baptism

[c659smith]

a question i have if anyone can help? My 4 year old grand-daughter is to receive baptism in a couple of months. Must the parents be practicing catholics fot my grand-daughter to have this sacrament. One of the sponsors (godfather) is myself and I am a devote and practicing catholic. I will assure my granddaughter receives the teachings and being brought up in the church.One of the parents was told that if there is not a parent that is a practicing catholic their daughter should not be baptized.

 

[ames61]

I would visit with your priest about this. Our priest would prefer that nonpracticing Catholics baptize their children in another church, as being baptized Catholic brings certain responsbilities with it. Also the parents are essentially swearing to bring their child up in the Church and instruct them in the faith. So they’d be participaing in a lie at that point, if they have no intention to come back to the Church.

If you have the parents permission to see to your godchild’s instruction that may make a difference. Especially as her baptism may be the instrument to bring them back into the Church.

On the other hand, my first 3 children were baptized Catholic when I was a nonpracticing Methodist and my husband a nonpracticing Catholic, and I am grateful for that.

 

[Shiann]

Canon Law indicates that:

Can. 868 §1 For an infant to be baptised lawfully it is required:

1° that the parents, or at least one of them, or the person who lawfully holds their place, give their consent;

2° **that there be a **well-founded hope that the child will be brought up in the catholic religion. If such hope is truly lacking, the baptism is, in accordance with the provisions of particularlaw, to be deferred and the parents advised of the reason for this.

It is very good advice to seek counsel from your own parish priest, better yet, the priest who will be doing the baptism. They will offer you the best advice.

I’m not sure if only one Catholic sponsor is sufficient evidence that there is a well founded hope that the child will be brought up Catholic.

 

[wolfhunter]

something similar is happening with my youngest daughter. My husband and I are going through RCIA and our six year old has not been baptized. The RCIA coach wanted to get her baptized before her seventh birthday in July. Our priest said to hold off. She is to attend faith formation for a year and then when we are accepted into the church next Easter, she will be Baptized. I am not certain of the ends and outs but I trust my priest decision.

 

[Kielbasi]

Our priest would prefer that nonpracticing Catholics baptize their children in another church, as being baptized Catholic brings certain responsbilities with it. Also the parents are essentially swearing to bring their child up in the Church and instruct them in the faith. So they’d be participaing in a lie at that point, if they have no intention to come back to the Church.

But on the same point, if the parents have their children baptized as (for example) Presbyterians, they are promising to have their children instructed in the Presbyterian faith. But if they ain’t Presbyterians that would be fairly unlikely as well.

 

[deb1]

wolfhunter:

something similar is happening with my youngest daughter. My husband and I are going through RCIA and our six year old has not been baptized. The RCIA coach wanted to get her baptized before her seventh birthday in July. Our priest said to hold off. She is to attend faith formation for a year and then when we are accepted into the church next Easter, she will be Baptized. I am not certain of the ends and outs but I trust my priest decision.

:banghead: This is my post, not my son’s. Darn it. I keep posting under his name because he doesn’t log off and I forget to log on.

 

[ames61]

deb1:

something similar is happening with my youngest daughter. My husband and I are going through RCIA and our six year old has not been baptized. The RCIA coach wanted to get her baptized before her seventh birthday in July. Our priest said to hold off. She is to attend faith formation for a year and then when we are accepted into the church next Easter, she will be Baptized. I am not certain of the ends and outs but I trust my priest decision.

At that point she will most likely also be confirmed and receive first communion as well. My two daughters and I received our first communion all together at Easter Vigil 2001. What a blessing!

 

[Louis_Mazar]

It is really insane for Priests to not Baptize babies just because the parents are not married or are not practicing Catholics. Priests are supposed to bring individuals into the Church not drive them out of the church.

 

[stbruno]

Since you are both in RCIA, are you both just seeking sacraments you are lacking, or are you both not-Catholic right now? If you are both receiving sacraments at that time, perhaps even baptism, I would suggest to your parish priest, would it be possible that on Easter vigil that your child also be allowed to be baptized at that time? It can’t hurt to ask and I think that this would be a wonderful way of linking your faith as a family. Just a suggestion! Pray and pray always!