Jesus told the apostles, “go make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of Holy Spirit.”[1] In Mark’s gospel, the Lord also said, “whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.”[2] These two scriptural accounts serve as a basis for the importance of baptism in Christianity. Baptism has been called the gateway to the spiritual life, through which we become adopted sons and daughters of God.[3] It is the first sacrament one receives to become a member of the Church, which is the mystical Body of Christ.[4] Given the significance of baptism, this article will explore some of the general norms regarding its administration in the Church.
Basic Concepts: Matter, Form, Minister[5]
Matter, form, and minister are three basic concepts in the administration of the sacraments. Matter refers to the material/physical element used in the sacramental celebration. Jesus, being the Word made flesh/incarnate, chose various matter as signs and means by which He would bestow grace to His disciples. For example, in the Anointing of the Sick, the matter used is blessed oil.[6] For the Eucharist, bread and wine serve as the valid matter, not other material like Pepsi or pizza.[7] The form of the sacrament, refers to the formula of words needed for the celebration, without which the sacrament would be invalid and lack effect. In confession, for instance, in order for the priest to validly absolve the person, he needs to say, “I absolve you from your sins.” He cannot substitute another form like, “Be spiritually healed my son!” Otherwise the absolution is invalid. The third element for the celebration of the sacraments is the minister. The minister is the one who validly performs the sacred functions in the name of the Church to produce the necessary effects that come from the sacraments. The proper minister depends on the nature of the sacrament. For the ordination of a priest or deacon, the only valid minister is a bishop. If a nun tried to “ordain” a man a deacon, it would be absolutely invalid. Matter, form, and minister are the elements necessary for celebrating sacraments.
Baptism
The matter for the celebration of baptism is water. Baptism comes from a Greek word which means “to dip.” In the early Church, people were baptized by being dipped or immersed into water. This action symbolized the washing away of sin, new life, and the Holy Spirit. In the current law, the person to be baptized may have water poured over his head or he can be immersed in water.[8] In the old law, it was permissible for one to by baptized through aspersion or the sprinkling of water over the person. This practice is now illegal, but if done, the person would still be validly baptized. The valid form for a baptism is “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” These words constitute the Trinitarian formula of baptism and they are absolutely necessary. A failure to recite them renders baptism invalid. In addition, the correct doctrine and understanding of the Trinity must accompany the form and use of the words. For example, The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a response that determined that Mormon baptisms are invalid.[9] This was because although the Mormon community uses a similar formula or words, their understanding of the Trinity is radically different than Catholic dogma.
The canon law indicates that the ordinary minister for baptism is a priest or deacon.[10] Priests and deacons are the ordinary ministers of baptism by virtue of their ordination to serve the people of God. In particular, it is the duty of the pastor to baptize his parishioners. Priests and deacons are trained to help parents, godparents, and other family members prepare for the baptism of infants by instructing them about the responsibilities to raise the baby in the faith. This instruction aids towards the future spiritual good of the baby. In the case of an adult, sacred ministers will guide the person into full Christian Initiation through the Catechumenate. When priests and deacons administer baptism, they are also able to celebrate the full rituals that accompany the celebration, such as the anointing of baptized with the oils of catechumen and chrism.
If the ordinary ministers are impeded from assisting or they are lacking in a region, the law also allows for extraordinary ministers of baptism. These would include a catechist, a duly appointed person for this function, and in cases of necessity, any person with the right intention is capable of baptizing someone.[11] Such is the situation of communities in which clergy is scarce. Some bishops have choses religious sisters or lay catechists to administer baptism according to the liturgical books. As the law indicates, in emergency situations, anyone with the right intention is able to baptize. A baptized non-Catholic or even a Buddhist or Atheist can baptize someone into the Catholic Church, as long as they intend to do what the Church intends. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated, “Even non-Catholics can validly administer Baptism. In every case, however, it is the Baptism of the Catholic Church, which does not belong to those who separate themselves from her but to the Church from which they have separated themselves (cf. Augustine, On Baptism 1, 12,9). This validity is possible because Christ is the true minister of the sacrament: Christ is the one who truly baptizes, whether it is Peter or Paul or Judas who baptizes (cf. Augustine, Treatise on the Gospel of John VI,1,7; cf. CCC n. 1127).”[12] For example, a new born baby is in critical condition in the hospital. The nurse on duty is a Buddhist, but she knows the parents are Catholic and that baptism is important. If this Buddhist nurse knew by chance the Trinitarian formula and that she needed to sprinkle water for the baptism, she could validly baptize that baby. This provision illustrates the broad understanding for the administration of baptism since it is key to salvation and life in Christ.
