Elderly baptism?

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HoosierGal

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Can someone in their 80’s be baptized? This person is of sound mind but infirm and housebound and unable to attend RCIA. Can they still be baptized as a Catholic and receive communion? Is there canon law on this topic? Thanks!
 
There’s no age limit on baptism. Call your local parish for information and assistance.
 
The most influential American philosopher of the 20th century, Mortimer Adler, became a Catholic when he was ninety-something.
 
I have not been able to talk to the priest, he is behind several layers of administrative staff. The administrative people I have talked to so far have not been very encouraging saying stuff like “its really hard to become Catholic”, “priests don’t have much time these days”, “why not go to a protestant church and have her baptized because the Catholic Church recognizes those baptisms?”, “if the person dies while desiring baptism they will be considered baptized so don’t worry about it.” That is why I was wondering if there was Canon law on the topic. You’d think they would be overjoyed that someone wanted to be baptized and be Catholic, but the reaction is totally the opposite. I’m a bit embarrassed to be Catholic now. 😦
 
HoosierGal said:
I have not been able to talk to the priest, he is behind several layers of administrative staff. The administrative people I have talked to so far have not been very encouraging saying stuff like “its really hard to become Catholic”, “priests don’t have much time these days”, “why not go to a protestant church and have her baptized because the Catholic Church recognizes those baptisms?”, “if the person dies while desiring baptism they will be considered baptized so don’t worry about it.” That is why I was wondering if there was Canon law on the topic. You’d think they would be overjoyed that someone wanted to be baptized and be Catholic, but the reaction is totally the opposite. I’m a bit embarrassed to be Catholic now. 😦
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Ah, the cliché cold secretaries. Those are all invalid excuses. There’s nothing in canon law on it in my cursory skimming of the relevant sections, but there might be something I overlooked. Either talk to the pastor after Mass and ask for an appointment, or call the office and insist on making an appointment.
 
HoosierGal said:
I have not been able to talk to the priest, he is behind several layers of administrative staff. The administrative people I have talked to so far have not been very encouraging saying stuff like “its really hard to become Catholic”, “priests don’t have much time these days”, “why not go to a protestant church and have her baptized because the Catholic Church recognizes those baptisms?”, “if the person dies while desiring baptism they will be considered baptized so don’t worry about it.”
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I have no idea why someone would give you such bizarre answers. So, I suggest you simply stop talking to these people and insist on talking to the priest. If they attempt to ask you what you want to meet with the priest about, you simply tell them that it is a private matter between you and the priest. talk to him at Mass if you must and explain you are being prevented from speaking to him.
HoosierGal said:
That is why I was wondering if there was Canon law on the topic.
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I am still not sure what you think canon law would have to say about it.
HoosierGal said:
You’d think they would be overjoyed that someone wanted to be baptized and be Catholic, but the reaction is totally the opposite. I’m a bit embarrassed to be Catholic now. 😦
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It is quite strange. And when you do meet with the priest you should definitely tell him that he has an incompetent staff.
 
Those are horrible answers and I agree that you should talk directly with the priest. Explain to whoever answers the phone that it’s a pastoral matter and you need to speak with him directly. After you get the information you need about baptism, please make sure he knows about what his staff is telling callers.
 
Those answers are beyond horrible…they make me want to shudder with disgust. It is the will of Christ and of the Church that all people be baptized into the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. This is absolutely essential to our faith…Christ COMMANDED His Church to go and make disciples of all nations. Anyone who does not fully support this central tenant of the Catholic faith has no business working in a parish. The supreme law of the Church, as canon law says, is “the salvation of souls”…and salvation is ordinarily achieved in the Catholic Church through her sacraments. You must make every effort to speak to the priest directly, and if all else fails, seek out another priest at a near by parish. It is your duty as a Catholic to help bring the grace of the sacraments to this woman - she will be eternally grateful :). Any faithful priest would be over joyed to bring an elderly woman into the Church before she goes to meet her maker.
 
That is terrible. I can see that the priest might not be able to do all the visits and preparation, but they should be able to get a someone to teach her.

I don’t know the details but a few years ago we had an elderly women (at least 80s) baptized and join the church. She was able to come to the church but she joined Easter morning, It was beautiful. She looked so happy.
I also had a friend from another country whose brother converted after he got cancer. The first priest wouldn’t baptize him until the whole year long preparation. (He was going home to his country and was seeing a priest from an ethnic parish) But then he found a priest more flexible so he could be baptized before death. (That may have been a priest in his country but the priest saw his conversion was genuine and baptized him)
 
HoosierGal said:
Can someone in their 80’s be baptized? This person is of sound mind but infirm and housebound and unable to attend RCIA. Can they still be baptized as a Catholic and receive communion? Is there canon law on this topic? Thanks!
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Is there a priest who visits the nursing home where she is residing? Perhaps that priest could assist you in providing suitable instruction and a process for bringing her into the Church.
 
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