Baptism Questions

[Ravyn_Guiliani]

I see my 80 yr old homebound sickly mother once a year. I am always afraid each time I see her will be my last. Her health is chronically life threatening. She asked me to baptize her the next time I see her at Thanksgiving. It very well could be an emergency or she could live another 10 years (but I highly doubt it). If I do the baptism correctly and she is maybe not in danger of dying then it would be illicit. Do I need to confess that?

I intend to let the local priest know if I can figure out who it is (she lives many hours away and would never be able to leave the house and is uneasy about having a stranger come to her–which is why she asked me to do it.) My sister who has the same genetic illness (that can affect them neurotically) recently came to me and my priest baptized her in my Church. But my mother would never be able to do that. I am just afraid between now and when I see her that she might die!

I am also afraid that my nephew who is mentally challenged with this horrible disease may also ask to be baptized while I am there, his physical health is not bad, but he is in constant danger of self-destruction/suicide. He does not leave his room for days. If he asks me how can I refuse?

If I need to confess the baptism as illicit–what do I say?

 

[baltobetsy]

I’m quite sure the apologists will tell you not to do the baptism yourself. I would advise you to work with the people who care for your mother to find a priest to come and visit her and perform the baptism for her - before Thanksgiving, if possible, so you are not placed in a difficult position when you visit.

Don’t even think about how you would confess it.

Betsy

 

[Ravyn_Guiliani]

there are no people who take care of my mother. it is my mother, my sister and her son. that is it. My sister is well enough to leave the house and do the shopping. (we cannot be out in the sunshine). My mother has not left the house in 15 years and I doubt there have been 4 people in that house besides me once or twice a year in as long. No neighbors, no friends and most of the relatives are gone now too. My mother has chosen to live this way and now she is so old and sick she has no choice. If she asks for baptism I will not refuse her.

and my mother is not Catholic, I doubt she has been to a Church in 40 years or more. She is a dying woman with alot of regrets.

 

[Ravyn_Guiliani]

if this is the last time I see my mother alive, then it would not even be illicit–would it? (I am visiting early this year, I usually wait till Christmas time—she has already outlived all the other women in our family by 20 years. I am worried.)

 

[brigid12]

Hi, Raymond. Just go online to www.mass.org to find a parish or two near to her, then give a call to the priest (maybe you’ll need to call two since priests are so busy these days) or e-mail them, although sometimes they will be able to answer calls sooner. Explain the situation to them. Possibly, what you might end up doing is having the priest over at the same time as you are there so as not to cause your mother undo worry. At any rate, call and find out. I would imagine this is not that unusual a situation for many priests.

 

[puzzleannie]

I see my 80 yr old homebound sickly mother once a year. I am always afraid each time I see her will be my last. Her health is chronically life threatening. She asked me to baptize her the next time I see her at Thanksgiving. It very well could be an emergency or she could live another 10 years (but I highly doubt it). If I do the baptism correctly and she is maybe not in danger of dying then it would be illicit. Do I need to confess that? ?

what are you waiting for? get on the internet or call information and get the number of the local parish and explain the situation, and talk to her provider or caretaker so they can arrange for this at the earliest opportunity. why on earth would you even think about waiting until Thanksgiving?

 

[Walking_Home]

I second what puzzleannie said. Wait no longer. Find a priest in your mother’s town–so that she can be baptised ASAP.