Is Full Immersion Baptism Possible?

[SeekNFind]

I submitted my application to my local cathedral to start RCIA classes in the fall. I am curious about two things: when does the sacrament of baptism happen during this process and is it possible to request a full immersion baptism rather than a splash on my forehead? Thanks for your time.

 

[catharina]

I submitted my application to my local cathedral to start RCIA classes in the fall. I am curious about two things: when does the sacrament of baptism happen during this process and is it possible to request a full immersion baptism rather than a splash on my forehead? Thanks for your time.

You are asking a question that can’t be answered here.
If you are a Protestant, then you might have already been validly baptized.
You need to address such questions to those who will be instructing you.

If you are wondering if full-immersion Baptism ever takes place
in Catholic parishes, then I can answer “yes.” It does and I’ve seen it done.
It depends on whether the parish has facilities for it. (A Bapstismal pool.)

 

[Crumpy]

To get an authoritative answer, ask your local authorities.

You would be baptized, only if you had not already been baptized, by the way. Catholics recognize one Baptism.

There was one baptism at Mass, years ago, of an infant. The baby was dipped nude into the font. After the formalities, the mother was supposed to clothe the baby and come back for the rest of the rite. Well, she disappeared into the sacristy for about 8 minutes, getting everything perfect for junior. That’s right, we all just sat there and waited until everything was “perfect.”

There was another baptism I recall, where these two boys about 11 years of age went into the baptismal font with black t-shirts. Well, after they were baptized, they ripped those off and then they donned white t-shirts. Again, another unnecessary embellishment of the rite, quite theatrical and amusing, if you ask me.

You wouldn’t want any baptisms in our local river, that’s for sure. There’s a quarantine on skin contact with the river, due to high discharges of partially treated sewage into the river by our city and others upstream.

You might want to look into the local Bishop performing your baptism. That isn’t necessary for a valid baptism, but that would be a first class baptism, for sure.

My suggestion: go with the flow. When in Rome, so as the Romans, they say.

 

[Walking_Home]

I submitted my application to my local cathedral to start RCIA classes in the fall. I am curious about two things: when does the sacrament of baptism happen during this process and is it possible to request a full immersion baptism rather than a splash on my forehead? Thanks for your time.

---

I know there are some protestant denominations-- that do not consider baptism via pouring as valid-- but just for your info – baptism via pouring is a perfectly valid way of receiving baptism.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

Baptisms at the completion of RCIA, for those who are not baptized, take place at the Easter Vigil Mass on the Saturday evening before Easter Sunday. Whether the unbaptized will be immersed or infused (with the water poured over the head) depends on the parish. Some immerse, some don’t. Infusion is a perfectly valid form of baptism which was practiced while the Apostles still walked this earth. All your questions will be answered during RCIA. You can ask the very first night of class, or sooner, if you wish. You’ll be attending Mass until then, so ask the priest after Mass.

Jim Dandy

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

I submitted my application to my local cathedral to start RCIA classes in the fall. I am curious about two things: when does the sacrament of baptism happen during this process and is it possible to request a full immersion baptism rather than a splash on my forehead? Thanks for your time.

I think it is possible, but I would rather not complicate things, it is december, the water is freezing, they must find heaters, the priest starts feeling nervous for he has more baptisms to do, and where do you imerge, and will the priest go too?, and the towels and the rest, where do you change clothes and the whole crowd whispering, very good idea but … I wanted to marry in an Catholic Orthodox Church but after the first question, they told me that I needed to ask permission to the Pope, so I said to myself, nice idea and forgot about the whole thing…

 

[Phemie]

I submitted my application to my local cathedral to start RCIA classes in the fall. I am curious about two things: when does the sacrament of baptism happen during this process and is it possible to request a full immersion baptism rather than a splash on my forehead? Thanks for your time.

I know that at the Basilica down the road from us they baptize adults by immersion since they have the facilities for it. We don’t.

OTOH, we do baptize babies by immersion, and about 25% of families opt for that. The Rite presumes immersion and says that it’s a fuller sign of the dying and rising again in Christ.

Depending on whether the baptism of a baby is by immersion or pouring, the child is brought to the font either naked or dressed in regular clothes. After being baptized and anointed, the child is presented with the white garment and the mother steps to the side of the sanctuary where a table is provided, baby is changed into his/her baptismal garment and brought back for the Presentation of the Light and the Ephpheta Rite.

