Children Baptized Catholic

[mullenpm]

I know a woman who was baptized Catholic as a child; she left the church as a young woman to marry a divorced man.

She said that their children were baptized as Catholics.

How can that be? Would a Catholic priest baptize the children of a couple who were not practicing Catholics?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I know a woman who was baptized Catholic as a child; she left the church as a young woman to marry a divorced man.

She said that their children were baptized as Catholics.

How can that be? Would a Catholic priest baptize the children of a couple who were not practicing Catholics?

It’s possible may people show up at a parish, join for a few months, have their children Baptized and then leave again.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

If the couple go to mass and plan to raise the children Catholic they should be baptized. If there is no ‘founded hope’ that the children will be brought up Catholic they shouldn’t be baptized as infants.

 

[mullenpm]

I know that they did not join a parish for a short time; the woman was foreign born and the husband an American soldier. I also know that none of the children (now grown; 1 deceased) were raised Catholic and I was surprised when she told me that they had been baptized Catholic.

I just don’t understand how they could have been baptized as Catholic.

 

[SMHW]

I know that they did not join a parish for a short time; the woman was foreign born and the husband an American soldier. I also know that none of the children (now grown; 1 deceased) were raised Catholic and I was surprised when she told me that they had been baptized Catholic.

I just don’t understand how they could have been baptized as Catholic.

Well in past years the rules have been different. Is it possible that the children were baptized in the parish of the maternal grandparents, wherever that may have been? It may have been the practice at the time that grandparents had sufficient influence in their parish to have the children baptized.

How sad that the children were not also raised as Catholics.

 

[puzzleannie]

I know that they did not join a parish for a short time; the woman was foreign born and the husband an American soldier. I also know that none of the children (now grown; 1 deceased) were raised Catholic and I was surprised when she told me that they had been baptized Catholic.

I just don’t understand how they could have been baptized as Catholic.

well that judgement belonged to the priest who baptized, not to us, and he did what he could to be assured the children would be raised Catholic. we don’t know the circumstances at that time, or what the parents told him, only he does. NO it is not an absolute requirement that the parents be married in the Church (or married at all) or even in some cases that they be Catholic at all, it is required that they give assurance of their intent to raise the child in the Church. Can they lie? yes but who are we to say that they did?

 

[Phemie]

well that judgement belonged to the priest who baptized, not to us, and he did what he could to be assured the children would be raised Catholic. we don’t know the circumstances at that time, or what the parents told him, only he does. NO it is not an absolute requirement that the parents be married in the Church (or married at all) or even in some cases that they be Catholic at all, it is required that they give assurance of their intent to raise the child in the Church. Can they lie? yes but who are we to say that they did?

Heck, have you ever known parents who are having their child baptized “because it’s what Catholics do” or “because it’s important to my mom” to admit that they won’t set foot in church again until it’s time for the child to prepare for First Communion if at all?

You know you’ve never seen them in church before, but they come for the preparation and some priests I know will say that you have to nurture that spark that led them to ask when so many don’t bother. In our small town we know how many babies are born to nominally Catholic parents – it’s a fraction of the number presented for baptism.

 

[Seatuck]

Unfortunately this happens. The law only requires “a hope” that the child will be raised Catholic and this is subjective. Some people in charge of Sacraments consider parents signing up for the class and making the request for Baptism hope enough. It’s also the result of years of bad Catechesis which is having an effect in each sucessive generation. I’ve seen some progress in this area lately. Catholics on the internet are doing their fare share to correct the lack of catechisis and support that many Catholics experience.

 

[JulianN]

Children can be baptized as Catholics even if their parents’ marriage is not in good standing. One of my childhood friends was a baptized Catholic who attended Catholic school. Her parents came to Mass every Sunday, but did not receive Communion until the father’s first spouse had died.

The priest in this case may have been assured that the children would be raised as Catholics; that’s all that would have been necessary.

 

[Frosty]

Children can be baptized as Catholics even if their parents’ marriage is not in good standing. One of my childhood friends was a baptized Catholic who attended Catholic school. Her parents came to Mass every Sunday, but did not receive Communion until the father’s first spouse had died.

The priest in this case may have been assured that the children would be raised as Catholics; that’s all that would have been necessary.

That is similar to the situation of one of my sister-in-laws. She married a divorced Lutheran in the Lutheran Church. He was unable to get an annulment although he did try. All four of their children were baptized in the Catholic Church and raised as Catholics. They went to Catholic schools and attended Mass regularly with their parents. Three years ago my brother-in-law’s first wife passed away. He immediately began attending RCIA classes and was confirmed in the spring of 2007. It was a very joyful and blessed day when for the first time, the whole family could receive the Eucharist tigether.