Did St. Faustina perform an invalid baptism?

[Tabby]

In regards to this Q&A, I found this passage from St. Faustina’s diary:

This day is so special for me; even though I encountered so many sufferings, my soul is overflowing with great joy. In a private room next to mine, there was a Jewish woman who was seriously ill. I went to see her three days ago and was deeply pained at the thought that she would soon die without having her soul cleansed by the grace of baptism. I had an understanding with her nurse, a religious sister, that when her last moment would be approaching, she would baptize her. There was this difficulty however, that there were always some Jewish people with her. However, I felt inspired to pray before the image which Jesus had instructed me to have painted. I have a leaflet with the image of the Divine Mercy on the cover. And I said to the Lord, “Jesus, you yourself told me that you would grant many graces through this image. I ask you, then, for the grace of holy baptism for this Jewish lady. It makes no difference who will baptize her, as long as she is baptized.”

After these words, I felt strangely at peace, and I was quite sure that, despite the difficulties, the waters of holy baptism would be poured upon her soul. That night, when she was very low, I got out of bed three times to see her, watching for the right moment to give her this grace. The next morning, she seemed to feel a little better. In the afternoon her last moment began to approach. The sister who was her nurse said that baptism would be difficult because they were with her. The moment came when the sick woman began to lose consciousness, and as a result, in order to save her, they began to run about; some went to fetch the doctor, while others went off in other directions to find help.

And so the patient was left alone, and sister baptized her, and before they had all rushed back, her soul was beautiful, adorned with God’s grace. Her final agony began immediately, but it did not last long. It was as if she fell asleep. All of a sudden, I saw her soul ascending to heaven in wondrous beauty. Oh, how beautiful is a soul with sanctifying grace! Joy flooded my heart that before this image I had received so great a grace for this soul.

Oh, how great is God’s mercy; let every soul praise it. O my Jesus, that soul for all eternity will be singing you a hymn of mercy. I shall not forget the impression this day has made on my soul. This is the second great grace which I have received here for souls before this image.

Oh, how good the Lord is, and how full of compassion; Jesus, how heartily I thank you for these graces (source, entry for February 2, 1937).

Does this mean St. Faustina arranged to have an invalid baptism performed?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

The Code of Canon Law states:

An adult in danger of death may be baptized if, with some knowledge of the principal truths of the faith, he or she has in some manner manifested the intention to receive baptism and promises to observe the requirements of the Christian religion (canon 865 §2).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

Baptism is the sacrament of faith. But faith needs the community of believers. It is only within the faith of the Church that each of the faithful can believe. The faith required for baptism is not a perfect and mature faith, but a beginning that is called to develop. The catechumen or the godparent is asked: “What do you ask of God’s Church?” The response is: “Faith!” (CCC 1253, emphasis added).

Unfortunately, this passage from the diary of St. Faustina Kowalska – assuming it is a reliable translation, and that St. Faustina did not inadvertently leave out important information about her knowledge of the Jewish lady’s desire for baptism – appears to indicate that St. Faustina was not particularly concerned with whether or not the Jewish lady wanted baptism; on the face of the passage, it seems she only wanted baptism to be given to the lady. Without some indication that this woman wanted baptism, it does not appear that St. Faustina was correct to have arranged to have her baptized.

If this is the case, then it must be said in St. Faustina’s defense that she was a product of a time when the Church’s pastoral and sacramental theology was not as developed as it would become after the Second Vatican Council (which released important documents dealing with these issues, such as Lumen Gentium, Dignitatis Humanae, and Nostra Aetate). We may also hope that the circumstances that permitted this particular baptism to be done and the spiritual consolation St. Faustina reports having received after it was performed were indicators that the Jewish lady did indeed have some mustard seed of faith that allowed for the baptism to be valid.