What Are You Looking For? Part 2: The Liturgy and the Sacraments

Baptism: Who Gets Baptized?

Baptism: Who Gets Baptized?

            In the Catholic Church, there are two groups of people who get baptized.  The first group is infants and young children.  The second group is made up of those who have never been validly baptized in another Christian tradition.  For a baptism to be considered valid, it must have only happened once and been done “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  If those two conditions weren’t met, or if there is any doubt that they were met, the persons coming into the Catholic Church will receive what is called a Conditional Baptism.  To determine whether or not a baptism was valid, usually documentation of the baptism is required.

            Some Protestant traditions have a problem with infant baptism, so I am going to explain that one first.  As I have written earlier, one of the things that are accomplished through Baptism is the removal for all time of the stain of Original Sin.  Every person ever born, with the exception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus, was born with this stain on their soul.  It is one of the consequences of the Fall of Adam and Eve.  Infants and small children are baptized to remove this stain.  While nowhere in the Scriptures do we specifically find the baptism of infants mentioned, we can logically conclude that it happened.  For example, in Acts St. Peter baptized Cornelius’ entire household.  Given his social status, one can infer that his household was quite large and his servants and slaves would have been included in that baptism.  If the young children were excluded, if it were improper for them to have been baptized because of their age, no doubt that would have been included both in Cornelius’ story or in the other stories involving the baptism of entire households.  Nowhere do we find any such instruction, and given its importance, no doubt it would be there.  On the contrary, “The practice of infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church.  There is explicit testimony 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.” (CCC 1251)

            The second group that receives baptism into the Catholic Church is those who are older and have never been baptized.  This baptism is preceded by a lengthy period of instruction called the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.  During the months before the Easter Vigil, when all those baptisms occur, those seeking entry into the Catholic Church are taught about faith.  They aren’t “indoctrinated” in the way that we typically understand that word.  The Church understands that this very special group of people possesses no real knowledge of faith at all.  Before Baptism, they need to be introduced to Jesus, to the Most Holy Trinity, to the teachings of the Church, to the Bible and to prayer.  This way, when the time comes, they can make an informed decision about faith and whether or not they want a relationship with God.  It is a time of growth for them.  It’s the time where they learn that Baptism isn’t the end, as I have said before, it’s only the beginning.  It’s where they learn how to walk as a Christian, how to grow as a Christian, and what’s required of each of us as Christians. 

            Whether the person receiving Baptism is an infant, or an adult, or somewhere in between, continued growth in the faith after Baptism is necessary.  For infants, the responsibility for this growth rest most heavily on the child’s parents.  For adults, it rests with them.  However, whether children or adults, they are not alone on the journey.  That’s what the Church is for.  The Church exists to help all the newly baptized continue to grow in faith, hope and love.  Love of God and love of neighbor.  That’s our responsibility to the newly baptized.  We are called to help them become Saints, with a capital “S”.  The moment we are baptized we all become saints with a lower case “s”, as long as we remain faithful to our baptism.  That’s what we are all called to be: Saints.  With a capital “S”.  May we all become willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that call.