Reasons To Baptise

[StBrenda]

Hi I go to the Catholic church with my children. I want to get my children baptised and for them to go to a Catholic school.
I am not a catholic - ie i have not been baptised.
what sort of questions will the priest ask me when I ask to prepare a Baptism.
My husband supports my belief but does not attend church orhave any desire to.

has anyone been in a similar situation.
I want my children to have a good fondation and learn about God.

 

[Trishie]

St Brenda, it’s wonderful that you go to Mass with your children and that you wish them to be baptised, go to a Catholic School. That you go to Mass seems to indicate that you may wish them to be raised Catholic. You’ve not mentioned if you wish yourself to be baptised, which of course you can be, even as an adult. I’m glad you have your husband’s support in your intentions regarding your children.

I can’t say exactly what the priest will ask, except why you want your children baptised…whether you intend that they be raised Catholics, even though neither you and your husband are, but you have obviously given this thought. It would seem that you believe there is something good and worthwile in being Catholic. I hope and pray all will go well for you in your good intentions.

God bless you, Trishie

 

[LilyM]

First I’d talk to the schools - most Catholic schools don’t, as far as I am aware, require children to be baptised (or even Catholic for that matter) to attend.

Secondly - baptism is serious, it’s a real sacrament instituted by Christ as a means to our salvation, and an important commitment before God. I get the impression (correct me if I’m wrong) that you care more about using it as a ‘passport’ to get your children into a Catholic school than anything else, which is no reason to get them baptised.

Thirdly - baptism cannot be offered without a ‘well-founded hope’ that your children will actually be raised Catholic. Your priest will ask you questions about your intentions in this regard. I don’t know what he’d make of the fact that neither you nor your husband are Catholic. Have you been through RCIA or anything - in order to learn about the faith so that you can properly raise your children within it?

 

[mullenpm]

Lily, I think your response to OP is unnecessarily harsh.

I don’t think Brenda was looking for a way to have her children enrolled in a Catholic school; that was only one of her wishes and not at the top of her list. She has obviously discussed this with her husband and has his support.

I believe her intentions are admirable and I encourage her to go forward and talk with a Priest and I, for one, shall pray for her and her family.:angel1:

 

[Mike_Dye]

Hi I go to the Catholic church with my children. I want to get my children baptised and for them to go to a Catholic school.
I am not a catholic - ie i have not been baptised.
what sort of questions will the priest ask me when I ask to prepare a Baptism.
My husband supports my belief but does not attend church orhave any desire to.

has anyone been in a similar situation.
I want my children to have a good fondation and learn about God.

I would expect the priest to ask you if you intend to enter the Church and be baptized. That would be the first step before your children could be baptized. He needs a reasonable assurance that they will be raised and educated in the Catholic Faith. If that is something that you desire, you will be invited to go through the RCIA process. RCIA is Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. You will attend classes usually once a week for several months learning about the Catholic Faith, and then will be baptized on Holy Saturday Night. After that you should be able to have your kids baptized. It is even possible that your children could be baptized with you on Holy Saturday if your Pastor approves:thumbsup:

 

[LilyM]

Lily, I think your response to OP is unnecessarily harsh.

I don’t think Brenda was looking for a way to have her children enrolled in a Catholic school; that was only one of her wishes and not at the top of her list. She has obviously discussed this with her husband and has his support.

I believe her intentions are admirable and I encourage her to go forward and talk with a Priest and I, for one, shall pray for her and her family.:angel1:

I’m sure Brenda is a big girl and can take my post in the spirit in which it was intended. I don’t pretend for a moment that I can read her intentions from one internet posting.

I just wanted to ensure that she thinks about the fact that baptism is a serious thing - with years of commitment involved. Many parents (Catholic and non) take it way too lightly.

And yes, I’ve known it in my own experience that parents (mother AND father taking the decision together) WILL go through a baptism SOLELY so that their children can get into the ‘right’ schools. Certainly neither parent in these situations have proceeded to make any effort to raise the kids Catholic - or anything else for that matter - afterwards.

It may sound harsh but I take a very dim view of such things, and I want Brenda to ensure that she’s doing it out of genuine love for and commitment to the Catholic faith - and preferably that schooling isn’t even a consideration in her decision.

 

[mullenpm]

Well Lily, I am going to apologize to you because I was reading another thread “Once a Catholic, Always a Catholic” and copied the following:

*"This is one thing that should be stressed to parents who present their child for baptism in the Catholic Church. “By doing this, you are binding your child to follow Precepts of the Catholic Church, including the rules for marriage. Even if you decide to leave the Church for another denomination or religion, your child will be required to follow the Precepts unless they formally defect.”

It might make people understand that Baptism MEANS something."
__________________*

I believe this is what Lily meant and now I must agree with her. Sorry Lily.

 

[StBrenda]

Thank you everybody for your imput and that def gives me some food for thought.

 

[Wretched_Man]

Secondly - baptism is serious, it’s a real sacrament instituted by Christ as a means to our salvation,

So are you saying salvation is not a gift,but something that must be earned by baptism.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God.

