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Theology of Baptism

Baptism, the door to life and to the kingdom of God, is the first of the New Law, which offered to all, that they might have eternal life. He later entrusted this sacrament and the to his , when he told his apostles, “Go, make disciples of all nations, and baptize them in the of the Father, and of the Son, and of the .” Taken from The General Introduction to Christian : Roman .

The Baptism of an infant or young child is an event that affects the whole community. The call to support parents in this journey lies at the heart of pastoral ministry. It is one which we take seriously here at The Community of St. . That support begins when parents first approach the with the request for Baptism for their child and continues through the years as they grow in . For this reason, we ask parents to participate fully in our Baptismal Preparation program, Call to Celebrate: Baptism.

Baptisms at St. Joseph

It is with great joy that our parish community welcomes your child into the Church through the Sacrament of Baptism. The goodness of your lives and your faith make possible this wonderful celebration of the eternal life bestowed on your child by our gracious God.

Ordinarily, infants are baptized by the parent or lowering the child into the of the while the pours water over the crown of the child's head..

If your child is baptized at a communal ceremony, you may choose Baptism by immersion or by pouring. In Baptism by pouring, the child wears a white baptismal garment and is held over the baptismal font and the water is poured over the top of the child’s head. Because we want to ensure a wonderful celebration for you and your child, please review the following explanations of the ritual for Baptism used here at St. Joseph:

Godparents

When you invite a person to serve as your child’s godparent, you are asking this individual to make a lifelong commitment to your child. The law of the Church requires that each child being baptized have one godparent to serve as his or her spiritual model and friend, to be baptized and practicing their Catholic faith.

When you ask someone to act as a Catholic Baptismal Sponsor, please have them contact their current parish and request a Godparent Sponsor Certificate. This helps affirm that the Godparent has their church's permission to do so, and meets the above guidelines for Catholic . This certificate (or letter) should be delivered to the office here at St. Joseph before the celebration of the baptism.

Frequently Asked Questions

● Do I have to be a registered member of the parish in to have my child baptized?

You are required to be registered in a parish but not necessarily St. Joseph. If you are registered elsewhere, you will need to obtain a letter from your granting us permission to baptize your child.

● What is required of the parents who wish to have their child Baptized?

1. One parent needs to be a Catholic and should be practicing their faith by attending the Eucharistic . They must have all their and if married, have their marriage blessed in the . 2. They need to be registered in a Catholic parish. 3. Both parents are expected to attend a Baptism Preparation class. The class schedule and registration is on our website. 4. Parents will contact 801 399 5627 to schedule their child's baptism.

● My spouse is not Catholic. Does he/she have to attend the classes?

We ask that both parents attend the session for your child’s Baptism preparation regardless of church affiliation. It will be an opportunity for your spouse to learn more about the sacrament of Baptism and how we celebrate it in the Catholic tradition.

● We have had other children baptized. Do we still need to attend Baptism Preparation classes?

The preparation class for Baptism is good for 3 years. If you have attended one earlier, please know that you are not required to attend again for 3 years.

● Are all baptisms celebrated on Saturday?

We schedule the celebration on Saturdays as this seems to work for all involved. You have the option of having your child baptized at one of the Sunday Masses with special arrangements made in advance.

A Guide to Catholic Baptism

BY JON JAKOBLICH // 142 COMMENTS

Baptism is the first of seven sacraments and the way in which a person becomes a member of the Catholic Church.

Who can receive a Catholic baptism? Anyone who has not already been baptized can receive the sacrament of Baptism in the Catholic Church. The of the Catholic Church states that “Every person not yet baptized and only such a person is able to be baptized,” (paragraph 1246). Baptism leaves an indelible (permanent) mark on the soul and there is no way nor any reason that one could be re­baptized.

● There are no age restrictions for baptism; you cannot be too old or too young to be baptized. Who can perform a Catholic baptism? Anyone can perform a baptism, however this is typically done only in extreme cases in which someone’s life is in danger. The Catholic Church has ordinary ministers for sacraments and those are , , and sometimes . An ordinary is one who has been entrusted with the authority to perform the sacrament although the responsibility for performing a sacrament can usually be delegated. For example, a is the ordinary minister for , but can give permission to a priest to do a Confirmation; a priest does not have the authority to do a confirmation without the permission of his bishop. However, priests do have the authority to do baptisms without the permission of the bishop and sometimes delegate the responsibility to a if one is available.

