Grandparent secretly baptizing grandchild

[LilyM]

Please excuse the double post.

It’s ok - for future reference you can try hitting the ‘edit’ button and deleting one of the posts.

And yes, in Catholic liturgical parlance and Canon Law ‘illicit’ and ‘invalid’ do have distinct meanings. ‘Invalid’ means proceedings are SO irregular that the sacrament is basically entirely null and void and without effect. ‘Illicit’ is a lesser irregularity that doesn’t affect whether the sacrament has truly happened.

To give one example - a Mass where the priest used a glass chalice instead of the prescribed precious metal would be illicit, but nonetheless a real and effectual Mass. A Mass where the priest failed to enact the core of the sacrament by failing to say the words ‘this is my Body’ and ‘this is my Blood’ would be invalid - null and void, with no effect at all.

 

[TarlsQtr]

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

In its secular meaning, “licit” means legitimate or valid. Is the Catholic definition somewhat different?

Even in secular meaning it means right or wrong or lawful or unlawful. It has nothing to do with the effectiveness of an act. In others words if I obtain some property by illicit means. I still obtain the property, but by illegal or wrongful means.

 

[Lil_M]

Thanks for the information, I have passed it along to my sister. Not sure if she will tell this to the grandmother or if the grandmother will tell the baby’s parents so it can be recorded or conditional baptism be given (again I am not sure of the exact words used). I suspect not as it would likely result in significant family discord. Oh man what a situation

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Thanks for the information, I have passed it along to my sister. Not sure if she will tell this to the grandmother or if the grandmother will tell the baby’s parents so it can be recorded or conditional baptism be given (again I am not sure of the exact words used). I suspect not as it would likely result in significant family discord. Oh man what a situation

Whoever performed the Baptism is the person required to report it to the local parish.