Prerequisites for Baptism?

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PeaceBeWithYou

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If you have never been baptized and it is something you truly want what are the other conditions for this Sacrament?
 
You will need to learn the basics of the faith and the requirements for living it. Normally there is a time set out for this inquiry and formation. In my parish, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program runs from September to Easter of the following year, when catechumens are received into the Church with sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist.

Contact the priest at the Catholic Church near you, to find out how to go forward.

God bless you in your journey. 🙏
 
I have studied the faith for a couple years now and feel I have been living in a Christian life. I think I know the basics of the faith better than babies who are regularly baptized. I’m just surprised you can’t receive the baptism sacrament by asking for it.
 
While I understand the sentiment behind this argument, I will say that the onus of knowing the faith isn’t on the infant during infant baptism but instead on the parents and god parents. I’m a god parent. The parents of my godson had to go to a pre-baptismal class before he was baptized. I had to give my godson’s parish written and sealed proof from my home parish that I was an active Catholic in my parish and had my sacraments. That’s why my priest won’t baptize a baby if he has no grounded belief that the infant will be raised in a way that they can learn or live out their Catholic obligations.

Now, in emergency situations Baptism can be performed by anyone as long as the person who is in danger of death is desiring Baptism; so the person isn’t going to try to send them to class before doing it.
 
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Precisely, that’s why it’s puzzling to me as a grown man that has drawn my own conclusions about faith that I can’t simply request to be baptized. It is something I truly want.
 
Precisely, that’s why it’s puzzling to me as a grown man that has drawn my own conclusions about faith that I can’t simply request to be baptized. It is something I truly want.
For Catholics, especially as adults, being baptized in the Catholic faith comes with specific obligations and expectations on an adult for how they will live their faith and what will become a sin for them. Easiest example, holy days of obligation are a sin to miss going to mass for a Catholic unless there is a good reason. Someone baptized as a Catholic will have to know and accept that as a part of their life when they are baptized. The Church requests that people who are at an age of reason know what they are “signing up for” (so to say) when they are baptized as Catholics. Thus, the classes.
 
And babies being baptized accept this? I’m not trying to be a contrarian I just don’t understand why I simply cannot be baptized upon request.
 
The Church wants to make sure your conversion is sincere and that you’re in it for good.
 
At the expense of sounding like a broken record how do they know babies are in it for good as you say?
 
And babies being baptized accept this? I’m not trying to be a contrarian I just don’t understand why I simply cannot be baptized upon request.
I don’t understand. When babies are baptized it’s the parents who are accepting the obligations as I said before.

You cannot be baptized upon request (unless it’s a life or death situation) as an adult because you are expected to be responsible for your own actions, so you need to know what those actions are going to entail. When an adult is baptized in the Church they make Baptismal Promises, one of which (if I remember the general wording from the Easter Vigil) is along the lines of agreeing with what the Catholic Church teaches. If someone is baptized as an infant, the parents and god parents are the ones who are expected to prove that they will teach and raise the child in the faith so that the child, when they take over their own actions, knows what they are doing by either agreeing with or rejecting those teachings.
 
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When babies are baptized their parents and godparents make the promises for them. Young children can be baptized at the parent’s request until age 7 or so, the age of reason. After than everyone must go through some catechetical instruction to be baptized.

Babies aren’t capable of desiring baptism so their parents desire it for them.

What means have you used to learn the Catholic faith? Have you spoken with a priest about baptism?
 
Meh, it’s just a little off putting. Seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to request in my opinion. I doubt the Church founders would deny the request. I can vouch for myself just fine in my opinion.
 
I regularly attend Mass and have spoken to a member of the clergy at length about the faith.
 
Meh, it’s just a little off putting. Seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to request in my opinion. I doubt the Church founders would deny the request. I can vouch for myself just fine in my opinion.
Good, meet with your local priest and show him that you know what you’re doing and what you have studied. If he requires you to take the classes, then show your obedience by taking the classes. If he doesn’t require the classes and is satisfied with your current situation, welcome!
 
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Have you read the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Not read cover to cover but searched out answers there? Do the clergy feel as though you have a thorough knowledge of the faith? Have you asked the priest about baptism?
 
The classes are not required. Many years ago I went through a divorce. I was told the annulment process can take years and I need to wait for Baptism until the process is completed. Neither one of us were even baptized and it was a civil marriage. Seems like a very bureaucratic process without basis in scripture. I’m not asking to be remarried or anything like that mind you.
 
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