Baptism

[bpcatholic]

I was just received into the Catholic Church back in march. When I first decided to become Catholic, there were questions about my previous baptism. It was then decided that I should be baptized. My question is, what if the previous baptism was valid? Was it a sin for me to baptized again? By the way I was not given a conditional baptism.

Thank you and God Bless!

 

[AJV]

I was just received into the Catholic Church back in march. When I first decided to become Catholic, there were questions about my previous baptism. It was then decided that I should be baptized. My question is, what if the previous baptism was valid? Was it a sin for me to baptized again? By the way I was not given a conditional baptism.

Thank you and God Bless!

Which denomination did you come from? What were the reasons why your previous baptism was deemed invalid?

 

[Phemie]

No, it wasn’t a sin. If, contrary to what was assumed, your first baptism was valid then your recent baptism would have had no more effect on your soul than taking a shower and your ‘re-baptism’ (for want of a better term) would have been an honest mistake.

 

[Brendan]

No, it wasn’t a sin. If, contrary to what was assumed, your first baptism was valid then your recent baptism would have had no more effect on your soul than taking a shower and your ‘re-baptism’ (for want of a better term) would have been an honest mistake.

What was probably done is a ‘conditional’ Baptism. They are performed in cases where there is some doubt as to if the person had been Baptized (as recognized by the Church)

This might be as simple as there was no documentation.

The priest will use words like " If you have not been yet Baptized, then I Baptize you in the Name of the Father…"

So, what the priest is doing is to Baptize you if you have not been baptized before, and lettting God make the ‘decision’, as God knows the Baptismal status of your soul with ultimate certainty

 

[stbruno]

What was probably done is a ‘conditional’ Baptism. They are performed in cases where there is some doubt as to if the person had been Baptized (as recognized by the Church)

This might be as simple as there was no documentation.

The priest will use words like " If you have not been yet Baptized, then I Baptize you in the Name of the Father…"

So, what the priest is doing is to Baptize you if you have not been baptized before, and lettting God make the ‘decision’, as God knows the Baptismal status of your soul with ultimate certainty

Ditto…But I did want to welcome you to the church! God bless you on your ongoing journey to the kingdom of heaven.

 

[Phemie]

What was probably done is a ‘conditional’ Baptism. They are performed in cases where there is some doubt as to if the person had been Baptized (as recognized by the Church)

The OP specifically indicated that it was not a conditional baptism.

 

[puzzleannie]

I was just received into the Catholic Church back in march. When I first decided to become Catholic, there were questions about my previous baptism. It was then decided that I should be baptized. My question is, what if the previous baptism was valid? Was it a sin for me to baptized again? By the way I was not given a conditional baptism.

Thank you and God Bless!

put this out of your mind entirely and trust the priest who prepared you for reception into the Church. The facts of your previous baptism were investigated at the time. You may even have been conditionally baptized w/o realizing it because he may have said those words silently or under his breath “if you are not already baptized” before the baptismal forumula. In any case you would not incur any sin even if the priest slipped up. If the first baptism was valid, the second had no effect, no sin, no problema.

by the way, a belated “Welcome Home!”