Baptism of a teen, against guardians wishes

[devoutchristian]

Who cares what the age of consent is? The church says that everyone who has attained to the age of reason has the right to be baptized if they request it.

 

[april32010]

what doe’s the Church say ? we have guidance on this i’m sure.

 

[jmcrae]

If she has no legal guardian, then how do the people she happens to be living with have authority to make decisions on her behalf that go against her expressed wishes?

I think it would be fine to allow her to discern through the RCIA process to make sure her reasons for wanting Baptism will stand the test of eternity.

 

[Vico]

Generally, age 7 qualifies for adult baptism. An adult must be adequately instructed, and the bishop must be referred to at age 14 or later.

CIC

Can. 97
§1 A person who has completed the eighteenth year of age, has attained majority; below this age, a person is a minor.
§2 A minor who has not completed the seventh year of age is called an infant and is considered incapable of personal responsibility; on completion of the seventh year, however, the minor is presumed to have the use of reason.

Can. 98
§1 A person who has attained majority has the full exercise of his or her rights.
§2 In the exercise of rights a minor remains subject to parents or guardians, except for those matters in which by divine or by canon law minors are exempt from such authority. In regard to the appointment of guardians and the determination of their powers, the provisions of civil law are to be observed, unless it is otherwise provided in canon law or unless, in specific cases and for a just reason, the diocesan Bishop has decided that the matter is to be catered for by the appointment of another guardian.

Can. 852
ß1 The provisions of the canons on adult baptism apply to all those who, being no longer infants, have reached the use of reason.
ß2 One who is incapable of personal responsibility is regarded as an infant even in regard to baptism.

Can. 865 §1 To be admitted to baptism, an adult must have manifested the intention to receive baptism, must be adequately instructed in the truths of the faith and in the duties of a christian, and tested in the christian life over the course of the catechumenate. The person must moreover be urged to have sorrow for personal sins.

Can. 863 The baptism of adults, at least of those who have completed their fourteenth year, is to be referred to the Bishop, so that he himself may confer it if he judges this appropriate.

 

[Jayccsr]

This is so interesting. I am Episcopalian and have been the only person to bring a young relative to church since she was a toddler. She enjoys going to church and has been participating in several ministries for awhile. Her mom identifies as Catholic although has not been to church since she was very young. Her dad was Protestant but is pretty much a non-believer at this point and hasn’t been to church since he was a teen. The teen wants badly to be baptized and is “of age” in that she no longer needs permission. Dad doesn’t care one way or another but mom says she can’t go through the sacrament since it wouldn’t be in a Catholic church. My feeling on it is that since they don’t intend to raise her C, it would be unethical to tell the priest they will. So my take on it is to let her be baptized in my church and if she chooses to become C, let her do so. It’s the same Trinitarian formula anyway! It’s so frustrating when this kind of situation occurs. Parents want the child to choose their religion rather than raise them in any one church, then get mad when the child actually does choose.

 

[Zekariya]

I have searched and searched the forums and the internet for information on this.

Has anyone ever heard of a teen being baptized because they want it, even though their parents/guardians don’t?

And if so, at what age?

There is a young lady at our parish that wants to be baptized. Her parents are dead. She lives with another family member, but that family member does not have “legal guardianship.” ( Not that, that means anything.) She is 16. The family member doesn’t have a problem with the young lady attending Mass or going to CYO, they just don’t want her to be baptized.

She is certainly past the age of reason. If teens can have sex, drugs, and alcohol against their parents’ will, I’d say that the 16 year can definitely make the decision to be baptized herself. I’ve seen people her age convert to Islam (in Islam one only needs to recite a phrase to convert). Plenty of people have come to the Church against the wishes of parents, civil authorities, etc. God forbid that she be forbidden baptism.

 

[joanofarc2008]

Not to throw a whole monkey wrench in but at her age wouldn’t she looking at the whole schbang - Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. It seems to me like we should be talking about RCIT.

 

[jmcrae]

Not to throw a whole monkey wrench in but at her age wouldn’t she looking at the whole schbang - Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. It seems to me like we should be talking about RCIT.

I would think it’s safe to assume that, yes.