Dressing in the baptismal garment may take a few minutes but we sing a baptismal hymn at this time so it doesn’t seem so long. If it’s an older child, obviously we don’t do naked baptism although we offer immersion as a possibility. The two older children that we’ve seen baptized in our parish opted for pouring, one was 5, one was 6. Their white garment was an alb and cincture, which we altered to fit.

 

[puzzleannie]

I submitted my application to my local cathedral to start RCIA classes in the fall. I am curious about two things: when does the sacrament of baptism happen during this process and is it possible to request a full immersion baptism rather than a splash on my forehead? Thanks for your time.

the normal process is full immersion for adults baptised at the EAster Vigil, but it depends on local custom, the pastor etc. these questions will be addressed during the RCIA process with plenty of time to prepare. But by all means ask the questions, either privately of your catechists and director, or during class. Others will have similar questions.

your profile says Protestant but you don’t say if you have been baptized. No, a valid trinitarian baptism can most definitely NOT be repeated under any circumstances, as St. Paul says, there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

I don’t know where PP gets the idea adults are naked for immersion baptism. You wear something suitable like a tank top and gym shorts under a robe, and enter the water robed, your sponsor wraps you in a beach towel when you come out, and you to to the location where you have left your clothes to change into your regular outfit.

\for fuller more complete discussion of RCIA and related issues come on over the the Evangelization forum you may find the more common questions are already answered there

 

[paperwight66]

I didn’t see any mention of adults being naked.

Regarding babies being naked, my worry as a parent would be if the little thing dirtied its nappy just as we were coming into church. It would surely mean a delay while it was cleaned up. (And if there were more than one baby being baptised, and this happened, I’d want the water changed, just in case).

 

[Joe_Kelley]

It will depend on the facilities available at the church where you are baptized. We have a baptismal pool, but it only contains a few inches of water.

I have only seen an immersion baptism tried once. It was a visiting priest with a single candidate. The candidate lay down and the water barely covered him. It was quite awkward; I wouldn’t recommend it.

For RCIA the candidate and the priest stand in the pool. The priest uses a pitcher to pour the water over him - a quart for the Father, a quart for the Son and a quart for the Holy Spirit - a most thorough wetting.

As puzzleannie described, the candidates wear casual clothing under a brown robe. They are wrapped in a towel and go dry and change.

Don’t wear white in such a case. It tends to become transparent when wet.

 

[CB_Catholic]

It will depend on the facilities available at the church where you are baptized. We have a baptismal pool, but it only contains a few inches of water.

I have only seen an immersion baptism tried once. It was a visiting priest with a single candidate. The candidate lay down and the water barely covered him. It was quite awkward; I wouldn’t recommend it.

For RCIA the candidate and the priest stand in the pool. The priest uses a pitcher to pour the water over him - a quart for the Father, a quart for the Son and a quart for the Holy Spirit - a most thorough wetting.

As puzzleannie described, the candidates wear casual clothing under a brown robe. They are wrapped in a towel and go dry and change.

Don’t wear white in such a case. It tends to become transparent when wet.

We have a Baptismal pool in our church and one can be baptized either way. For immersion, the candidate kneels in the pool and the priest (or deacon) dunks his head underwater. Or they may kneel and the priest will pour the water over their head. Babies and children are usually baptized by pouring, although I have seen older children immersed. Our new Pastor doesn’t seem too fond of immersion, though. Our candidates wear white robes, but they have clothes, not just underwear, under them.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Thanks for all the contributions.
I was surprised for knowing that in the USA (is it?) there are Churches that have facilities for immersion (immersion total? only the head?)
That made me wonder and it is something that I do not know. How was John the Baptist Baptism? And Christ’s? Were they full immersion?
I know that in the primitive Church, the Baptism with full immersion was wonderful. The person used their clothes before and a white vestment after which is just an amazing ceremony…
Any data about Christ’s baptism?
God Bless.

 

[MarkThompson]

Thanks for all the contributions.
I was surprised for knowing that in the USA (is it?) there are Churches that have facilities for immersion (immersion total? only the head?)
That made me wonder and it is something that I do not know. How was John the Baptist Baptism? And Christ’s? Were they full immersion?
I know that in the primitive Church, the Baptism with full immersion was wonderful. The person used their clothes before and a white vestment after which is just an amazing ceremony…
Any data about Christ’s baptism?
God Bless.

