Is Catholic baptism limited to infants?

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RCIAGraduate

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Is Catholic baptism limited to infants or toddlers or is it a predominant trend?

If yes to the first,how come?
 
No, it’s not just open to infants. Baptism is open to everyone! 👍

Adult baptism is alive and well in the Church.
 
Then RCIA is not the only option for adult and older converts then? 🙂
 
Wow… that was prompt thank you-I guess a moderator can close this thread then :).

Or… I could continue on inquiring on adult baptism vs RCIA :).
 
Ahh so it happens simultaneously -like in the Eastern rites?
 
RCIAGraduate said:
Wow… that was prompt thank you-I guess a moderator can close this thread then :).

Or… I could continue on inquiring on adult baptism vs RCIA :).
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You have to be patient. The Church won’t baptize you without you going through RCIA first.
 
No thank you :). It’s just… well I asked the question because RCIA felt like I went through a few class and then viola I became officially a part of the church-it was so long ago and it seemed quick and quite different from my other friends-I mean it was less work but I was not able to be confirmed with my class nor go along with them for the retreat(that was my fault I did not have to but it ended that way) :confused:

Thank you for the prompt responses 🙂
 
The people who have never been baptized in RCIA are called Catechumens. When they have completed their journey, they are Baptized, Confirmed and then receive Holy Communion. This is usually done at the Easter Vigil.

People in the RCIA that have already been Baptized either in the Catholic Church (but have not received any other sacraments of initiation) or another Christian Church (which the Catholic Church recognizes their baptisms), are called **Candidates **and when their time in RCIA is complete, they receive Confirmation and Holy Communion. This can be preformed at any Sunday throughout the year.
 
If you are alive, you may be baptized in the Catholic Church. I was baptized by full immersion at age 35. My mother was baptized at 88.
 
RCIAGraduate said:
No thank you :). It’s just… well I asked the question because RCIA felt like I went through a few class and then viola I became officially a part of the church-it was so long ago and it seemed quick and quite different from my other friends-I mean it was less work but I was not able to be confirmed with my class nor go along with them for the retreat(that was my fault I did not have to but it ended that way) :confused:

Thank you for the prompt responses 🙂
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I had a similar experience. I was not required to go through RCIA classes the way most people do. I just met with the pastor once and the adult formation coordinator about three times and discussed the teachings of the Church. I’ve often wondered why that was. Maybe I was their only catecumen? Maybe it was because I was already Baptised, but hadn’t had the Sacraments yet? I also didn’t recieve Confirmation at Easter, as most people do. THe diocese had a special adult confirmation Mass during the summer and I went and was confirmed with a hundred or so other people. When I met with the pastor, he talked to me about the Eucharist and then he told me I could recieve at the next Sunday Mass. 🤷 It’s a pretty atypical experience, but I guess it all worked out.
 
If you were validly baptised in a Protestant church, then you don’t have to be re-baptised to be Catholic. You affirm your faith, are confirmed and brought into the Church.

If you were NOT baptised before being in a RCIA class, and were not baptised in the Catholic Church, then someone dropped the ball.

If you were baptised and no one in RCIA explained that the vast majority of Protestant baptisms are valid, then the educational ball was dropped.

In most parishes, you can sit in on RCIA classes to catch up on things you may have missed before. Or the parish may offer adult studies about the doctrines of the CC.
 
RCIAGraduate said:
Is Catholic baptism limited to infants or toddlers or is it a predominant trend?

If yes to the first,how come?
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I’m really just repeating what others have said…

Catholic baptism is open to all unbaptized* persons.

If the person has reached the age of reason (about 7 years old) then they go through RCIA in order to be baptized. If the person has not reached the age of reason then they are baptized based on the promises of the sponsors and parents that the child will be raised in the faith.

If a person is already validly baptized then they will be received/fully initiated into the Church. This may happen via RCIA or another process.
  • The Catholic Church recognizes the validity of the baptisms of many (but not all) non-Catholic sects. If the Church recognizes that someone has been validly baptized she does not (in fact is incapable of) baptizing again. The Catholic Church believes that it is improper to “re-baptize”.
 
SMHW said:
I’m really just repeating what others have said…

Catholic baptism is open to all unbaptized* persons.

If the person has reached the age of reason (about 7 years old) then they go through RCIA in order to be baptized. If the person has not reached the age of reason then they are baptized based on the promises of the sponsors and parents that the child will be raised in the faith.

If a person is already validly baptized then they will be received/fully initiated into the Church. This may happen via RCIA or another process.
  • The Catholic Church recognizes the validity of the baptisms of many (but not all) non-Catholic sects. If the Church recognizes that someone has been validly baptized she does not (in fact is incapable of) baptizing again. The Catholic Church believes that it is improper to “re-baptize”.
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As a practical matter, I believe the children that were baptized in our church last easter went through a different program. RCIA for us was adults only - there wasn’t a specific cutoff, but it would not have been appropriate for a couple of children (7 and 9, I believe) to be in there. I think the children were put through separate formation classes, with the promise that they would continue in age-appropriate education.
 
No, of course not! Anyone - at any time in their life- can be baptised! Just like at the Easter Vigil! 🙂
 
DarkLight said:
As a practical matter, I believe the children that were baptized in our church last easter went through a different program. RCIA for us was adults only - there wasn’t a specific cutoff, but it would not have been appropriate for a couple of children (7 and 9, I believe) to be in there. I think the children were put through separate formation classes, with the promise that they would continue in age-appropriate education.
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Children above the age of reason don’t typically attend the same classes as adults and they may not go through the rites with the adults but that doesn’t mean it isn’t RCIA. (Sometimes it’s called RCIC.) They are supposed to be confirmed and and receive First Eucharist at the Vigil as well as baptism.
 
bben15 said:
No, you have to go through RCIA. You’d be baptized, confirmed, and receive your First Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil.
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When I went through the RCIA program and it came to Easter, we had our first Confession on the Saturday, became Catholics on the Sunday (either baptised or those already baptised formally accepted), and then Confirmation was 6 months later.
Its not the case that baptism and confirmation are done at Easter. It varies from place to place.
 
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