Baptism timing question

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nodito

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My husband and I are expecting a baby towards the end of August or in early September. We’d like to baptize the baby shortly thereafter and celebrate the event with family.

Our parish only does baptisms once a month. If the baby comes on time, and there are no problems that would necessitate an extended hospital stay, we could make the September baptism date. Otherwise, the October date would be more practical. The godparents will need to travel to make the baptism and my husband feels that we ought to plan for the October baptism so that we don’t make our family reserve two separate dates or leave it until the last minute to decide.

I know canon law says that parents are obliged to see that their infants are baptised within the first few weeks. If we decide now on October and the baby comes healthy and on time, it could be eight weeks before the baby is baptized. Does it violate this canon to plan for the later date so that family and godparents can make travel arrangements?

Thank you.
 
If there are problems that would require an extended hospital stay, far from waiting a second month, I wouldn’t wait at all for the baptism; I would have it done in the hospital.

The Church has not put a number on it, but all my children have been baptized within a month of being born. It sounds like the date is at the end of September, so I personally would schedule the September date.
 
If it was me, I would speak to the parish priest about it.

God bless,
–Amy
 
It’s hard to know what I would do without knowing the time difference between the due date and the September Baptism date. If they were only a week apart, I’d be nervous about setting a September date. If they were three weeks apart, I wouldn’t be nervous at all.
 
Joe_5859 said:
It’s hard to know what I would do without knowing the time difference between the due date and the September Baptism date. If they were only a week apart, I’d be nervous about setting a September date. If they were three weeks apart, I wouldn’t be nervous at all.
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She said the October date would be eight weeks, so I am guessing that the September date is three or four weeks.
 
aemcpa said:
She said the October date would be eight weeks, so I am guessing that the September date is three or four weeks.
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That’s what I was guessing, but I just wanted to be sure. Planning a Baptism date three to four weeks after the due date just doesn’t seem like that big of a gamble to me. 🤷 That’s the time window we have always gone with.
 
I think October is the best bet. What happens if you set the date in September and your relatives travel and you then can’t meet the September date? Does your parish require any notice before baptism? My parish asks parents to give six weeks’ notice. I’ve also had to go to baptism preparation as a parent and a godparent.

God forbid anything is wrong with your child but, if necessary, an emergency baptism could be arranged. We shall pray for your safe delivery.
 
aemcpa said:
She said the October date would be eight weeks, so I am guessing that the September date is three or four weeks.
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I’m due the very end of August. The September baptism is mid-September. The October date is end of October. So the difference between due date and September baptism is less than 2.5 weeks. If I go post-term, I could theoretically still be in the hospital following a normal delivery on the September baptism date. I don’t know how likely this is. On the other hand, if I go on my due date, September baptism is 2.5 weeks away and October baptism is almost two months away.

The October date would be easier, but I keep thinking about how parents are obliged to ensure their children are baptized within the first few weeks.
 
aemcpa said:
If there are problems that would require an extended hospital stay, far from waiting a second month, I wouldn’t wait at all for the baptism; I would have it done in the hospital.
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We absolutely will do an emergency baptism if need be. I was thinking more about the possibility of complications from, say, an emergency c-section, that would necessitate a longer hospital stay on my part. Although I know it’s not necessary for the mom to be present at the baptism, I would really really like to be there.
 
nodito said:
I’m due the very end of August. The September baptism is mid-September. The October date is end of October. So the difference between due date and September baptism is less than 2.5 weeks. If I go post-term, I could theoretically still be in the hospital following a normal delivery on the September baptism date. I don’t know how likely this is. On the other hand, if I go on my due date, September baptism is 2.5 weeks away and October baptism is almost two months away.

