Baby baptized without knowledge--valid?

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AdamPeter said:
The point is that the child has received the grace that comes with the sacrament of baptism. They are a member of the body of Christ, the Church and even if they do not know this, the very fact that they are baptised means that they have that grace for later in life when perhaps they will make the journey into the Church for themselves.

The Lord will work in their lives…the best you can do is pray for them.
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👍 Great Answer!
 
This thread speaks to me directly as my 2 year old grandson remains unbaptized because his mother says she refuses to lie and say she will raise him Catholic. I’ve had to talk myself out of baptizing him on the occasions that I’ve given him his bath. In fact, a priest I’ve known for years expressed surprise that I hadn’t done so. But I can’t impose on him obligations he’ll never learn about. We live thousands of miles apart so I have no chance to influence his upbringing.
 
devoutchristian said:
The validity of sacraments does not depend on whether or not anyone knows about them. An Apostate is a baptized person who rejects the Christian faith.
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Yes, but how can a baptized person who is not even aware of having been baptized and who was never raised in the faith actually be guilty of the sin of apostasy?
 
RyanBlack said:
Yes, but how can a baptized person who is not even aware of having been baptized and who was never raised in the faith actually be guilty of the sin of apostasy?
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I didn’t say that they would be subjectively guilty of Apostasy but only that that would be their objective state.
 
Phemie said:
This thread speaks to me directly as my 2 year old grandson remains unbaptized because his mother says she refuses to lie and say she will raise him Catholic. I’ve had to talk myself out of baptizing him on the occasions that I’ve given him his bath. In fact, a priest I’ve known for years expressed surprise that I hadn’t done so. But I can’t impose on him obligations he’ll never learn about. We live thousands of miles apart so I have no chance to influence his upbringing.
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According this thread, there are only three options:
  1. Baptize your grandson even though he would not be raised in the faith; (I disagree with this and I agree with your decision not to do this);
  2. Don’t baptize him in the tub (as I pointed out, I agree with this);
  3. If a situation arises where he would be in danger of death in the tub, baptize him (of course, we hope this would never happen, and it never would under your watch)
 
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