Issue on baptism, please help!

[sapphire778]

Hi all.

I came from an Apostolic Pentecostal background, and was previously baptised “in Jesus’ name”, which I now know to be invalid. After months of research into Catholicism, I have decided to enter the Church and will be enrolling in the RCIY program this July. However, as much as I want to be identified as a Catholic and not a protestant, I can’t because I have not been baptized validly. I am a believer at heart, I go for weekday Masses (Not partaking in the Communion though) and practise living out my faith outside of Church. Therefore I hope to rightly identify myself a “Catholic” should others ask about my faith.

I have the urge to be baptised sometime soon and I can’t wait to be baptised only at Easter by a priest next year, since I don’t see the point of withholding, having been a Christ follower for 6 years.

Do you think it is possible that I can get a lay person/ a friend to baptise me, say in a pool? I am worried about the part where I don’t have a baptismal certificate to prove having received the Sacrament to my parish come Easter next year

Please give me some advice, thank you and may God bless you!

 

[Bookcat]

Your are seeking to become a Catholic Christian…and your well on the road there…via Faith.

You should not though go have someone baptize you like you mention unless your drowning in that pool! ( for you now know that Jesus founded the Catholic Church)

but wait and become a Catechumen and be baptized at the right time…

In the mean time you can tell people that you seeking to follow Jesus Christ and are going to becoming soon a Catechumen (of the Catholic Church) preparing for Baptism etc…(similar as in the early Church)

 

[OscarsMama]

In the event of an emergency for salvation, a lay person can baptize somebody (such as infants in the hospital or whatever).

But since you are going through RCIA, I would wait and do it at the Easter Vigil. I think that it will mean so much to do you if you do that.

And if somebody asks you about your religion, you can tell them: I am going to become Catholic. And you can explain to them that you are attending mass and have signed up and/or attending RCIA.

There is so much to learn about the Cathlic Faith. I am a cradle Catholic and still learning.

 

[GRATEFULONEjim]

I agree. That is exactly what my wife did and it is one of the most memorable moments of our lives. God Bless!

 

[ConstantineTG]

Hi all.

I came from an Apostolic Pentecostal background, and was previously baptised “in Jesus’ name”, which I now know to be invalid. After months of research into Catholicism, I have decided to enter the Church and will be enrolling in the RCIY program this July. However, as much as I want to be identified as a Catholic and not a protestant, I can’t because I have not been baptized validly. I am a believer at heart, I go for weekday Masses (Not partaking in the Communion though) and practise living out my faith outside of Church. Therefore I hope to rightly identify myself a “Catholic” should others ask about my faith.

I have the urge to be baptised sometime soon and I can’t wait to be baptised only at Easter by a priest next year, since I don’t see the point of withholding, having been a Christ follower for 6 years.

Do you think it is possible that I can get a lay person/ a friend to baptise me, say in a pool? I am worried about the part where I don’t have a baptismal certificate to prove having received the Sacrament to my parish come Easter next year

Please give me some advice, thank you and may God bless you!

Learn the virtue of patience and humble submission to your spiritual father, the priest. If he thinks now is not the right time to baptize you, then you must heed his decision.

 

[Waiting]

Hi all.

I came from an Apostolic Pentecostal background, and was previously baptised “in Jesus’ name”, which I now know to be invalid. After months of research into Catholicism, I have decided to enter the Church and will be enrolling in the RCIY program this July. However, as much as I want to be identified as a Catholic and not a protestant, I can’t because I have not been baptized validly. I am a believer at heart, I go for weekday Masses (Not partaking in the Communion though) and practise living out my faith outside of Church. Therefore I hope to rightly identify myself a “Catholic” should others ask about my faith.

I have the urge to be baptised sometime soon and I can’t wait to be baptised only at Easter by a priest next year, since I don’t see the point of withholding, having been a Christ follower for 6 years.

Do you think it is possible that I can get a lay person/ a friend to baptise me, say in a pool? I am worried about the part where I don’t have a baptismal certificate to prove having received the Sacrament to my parish come Easter next year

Please give me some advice, thank you and may God bless you!

Have you talked to a priest? Who knows? He may help you without the long process and wait. Otherwise, it’s worth the wait to attend RCIA.

 

[puzzleannie]

Hi Do you think it is possible that I can get a lay person/ a friend to baptise me, say in a pool? I am worried about the part where I don’t have a baptismal certificate to prove having received the Sacrament to my parish come Easter next year

Please give me some advice, thank you and may God bless you!

no it would be illicit and gravely wrong unless you were in immediate danger of death.

You do not have to provide a baptismal certificate in order to begin RCIA, in fact many of the people in your group have not been baptized so be at ease. It sounds as if you have many questions about the RCIA process that have not been answered. Call the priest or the person in charge of RCIA and ask those questions now.

Welcome home, you made my day.

 

[Debra_C]

Hi all.

I came from an Apostolic Pentecostal background, and was previously baptised “in Jesus’ name”, which I now know to be invalid. After months of research into Catholicism, I have decided to enter the Church and will be enrolling in the RCIY program this July. However, as much as I want to be identified as a Catholic and not a protestant, I can’t because I have not been baptized validly. I am a believer at heart, I go for weekday Masses (Not partaking in the Communion though) and practise living out my faith outside of Church. Therefore I hope to rightly identify myself a “Catholic” should others ask about my faith.

I have the urge to be baptised sometime soon and I can’t wait to be baptised only at Easter by a priest next year, since I don’t see the point of withholding, having been a Christ follower for 6 years.

Do you think it is possible that I can get a lay person/ a friend to baptise me, say in a pool? I am worried about the part where I don’t have a baptismal certificate to prove having received the Sacrament to my parish come Easter next year

Please give me some advice, thank you and may God bless you!

You really MUST talk to your priest about this. In general, the Church accepts the baptism of other Christian churches as VALID and will NOT rebaptize! Since you are concerned that an improper formula was used, you may need a conditional baptism (one whose formula states, if you are not already baptized, I baptize you…"

As for having a friend do it for you–this would be a valid baptism since any believer can technically baptize someone, but it is only licit to do so when the recipient is in immediate danger of death. Therefore, if you are serious about your Catholic faith, you should wait. Since it is causing you some pain to feel you are not validly baptized, your priest may be able to assist you with this, too.