Baby baptism if dad not practicing Catholic

[Kvmccoy]

My boss was raised a Roman Catholic and was married to wife #1 (also Catholic) in the Catholic Church. They divorced. He married wife #2 (not Catholic) in another denomination church. He divorced again. He married wife #3 (Catholic) but due to his not having an annulment from wife #1 they were unable to marry in the Catholic church. Neither of them is practicing any faith at this time. They just had their first baby. Are they able to have the baby baptised in the Catholic Church?

Thank you so much - I’m trying to steer him gently back to the church he was raised in and served as an altar boy in.

 

[1ke]

That would be up to the priest. Since they are married outside the Church, going to a non-Catholic Church, and do not seem to want to return to the church, I would think that baptism would be delayed until such time as there is a well-founded hope. So, they should (a) return to the Church, (b) start the nullity process, and (c) go to Confession. THEN, they can start talking about baptism.

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.

 

[Kvmccoy]

Thank you for this information. They are currently not attending any church at all - they would like to start attending their local Catholic Church but haven’t taken the steps to do so yet. They were not married in a church but in an outdoor ceremony by an Episcopalian priest - but they do not practice any religion at this time. They truly do want to start attending mass and would like the baby to be baptized in the Catholic Church. My thoughts are that they should start by meeting with the parish priest, attending mass, become members of that parish, then work on the baptism. He has all of his paperwork ready for the annulment process and was just about to meet with the priest 6 months before his wedding when the priest left suddenly (fired? - it was something unpleasant whatever it was). This, of course, made things more complicated as they did not have a priest assigned to the parish for many months - hence the reason for not being married in the chuch due to his annulment not being processed in time…

Thanks so much.

 

[Jimzz12]

To have his child baptised he is to…

1. First obtain a civil divorce and not co-habitate with the mother of the child, nor is he to pretend that she is his wife.
2. He is secure primary cutody of the child.
3. Make the neccessary steps within the Church to make a full return in becoming a practical Catholic.
4. Demonstrably prove his faith for period of time through admonishment of his prior seperation from Christ, prayer and fasting.
5. Speak on the child’s behalf in raising the child in Church.

His other choice is too…

1. Do nothing but urge the child throughout his youth toward the Church.
2. And, upon reaching the age of consent ensure the child chooses to baptised himself.

 

[1ke]

To have his child baptised he is to…

1. First obtain a civil divorce and not co-habitate with the mother of the child, nor is he to pretend that she is his wife.
2. He is secure primary cutody of the child.
3. Make the neccessary steps within the Church to make a full return in becoming a practical Catholic.
4. Demonstrably prove his faith for period of time through admonishment of his prior seperation from Christ, prayer and fasting.
5. Speak on the child’s behalf in raising the child in Church

You do not know what you are talking about. Do not give the OP inaccurate information. The requirements for baptizing a child are found in Canon Law. What you list is not found in Canon Law.

The man can seek to be reconciled to the church by petitioning for a decree of nullity from his first marriage if there are grounds. There are many people in irregular marriages who baptize and raise their children Catholic while in the process of regularizing their marriage, even if it takes years.

As always, it is best for the man to talk to his priest for counsel.

 

[rwoehmke]

You do not know what you are talking about. Do not give the OP inaccurate information. The requirements for baptizing a child are found in Canon Law. What you list is not found in Canon Law.

The man can seek to be reconciled to the church by petitioning for a decree of nullity from his first marriage if there are grounds. There are many people in irregular marriages who baptize and raise their children Catholic while in the process of regularizing their marriage, even if it takes years.

As always, it is best for the man to talk to his priest for counsel.

Absolutely correct. Disregard jimzz12. We have had parish members who agreed to live as brother and sister while awaiting a decree of nullity.