Sacrament of Baptism and newborn age

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Hi all,

I understand that baptism should be done as soon as possible. But I’m afraid we’re gonna have to wait until baby is 7 months old, so that his grandparents can attend (our baby is their first grandchild).

Thoughts?

I personally don’t care if the rest of the family attends or not as long as the baby gets baptized.

Parents, how old was your child during their baptism?
 
Both of mine were around six weeks old. We would actually like to do earlier for baby #3 if we can get the paperwork squared away sooner.

I would say to do it as soon as possible even if grandparents cannot attend. They should still enjoy seeing pictures of the event and if they are religious as well, should understand the importance of doing it early.
 
For what it’s worth, baptism ages in the two parishes where I have been involved in Baptismal prep have typically been 4-8 months old. Very rarely under 3 months. Other parishes may well be different.
 
First child born Sept. 8, baptized Nov. 11
Second born Feb. 21, baptized May 23

In both cases we travelled back to the parish where I’d been baptized, confirmed and married to have them baptized.

The third was born Aug. 1 and baptized Aug. 26. We lived too far away to return home for the Baptism.

The families I now prepare for Baptism show up with anything from newborn to 4 year olds. Most usually between 3-9 months.
 
My new baby will be baptized on Palm Sunday. She’ll be 7 weeks old. In the Byzantine Rite, babies are traditionally baptized on the 40th day, which would be the Feast of the Annunciation this year. We wanted to have the baptism then, but the Godfather couldn’t make it, so she’ll be baptized when she’s 44 days old. All of my babies have been baptized when they were between 6 and 7 weeks.

At the FSSP parish nearby, I’m pretty sure this is considered sinfully delayed. :eek: They baptize within 2 weeks, the sooner the better.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that infants should be baptized “shortly after birth” (No. 1250) and Canon No. 867 is a bit more specific, noting that “parents are obliged to take care that infants are baptized in the first few weeks” after birth.
 
E_7 said:
Hi all,

I understand that baptism should be done as soon as possible. But I’m afraid we’re gonna have to wait until baby is 7 months old, so that his grandparents can attend (our baby is their first grandchild).

Thoughts?

I personally don’t care if the rest of the family attends or not as long as the baby gets baptized.

Parents, how old was your child during their baptism?
Click to expand...
As important as it is even in our Lutheran tradition I’ve always felt it should be sooner than later. I had always intended to baptize as soon after birth as possible if I were to ever have children. That, unfortunately, never happened but that is my thought on this.
 
spedteacherita said:
As important as it is even in our Lutheran tradition I’ve always felt it should be sooner than later. I had always intended to baptize as soon after birth as possible if I were to ever have children. That, unfortunately, never happened but that is my thought on this.
Click to expand...
All eight of my children were baptized between three and six weeks. Most of them were at three weeks.

I would want them to have the grace of the Sacrament of Baptism as soon as possible. I do not understand the delay for many months that I see today. If my parents had to travel at a specific time that was months away, my baby would have been baptized and we could then have a lovely, special celebration with the grandparents when they come.
 
Our youngest was baptized at 4 days old. My wife called the parish at lunch on the day he was born and the paperwork was back to the parish that evening. We filled out the paperwork before the pediatrician had seen him. My mom wouldn’t have been available for another 4 or 5 months so we said, “sorry, but we’ll send pictures.” She was okay with that.

Our other three that were baptized as infants were at: 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 13 weeks (Parish wouldn’t baptize infants during Lent :mad:).

As a general rule we shoot to have them baptized as soon as possible after birth. The delay has generally been in the parish being able to provide a time since they won’t allow us to schedule the baptism before the baby is born. While we would love to have all our family there we won’t delay more than a week or two to accommodate travel plans.

As to babochka’s comment, I would agree that I tend to always see babies at the FSSP parish baptized before they are a month old. The territorial parish generally is between 3 - 9 months, often going up to right before they enter preschool.
 
6 weeks. Definitely didn’t want to wait longer than that. I anything had happened I wouldn’t forgive myself.
 
E_7 said:
Hi all,

I understand that baptism should be done as soon as possible. But I’m afraid we’re gonna have to wait until baby is 7 months old, so that his grandparents can attend (our baby is their first grandchild).

Thoughts?

I personally don’t care if the rest of the family attends or not as long as the baby gets baptized.

Parents, how old was your child during their baptism?
Click to expand...
Are these your parents? If so, I would recommend saying “Mom & Dad, while we would love to have you here, we need to baptize our baby right away. We will have something special when you arrive, but waiting 7 months is playing with fire.”

If it’s your in-laws, have your spouse do it.

God Bless!
 
E_7 said:
Hi all,

I understand that baptism should be done as soon as possible. But I’m afraid we’re gonna have to wait until baby is 7 months old, so that his grandparents can attend (our baby is their first grandchild).

Thoughts?

I personally don’t care if the rest of the family attends or not as long as the baby gets baptized.

Parents, how old was your child during their baptism?
Click to expand...
I was baptized at about two and a half weeks old. I don’t know if my grandparents were able to be there.

Personally, I do not recommend waiting. Yes, it would be nice for the GPs to be there, but it is not essential. Your child’s salvation IS essential.
 
phil19034 said:
Are these your parents? If so, I would recommend saying “Mom & Dad, while we would love to have you here, we need to baptize our baby right away. We will have something special when you arrive, but waiting 7 months is playing with fire.”

If it’s your in-laws, have your spouse do it.
Click to expand...
^This. 7 months is way too long to wait. As nice as it would be to have the child’s grandparents there, if they can’t make it sooner, I’d rather have them not in attendance, than risk my child’s salvation. Within the month ideal. 2 months, eigh… More than that would be a deal breaker for me.
 
My son was baptized on his birthday…though we didn’t know if he would make it to day 2 (he did :D).

Don’t delay baptism. Have a nice party when the grandparents come. If they truly understand the sacrament, they’ll understand. If they don’t truly understand…then there’s really no reason to wait.
 
Go ahead, but have the baptism party for all on the day the grandparents arrive?
E_7 said:
Hi all,

I understand that baptism should be done as soon as possible. But I’m afraid we’re gonna have to wait until baby is 7 months old, so that his grandparents can attend (our baby is their first grandchild).

Thoughts?

I personally don’t care if the rest of the family attends or not as long as the baby gets baptized.

Parents, how old was your child during their baptism?
Click to expand...
 
It is to be in the “first few weeks” - see Canon Law on the matter - parents are “obliged” to do so.

So waiting until seven months is way too long.

Not something to choose to do…so no one is not going to have to wait…

It is very important not to delay the great reality of baptism into Christ …the life of grace…the true life in him…the child becoming a new creation.

You can wait for a celebration as a larger family -but not for the baptism.
 
Canon Law:

Can. 867 §1. Parents are obliged to take care that infants are baptized* in the first few weeks…*

§2. An infant in danger of death is to be baptized without delay.

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2X.HTM

From the Catechism:

1250 Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called.50 The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth.

scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c1a1.htm#IV
 
Thanks for the support! My husband and I decided to have the baptism as soon as possible which is the fourth Sunday of April .We will do a party later during summer. Now let’s hope my in-laws understand the situation !!!
 
E_7 said:
Thanks for the support! My husband and I decided to have the baptism as soon as possible which is the fourth Sunday of April .We will do a party later during summer. Now let’s hope my in-laws understand the situation !!!
Click to expand...
Whether they do or not, be at peace. You are doing the right thing. 🙂
 
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