a bishop, a presbyter, or a deacon, without prejudice to the prescript of can. 530, n. 1.
§2. When an ordinary minister is absent or impeded, a catechist or another person designated for this function by the local ordinary, or in a case of necessity any person with the right intention, confers baptism licitly. Pastors of souls, especially the pastor of a parish, are to be concerned that the Christian faithful are taught the correct way to baptize.
Can. 862 Except in a case of necessity, no one is permitted to confer baptism in the territory of another without the required permission, not even upon his own subjects.
Can. 863 The baptism of adults, at least of those who have completed their fourteenth year, is to be deferred to the diocesan bishop so that he himself administers it if he has judged it Expedient.
Can. 864 Every person not yet baptized and only such a person is capable of baptism.
Can. 865 §1. For an adult to be baptized, the person must have manifested the intention to receive baptism, have been instructed sufficiently about the truths of the faith and Christian obligations, and have been tested in the Christian life through the catechumenate. The adult is also to be urged to have sorrow for personal sins.
§2. An adult in danger of death can be baptized if, having some knowledge of the principal truths of the faith, the person has manifested in any way at all the intention to receive baptism and promises to observe the commandments of the Christian religion.
Can. 866 Unless there is a grave reason to the contrary, an adult who is baptized is to be confirmed immediately after baptism and is to participate in the Eucharistic celebration also by receiving communion
Can. 867 §1. Parents are obliged to take care that infants are baptized in the first few weeks; as soon as possible after the birth or even before it, they are to go to the pastor to request the sacrament for their child and to be prepared properly for it.
§2. An infant in danger of death is to be baptized without delay.
Can. 868 §1. For an infant to be baptized licitly: 1/ the parents or at least one of them or the person who legitimately takes their place must consent; 2/ there must be a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic religion; if such hope is altogether lacking, the baptism is to be delayed according to the prescripts of particular law after the parents have been advised about the reason.
§2. An infant of Catholic parents or even of non-Catholic parents is baptized licitly in danger of death even against the will of the parents.
Can. 869 §1. If there is a doubt whether a person has been baptized or whether baptism was conferred validly and the doubt remains after a serious investigation, baptism is to be conferred conditionally.
§2. Those baptized in a non-Catholic ecclesial community must not be baptized conditionally unless, after an examination of the matter and the form of the words used in the conferral of baptism and a consideration of the intention of the baptized adult and the minister of the baptism, a serious reason exists to doubt the validity of the baptism.
§3. If in the cases mentioned in §§1 and 2 the conferral or validity of the baptism remains doubtful, baptism is not to be conferred until after the doctrine of the sacrament of baptism is explained to the person to be baptized, if an adult, and the reasons of the doubtful validity of the baptism are explained to the person or, in the case of an infant, to the parents.
Can. 870 An abandoned infant or a foundling is to be baptized unless after diligent investigation the baptism of the infant is established.
Can. 871 If aborted fetuses are alive, they are to be baptized insofar as possible.
Can. 872 Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents an infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.
Can. 873 There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.
Can. 874 §1. To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must: 1/ be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function; 2/ have completed the sixteenth year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause; 3/ be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on; 4/ not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared; 5/ not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
§2. A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.
Can. 875 A person who administers baptism is to take care that, unless a sponsor is present, there is at least a witness who can attest to the conferral of the baptism.
Can. 876 To prove the conferral of baptism, if prejudicial to no one, the declaration of one witness beyond all exception is sufficient or the oath of the one baptized if the person received baptism as an adult.
Can. 877 §1. The pastor of the place where the baptism is celebrated must carefully and without any delay record in the baptismal register the names of the baptized, with mention made of the minister, parents, sponsors, witnesses, if any, the place and date of the conferral of the baptism, and the date and place of birth.
§2. If it concerns a child born to an unmarried mother, the name of the mother must be inserted, if her maternity is established publicly or if she seeks it willingly in writing or before two witnesses. Moreover, the name of the father must be inscribed if a public document or his own declaration before the pastor and two witnesses proves his paternity; in other cases, the name of the baptized is inscribed with no mention of the name of the father or the parents.
§3. If it concerns an adopted child, the names of those adopting are to be inscribed and, at least if it is done in the civil records of the region, also the names of the natural parents according to the norm of §§1 and 2, with due regard for the prescripts of the conference of bishops. Can.
878 If the baptism was not administered by the pastor or in his presence, the minister of baptism, whoever it is, must inform the pastor of the parish in which it was administered of the conferral of the baptism, so that he records the baptism according to the norm of can. 877, §1.
[iv] John 1:33 “32John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove* from the sky and remain upon him. 33I did not know him,v but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’w
34* x Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” [USCCB NAB]