The October date would be easier, but I keep thinking about how parents are obliged to ensure their children are baptized within the first few weeks.
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Two weeks is cutting it a little close. If the baby is 10 days late like one of mine was, you’re only out of the hospital for a week or less even with a natural birth. I would speak to your pastor and follow his judgment, but if your parish’s next scheduled baptism is 6-8 weeks, I don’t think you’re doing anything counter to the intent of the Church’s law. That could still be reasonably construed as “a few”, and the Church wants the Sacraments celebrated in the church with full solemnity whenever possible.
 
Talk to your pastor about this, after you have taken the class. You do not know what kind of flexibility he customarily has when the godparents will have to travel from out of state and so on. You do not know what options he might suggest. There may be a lot more baptisms going on at your parish than you know about, with a far wider range of circumstances than they publish in the bulletin. You don’t know until you ask!

PS Have you asked your OB doc about this? It may be that by mid-August, he/she will have an opinion about how far you have progressed and whether there is any chance whatsoever that you’ll be allowed to go past the first week in September. The chances that you will still be in the hospital after Labor Day (ha ha, nice coincidence there) may be remote.
 
Good point. There is also the possibility that he would agree to do a baptism outside of the normal schedule. My pastor allowed me to schedule a private baptism time so that my friend from college, who had just been ordained a priest six days before our first child was born, could come and baptize him.
 
nodito said:
I’m due the very end of August. The September baptism is mid-September. The October date is end of October. So the difference between due date and September baptism is less than 2.5 weeks. If I go post-term, I could theoretically still be in the hospital following a normal delivery on the September baptism date. I don’t know how likely this is. On the other hand, if I go on my due date, September baptism is 2.5 weeks away and October baptism is almost two months away.

The October date would be easier, but I keep thinking about how parents are obliged to ensure their children are baptized within the first few weeks.
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I can see the dilemma now. If it was less of a gap, I would definitely wait till October. If it was more of a gap, I’d definitely go for September. With that gap, it makes it a tough decision! :o

I would not put additional pressure on yourself about the obligation for having the Baptism within “a few weeks.” You are working within parameters that are outside of your control (i.e. your parish’s once-a-month policy) and making the best determination you feel you can. I know of one parish that only does Baptisms once every three months for some reason. You can only do what you can do.

As EasterJoy said, talk to your priest about it. If you feel it would be cutting it too close to aim for September (and I completely understand why you would), then don’t feel you are shirking your obligation by waiting till October.
 
I’d go with the October date because I have gone so past my due date with previous pregnancies, and with each subsequent birth, I need more rest before I can leave the house.

Your responsibility is to have your baby baptized as soon as possible but if your parish has a schedule that doesn’t necessarily allow for that, I don’t see how you could be held culpable. Four weeks isn’t a ridiculously long time…longer than you want, I know, but it’s not outside the realm of normal. It couldn’t hurt to call and ask if they would consider scheduling your baptism on a particular date in early October. Our parish does baptisms on the second and fourth weekends, but when that didn’t work for us, there was no issue in scheduling a new date.
 
aemcpa said:
Good point. There is also the possibility that he would agree to do a baptism outside of the normal schedule. My pastor allowed me to schedule a private baptism time so that my friend from college, who had just been ordained a priest six days before our first child was born, could come and baptize him.
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This is what I mean. The parish may not advertise this flexibility, but the pastor may be flexible when there is a good reason…
 
nodito said:
The October date would be easier, but I keep thinking about how parents are obliged to ensure their children are baptized within the first few weeks.
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A few weeks is not defined. Compare this with the requirement of the former (1917) Code of Canon Law, which required baptism “as soon as possible”. The ‘rules’ have changed for a number of reasons. Having a baby is much safer these days and child mortality is significantly lower. It also allows time for the parents, sponsors and family to prepare for Baptism, another canonical requirement.

I really don’t think having your baby baptised in October will contravene Canon Law. I’m sure it would be far more practical and would lower your stress levels to have it in October. If you’re overly concerned, then it’d probably be better if you sought your priest’s advice.

If, as I’ve said before, God forbid, there’s an emergency, your baby can be validly baptised at anytime, in any place, by anyone.
 
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