Particular Case: Age
Most places consider 18 to be the age of majority. Anyone below 18 years of age is considered a minor and subject to their parents/guardians. The same is true in canon law. Canon law though, distinguishes between the ages of majority, minority, and infancy. Anyone who has reached the age of 7 is no longer considered an infant and is presumed to have the use of reason necessary for the certain legal acts and responsibilities.[13] For example, a 16 year old can serve as a godparent for baptism.[14]
Rules regarding adult baptism are also applied to all those who, no longer infants, have the use of reason.[15] In a way, it is not so much the parents who present the child for baptism, but the child who requests baptism into the Church of Christ. Kevin T. Hart explains, “children over the age of seven are subject to the prescriptions of the canons regulating adult baptism because they ‘are capable’ of receiving and nurturing a personal faith and of recognizing an obligation in conscience and can undertake the personal preparation for baptism characteristic of an adult.”[16] As a result, children who are at least 7 years of age are subject to the same baptismal rites and requirements as an 18-year-old. This means an unbaptized 7-year-old child should go through the entire Catechumenate, commonly known as the Rite of Christian Initiation For Adults (R.C.I.A.) with other adults. They are also subject to canon 866 which states, “an adult who is baptized is to be confirmed immediately after baptism and is to participate in the Eucharistic celebration also by receiving communion.”[17] William Woestman adds, “this canon applies equally to all children having attained the use of reason. The mere fact that children baptized in infancy are confirmed in a particular place only when they are older does not justify postponing confirmation for children having the use of reason when they are baptized or received into the Church.”[18]
Consider this scenario: Two parishioners ask their pastor to baptize their 8-year-old son in August. They have neglected his infant baptism for various reasons. They also ask if their son can receive his First Holy Communion next May with his classmates. The pastor thinks it is a good idea because their son would follow the “usual” track and get confirmed at the usual high school age. They all decide to proceed in this way. Despite their intentions, their decision would be against the norm of law. As explained earlier, the law treats even 8-year-old as an adult for baptism. He would need to enroll in the Catechumenate and then be baptized, confirmed, and receive his first communion during the Easter Vigil.
Particular Case: Deferral of Baptism
Canon 868 §1 2° states, “there must be 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.”[19] The canon deals with the postponement of baptism. As a general principle of sacramental law, whenever doubt exists about one’s disposition, the benefit goes to the party requesting the sacrament. Ministers should be disposed to serve the people and administer the sacraments which Christ gave out of love and mercy for all. This part of canon 868 though, indicates that rights are not absolute in the Church. In other words, one does not always get what one wants. The law permits the minister to delay, not deny, an infant’s baptism if there is no founded hope that the baby will be raised in the Catholic faith. This is a sensitive matter because any hesitation by the minister could anger, disappoint, or alienate the parents from ever coming back to Church. As a restriction on one’s rights, the minister cannot defer the sacrament unless he has some basis that there is no founded hope. For example, if the parents are not baptized and they have a superstitious understanding of baptism. They tell the pastor that even if their baby gets baptized, they will make no effort to be baptized or come to Church. In this scenario, the minister can legitimately defer the infant’s baptism.
Some scenarios which would not be considered reasons for deferral would include a parent lacking confirmation, the parents are cohabitating, they failed to attend pre-baptismal instruction, or only one parent is catholic. In these situations, the minister can examine other factors to assure the catholic upbringing of the infant. This includes the selection of proper godparents, the grandparents or other family members make an oath to raise the infant in the faith, or the parents come regularly to Church and plan on getting married. In any case, the minister, especially a pastor, must recognize his obligation to catechize and assist all the families in his parish; He must remember the salvation of souls is the supreme law of the Church.[20]
Conclusion
This article has explored foundational requirements and formalities that ensure one’s entry into the Church by baptism. Like all sacraments, the necessary matter, form, and minister must be present in order to celebrate a valid sacrament. These requirements are of divine law as evident in the scriptures and not subject to a dispensation.[21] Two special cases regarding age and deferral were also treated. Before the celebration of baptism, the minister must consider the age of the person to be baptized to determine which “track” he must follow. If the person is not an infant, then he is considered an adult for the baptismal rite. In the case of an infants though, parents have the responsibility of raising them in the faith. If there is no founded hope that the infant will be raised Catholic, the minister is to defer the celebration until the parents are ready to assume responsibility. Like all laws, these norms aim at remaining faithful to the mission given to the Church by Christ and promoting the common good.
[1] Matthew 28:19-20.
[2] Mark 16:16.
[3] CCC 1213.
[4] Ibid.
[5] In the celebration of the sacraments, scholars include the concept of intention (actual, virtual, or habitual). However, due to its complexity and limited space for this article, I will only treat the concepts listed above.
[6] Codex Iuris Canonici auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II promulgatus (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1983) c.998. English translation from Code of Canon Law, Latin-English Edition: New English Translation (Washington DC: CLSA, 2012). All subsequent English translations from this code will be taken from this source unless otherwise indicated.
[7] Canon 924 § 1.
[8] Canon 854.
[9] Congregation For The Doctrine of the Faith, “The Question of Validity of Baptism Conferred In The Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints,” https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20010605_battesimo_mormoni-ladaria_en.html. Accessed July 29 2021.
[10] Canon 861.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Congregation For The Doctrine of the Faith, “The Question of Validity of Baptism Conferred In The Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints,” https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20010605_battesimo_mormoni-ladaria_en.html. Accessed July 29 2021.
[13] Canon 97 §2.
[14] Canon 874 §1 2°.
[15] Canon 852 §1.
[16] Kevin T. Hart, “Baptism cc. 849-878,” In New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, ed. John Beal et al. (New York/Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2001) 1042 (Hereafter New Commentary).
[17] Canon 866.
[18] William Woestman, Canon Law of the Sacraments for Parish Ministry, 2ed. (Ottawa: Faculty of Canon Law Saint Paul University, 2011) 44.
[19] Canon 868 §1 2°.
[20] Canon 1752.
[21] Canon 85.