One would guess that it was by full immersion, but we don’t have any record of it outside of the Gospel account, which does not specify the manner. Some art implausibly depicts it as being done with a dainty little pour, such as the Da Vinci you see below (if you look closely, they’re standing in the river with the water coming up to their ankles):

 

[GlobalWolf]

That made me wonder and it is something that I do not know. How was John the Baptist Baptism? And Christ’s? Were they full immersion?

The description given in the Bible would seem to strongly suggest that Christ’s Baptism was by full immersion. Later paintings of His being Baptized by pouring, partial immersion, etc. are almost certainly anachronistic. The Didache seems to suggest that Baptism other than by immersion was the exception rather than the rule in the early church, and was only performed when nothing else was possible with the amount of water available.

 

[puzzleannie]

Thanks for all the contributions.
I was surprised for knowing that in the USA (is it?) there are Churches that have facilities for immersion (immersion total? only the head?)
That made me wonder and it is something that I do not know. How was John the Baptist Baptism? And Christ’s? Were they full immersion?
I know that in the primitive Church, the Baptism with full immersion was wonderful. The person used their clothes before and a white vestment after which is just an amazing ceremony…
Any data about Christ’s baptism?
God Bless.

yes of course we have data about Christ’s baptism in the gospels, which is not really relevant to the current discussion of norms for RCIA baptism of adults

most CAtholic churches build in this country since the re-introduction of the RCIA in the 1970s have been built with baptismal pools.

if you want to debate the merits of various forms of batpism there are threads for that, but this is not that thread

. The Didache seems to suggest that Baptism other than by immersion was the exception rather than the rule in the early church, and was only performed when nothing else was possible with the amount of water available.

the Didache does not suggest it states explicitly that baptism all 3 ways is perfectly valid and acceptable.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I would suggest that full immersion went out of favor as the Church moved north. Without heating it would have been a real trial to have been dunked on Holy Saturday in England or Scandinavia.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I think that John probably was baptizing with full immersion. Why else do it in the Jordan?

On the other hand, I don’t know what facilities were available in Jerusalem, but I think Peter would have had difficulty doing three thousand [Acts 2:41] immersions there on the first Pentecost.

Likewise, I doubt that full immersion facilities were available to Paul in the prison [Acts 16:33].

It appears that immersion may have been the preferred mode. Note that Philip used a nearby stream to baptize the eunuch [Acts 8:36]

 

[cccw2009]

Baptism takes place during the Easter Vigil Mass. Many parishes don’t have a baptismal “pool” or however it is called for full immersion. But there are some that do. My cathedral has one for the people who are baptized there. There are portable baptismal pools that churches can buy or rent, but if your parish doesn’t already have one, I doubt they will get one on request. If a full immersion baptism is what you really want, I suggest searching for a parish that does full immerison, if possible.

I was baptized this year by pouring, SORT of wish it was by immersion but I am still baptized regardless

Welcome and good luck!

 

[SeekNFind]

Thank you for answering my questions. I have never been baptized so I am looking forward to it. I am eager to learn about baptism especially since I was raised that immersion is the only legitimate way. I’m not sure if that’s true or not so I will check out some of the resources some have already mentioned.

I saw some videos on youtube where Catholics were immersed 3 times or got into the pool and had water poured over their head 3 times. I believe the parish I’m doing RCIA through has a baptismal font. I’m not sure about a pool. I would rather be immersed but I don’t think it’s a make or break issue for me. Anyway, I will pray about it.

 

[SeekNFind]

Baptism takes place during the Easter Vigil Mass. Many parishes don’t have a baptismal “pool” or however it is called for full immersion. But there are some that do. My cathedral has one for the people who are baptized there. There are portable baptismal pools that churches can buy or rent, but if your parish doesn’t already have one, I doubt they will get one on request. If a full immersion baptism is what you really want, I suggest searching for a parish that does full immerison, if possible.

I was baptized this year by pouring, SORT of wish it was by immersion but I am still baptized regardless

Welcome and good luck!

Interesting that there are rentable pools! I will ask about this at the next RCIA class. I hope it doesn’t give them the wrong impression.