Ex Opere Operato?

[tee_eff_em]

I know the sacraments do not depend on the personal holiness of the minister (nor of the recipient?), but how far does *ex opere operato *extend?

For instance, if water is poured, the Trinitarian formula spoken, and the minister intends to baptize, is the recipient baptized even if she makes a positive act of the will to reject it?


tee

 

[FrDavid96]

I’m not sure on the “how far?” part—I’m not sure how to express a certain point where it no longer applies.

As to the “for example” part, that’s been settled, so it’s rather straightforward to answer.

If a person rejects Baptism (actively and consciously rejects it) then there is no Baptism. The Holy See answered this one relatively recently (in the last few decades) about a man who was baptized against his will. The response was that no baptism happened.

We can baptize conditionally*, meaning that we can presume that a person who is unable to request baptism would want it (in the case of an unconscious adult, for example). In that case, if he wants it, he’s baptized; whereas if he rejects it, he’s not.

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*I don’t mean that word in the typical sacramental sense, but in the sense of presuming that a person would want it absent any indications to the contrary.

 

[porthos11]

I know the sacraments do not depend on the personal holiness of the minister (nor of the recipient?), but how far does *ex opere operato *extend?

For instance, if water is poured, the Trinitarian formula spoken, and the minister intends to baptize, is the recipient baptized even if she makes a positive act of the will to reject it?


tee

“Ex opere operato” is a fairly abused phrase because it’s not complete. To be thorough, Sacraments work “ex opere operato dummodo non sit obex ex parte”, that last part roughly reading “provided no obstacle (obex) is placed in the way”.

In your example, the obex is the positive act of the will to reject Baptism. This renders it invalid.

 

[DavidFilmer]

In your example, the obex is the positive act of the will to reject Baptism. This renders it invalid.

Check. We can’t receive Grace against our will. Grace cannot be forced upon us.

But who doesn’t want Grace? Even if you’re having doubts, it sure couldn’t hurt.

 

[ProVobis]

Check. We can’t receive Grace against our will. Grace cannot be forced upon us.

But who doesn’t want Grace? Even if you’re having doubts, it sure couldn’t hurt.

I think this would be more apparent if parents are the ones who provide the obex, or “obstacle.”

 

[porthos11]

But who doesn’t want Grace? Even if you’re having doubts, it sure couldn’t hurt.

You’d be surprised.