Thirdly - baptism cannot be offered without a ‘well-founded hope’ that your children will actually be raised Catholic.

So baptism is only for those who are to be raised catholic…:?

 

[LilyM]

So are you saying salvation is not a gift,but something that must be earned by baptism.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

Not at all. Does a child ‘earn’ the electricity that powers its tv? No - mum and dad do by paying the bills. Does that child nonetheless need to take action - to plug its tv into the electric socket and switch it on - to make the tv work and get the benefit of that electricity? Absolutely. Baptism is the way, ordinarily, that God’s grace is first ‘switched on’, and the process of salvation begun, in the soul.

Unearned means unmerited - now no amount of anything we do can possibly be enough to MERIT salvation. But that doesn’t mean that we are to sit around and do nothing, anymore than the child can sit back on its butt and just expect that the tv will magically plug itself in and turn itself on.

After all - even Jesus had Himself baptised and commanded (didn’t just politely suggest) His apostles to baptise all nations. Why? Because it is a necessary part of the process, although (as I said) it doesn’t, and couldn’t possibly, EARN salvation, nothing can.

So baptism is only for those who are to be raised catholic…:?

Baptism* in a Catholic church* is, yes indeedy. But the Church does recognise baptisms done by ANYONE of any denomination as valid, as long as they are done ‘in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit’ (Trinitarian). So baptism in general isn’t just for Catholics.

And I’d bet that plenty of pastors of other denominations might similarly not baptise a child who they were sure wasn’t going to be raised in that particular denomination.

 

[Wretched_Man]

Not at all. Does a child ‘earn’ the electricity that powers its tv? No - mum and dad do by paying the bills. Does that child nonetheless need to take action - to plug its tv into the electric socket and switch it on - to make the tv work and get the benefit of that electricity? Absolutely. Baptism is the way, ordinarily, that God’s grace is first ‘switched on’, and the process of salvation begun, in the soul.

I like the analogy and I have used this one before ,but the power was the Holy Spirit
Now just a couple of problems I have with this and although you are entitled to believe as you see fit, scripture is contrary to your theology or tradition.
Jhn 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day
Jhn 6:65And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father
I would have to say that his grace is turned on when the Holy Spirit begins to draw men to God
Grace also begins when,
Jhn 12:32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me.
This happened in Acts wjen he sent the Holy Spirit to indwell men.
Baptism, although important in the indentification of the believer to Christ in his death,burial and resurrection

Jhn 6:54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Unearned means unmerited - now no amount of anything we do can possibly be enough to MERIT salvation. But that doesn’t mean that we are to sit around and do nothing, anymore than the child can sit back on its butt and just expect that the tv will magically plug itself in and turn itself on.

Absolutely not ,i agree, but there are several acts on our part that come before baptism and allow the believer to receive salvation.
That is belief, repentance and confession
Jhn 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, **He that believeth **on me hath everlasting life.
Rom 10:9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
2Cr 7:10 **Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation **and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

After all - even Jesus had Himself baptised and commanded (didn’t just politely suggest) His apostles to baptise all nations. Why? Because it is a necessary part of the process, although (as I said) it doesn’t, and couldn’t possibly, EARN salvation, nothing can.

Yes, the bible describes it as indentifying with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
When we making public demonstration that when go down we are in fact dying to our old lives, burying the old man and resurrecting into the new man.
2Cr 5:17Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Baptism* in a Catholic church* is, yes indeedy. But the Church does recognise baptisms done by ANYONE of any denomination as valid, as long as they are done ‘in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit’ (Trinitarian). So baptism in general isn’t just for Catholics.

I agree, but it’s not a requirement to take part in our church or for membership,it is an act freely done at the time the individual feels best for them.

And I’d bet that plenty of pastors of other denominations might similarly not baptise a child who they were sure wasn’t going to be raised in that particular denomination

We don’t baptise children at all or into a denomination.
We dedicate and bless a child unto the Lord. but there is no scriptural evidence that indicates baptism of children is a necessity, unless they have received, believed and trusted Christ as their Savior.

 

[NHInsider]

Yes, the bible describes it as indentifying with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
When we making public demonstration that when go down we are in fact dying to our old lives, burying the old man and resurrecting into the new man.
2Cr 5:17Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Read that again - it doesn’t just identify with His death and resurrection, it INCORPORATES US into it. (Which is to say, makes us part of His Body). It’s not just a symbol, it’s an effective symbol: a sacrament.

We don’t baptise children at all or into a denomination.
We dedicate and bless a child unto the Lord. but there is no scriptural evidence that indicates baptism of children is a necessity, unless they have received, believed and trusted Christ as their Savior.

Believer’s baptism is a beautiful thing, but – what of the household of the Philippian jailer? All baptized by Paul on that first night - and immediately, too, before dinner! Only the jailer himself had had the Word proclaimed to him (and not at great length) though he had certainly witnessed the power of God.

I would suggest you consider this article from Apologetics Press (which is, incidentally, an explicitly Non-Catholic effort, holding as essential truths to a 6 day creation and a 66 book Bible . . . .). Yet even they see Baptism as the ordinary entry into salvation.

apologeticspress.org/articles/2597