Most baptisms are done by a priest or deacon when the person is an infant, but there are extreme cases when even an unbaptized person can baptize someone. All that is required is “the will to do what the Church does when she baptizes, and to apply the Trinitarian Baptismal formula.” If this is done it is usaully because someone is lying on his/her deathbed and they truly desire to become Christian. How is this type of Baptism valid you ask? Well, the Church believes in the universal saving will of God and the necessity of Baptism for (1 Timothy 2:4, :5).

Can someone be baptized twice? Baptizing someone twice is not necessary so long as the person was baptized using the described above. Some churches do not use the Trinitarian formula and therefore their baptisms are not valid and one would need to baptized again. It is not a to be baptized twice, but one need not be baptized twice in most cases.

Does the Catholic Church accept baptisms from another church? Yes, the Catholic Church recognizes any baptism that uses water and in which the baptized was baptized was the words “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Some churches do not use the trinitarian formula for baptism and thus their baptisms are not valid.

Why are children baptized? Children receive baptism primarily to remove , but can serve as a great tradition in which to inculturate one’s child into the faith of the family. has been debated for centuries. First, let us appeal to the . John 3:5 says, “ answered, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.’” Note that Jesus says “no one” can enter in that passage. In the spirit of brevity here is the short answer straight from the Catechism:

“The practice of infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church. There is explicit to this practice from the second century on, and it is quite possible that, from the beginning of the apostolic preaching, when whole “households” received baptism, infants may also have been baptized,” (Acts 16:15,33; 18:8; 1 Corinthians 1:16). (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1252)

What does the Grace of Baptism accomplish? Catholic Baptism does five things specifically.

1. It forgives all that may have been committed prior to a person’s baptism including original sin, mortal sins, andvenial sins, and it relieves the punishment for those sins. 2. It makes the newly baptized person “a new creature.” 3. It turns the person into a newly adopted son of God and a member of Christ. Baptism incorporates one into the Church which is the . 4. It brings someone into the flock of the faithful and brings them to share in the royal priesthood of Christ (1 Pet. 2:9­10). Catholic baptism gives a share in the common priesthood of all believers and it also brings about the bond of the unity of . Paragraph 1271 of the Catechism says it best:

Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in with the Catholic Church: “For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church. Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn.”

5. Last, but certainly not in the least, baptism leaves and indelible spiritual mark (character) of belonging to Christ on the soul. Nothing you can do will take away this mark even if you sin a million times. Those sins may not grant you salvation, but you will always carry the mark of a Christian on your soul, therefore making re­baptism impossible. Can someone receive the Grace of Baptism without being baptized? Yes, those who die for their faith but were never baptized receive the grace of baptism by blood. This is often called martyrdom – being killed for your faith and never, not even for a second, compromising it. Also, those truly seeking baptism, but are unable to receive it due to extenuating circumstances can receive it by desire. If the person has an explicit desire for baptism and is repentant of their sins then they will be “baptized.”

What is the form and matter of Baptism? The form of a sacrament is the words that are said when performing or receiving the sacrament. In the case of Baptism this would be, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The matter of a sacrament is the physical signs that are present or used such as water and oil in the case of baptism.

What is the role of Godparents? Godparents for Catholic Baptism are helping to form the childs spiritual However, they take on a different role since usually only children have godparents for baptism. Their role is to take over or assist in the faith development of the person being baptized in the event that his/her parents cannot or if they neglect the child. This fulfills the baptismal promise of being raised in the Catholic faith.

Why Do We Need Baptismal Classes?

CATHY CARIDI, J.C.L.

