Does a priest have the right to refuse to baptize a newborn?

[mphillipz]

Can a priest refuse to baptize a newborn? Our parish priest refused to baptize a newborn because the family had just relocated to our town; he said they were not “established” in our parish. Does he have the right to do that?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

If a priest has reason to believe that the parents will not raise the child in the Catholic faith, he has the right to defer the baptism to a later time and should inform the parents of the reason. But if this couple just moved to town then this priest has no way of knowing that they will not raise their child in the faith, and their very action of approaching the parish as soon as they got to town and requesting baptism indicates just the opposite. If you have a relationship with the parents, I encourage you to urge them to approach the diocese for assistance in obtaining baptism for their child. The St. Joseph Foundation, a Catholic canon law apostolate, may also be able to help.