Q: My wife and I are both Catholics and are expecting our first child in three months. Our parish requires all parents who want their baby baptized to attend an evening class, which conflicts with my work-schedule. Otherwise they told us we cannot have our baby baptized. But both my parents and my in-laws have told us that they never had to attend any such class before we were baptized! Why do we have to do this? The pastor knows us, and can see that we regularly attend on Sundays. Does he have the right to refuse to baptize our baby if we don't attend this class? — Tony, Annapolis, MD A: In our last discussion on May 24, we saw that according to canon 843.1, Catholics have the right to receive the sacraments if they opportunely ask for them, are properly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them. On the surface, therefore, it would appear that your pastor may not refuse to baptize your child if you sincerely wish it. But with every right comes a corresponding obligation, and this right to receive the sacraments is no exception. Canon 843.2 states that of souls have the duty to ensure that those who ask for the sacraments are prepared for their reception. In the case of parents who present their infant child for baptism, it is the parents who must be adequately prepared, as they are asking for a sacrament on behalf of another person who is too young to request it for himself. What is the primary purpose of baptizing an infant? The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that Christ Himself affirmed that baptism is necessary for salvation (CCC 1257), and that even innocent children, who are born with original sin, need baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and to become children of God (CCC 1250). Since follows theology, it should not be surprising that this teaching also appears in the Code of Canon Law, as canon 849. Parents should want their children baptized because they want them to be freed from original sin, and made members of the Church. But unfortunately, in many cases nowadays, parents who ask for their children's baptism do so for cultural reasons rather than spiritual ones. Too often, religiously indifferent parents ask for their child's baptism merely because they are being pressured by their own parents to have their child baptized. In some cultures, the celebration of an infant's baptism is an important social event, quite separate from its religious significance, and baptism is for this reason requested by parents who no longer practice their Catholic faith themselves. In such cases the spiritual importance of this sacrament is being lost. The Church seeks to avoid situations in which a child is baptized a Catholic, but then, due to the negligence and indifference of his parents, is not raised to practice the Catholic faith. For this reason canon 868.1 n.2 notes that for a child to be baptized, there must be a realistic hope that he will be brought up in the Catholic religion. If such hope is lacking, the baptism is to be deferred — and if, at some point in the future, the parents can provide grounds for hope that their infant will in fact be raised as a Catholic, the priest may then proceed with the baptism. This requirement routinely presents practical problems for pastors who are faced with non-practicing Catholic parents seeking baptism for their children. A priest is obliged by law to determine that there is reason to believe that somehow the child will in fact be raised Catholic, or else he must tell the parents that their baby may not be baptized. At the same time, denying the parents' request requires great pastoral sensitivity and tact, since a priest does not want to drive such parents away from the Church for good.

Deciding what constitutes a "realistic hope" that the child will be raised Catholic is often a difficult judgment call, and sincere priests may at times differ about what to do in a particular case. It cannot be automatically assumed that there is no hope of the child's Catholic upbringing simply because the parents themselves are less than perfect Catholics. For example, the fact that the child's parents were not married in the Catholic Church, or perhaps are not even married at all, may not necessarily indicate that they have no intention of raising their child as a Catholic. God alone knows whether, in some cases, the decision of lapsed-Catholic parents to educate their children in the Catholic faith may actually bring about a return to the Church on the part of the parents themselves! Over the years, some pastors have told me that they feel that the mere fact that such parents phone the rectory to arrange a baptism, is in itself an indication that they have not totally severed their connection with the Church, and constitutes a reasonable hope that they will bring up their child as a Catholic. Others will disagree, wanting to see stronger evidence that the baptism is not simply being sought to please other family members, or to satisfy social expectations.

To avoid confusion and inconsistency, it has become the norm for US dioceses to require parishes to hold mandatory classes for parents requesting infant baptism, in order to ensure that (1) all parents truly understand the spiritual obligations that their child's baptism will place on them, and (2) the pastor may have the opportunity to determine whether it may be unrealistic to hope that the children of the parents attending the class will be raised as Catholics. The development of these classes no doubt took place after you and your wife were baptized, which explains why your own parents were not required to take one. Attending such a class, and participating in it, shows your pastor that you are properly disposed for the baptism of your child; adamantly refusing to attend it may be interpreted as a sign that you are not.

Keep in mind that, while you may have a right to have your baby baptized, your pastor simultaneously has an obligation to ensure that the sacraments are celebrated properly in his parish. In fact, canon 851 n.2 notes that the pastor is required to see to it that the parents of a child who is to be baptized are suitably instructed on the meaning of this sacrament and the obligations connected with it. A mandatory class is an obvious way to do this. It may require some inconvenience and sacrifice to make arrangements to leave your workplace in order to attend the class. But given the tremendous spiritual importance of the sacrament of baptism to your child, surely it will be well worth it!