Should I be baptized this Sunday or Easter vigil?

[Gem02]

About a year or so ago I was in a sacrament preparation class but dropped out early mostly due to doubts and schedule problems. After a lot of thought and battling I now believe absolutely in the Catholic Church so, I went back to the same parish where they had the class I went to a year ago and it turns out that they are in the last two weeks of the class, and are going to be confirmed in October (that’s when the bishop comes).

The pastor there said that I was in the class before and if I feel I’m ready that I could go ahead and be baptized this Sunday and be confirmed in October. It’s kind of a pleasant surprise because I came back thinking I’d be in the class for a year. And while it is short notice, the pastor told me after I receive the sacraments I can still come to the classes and learn more. I know the basics of the faith (I have been learning on my own on and off for years.) I feel like I’m ready and need to be baptized. But I the only problem I feel is, is it illicit for a priest to baptize adults outside of Easter?

There is no formal RCIA at this parish, which is why I called it a “sacrament preparation class”, and the Bishop can’t come in April anyway. (I live in a large diocese). I asked the church secretary about this issue and she said as long as the pastor says it’s OK and I’m ready then it’s fine. The pastor does baptisms once month, and there’s a special mass for it where the whole congregation welcomes the new Christian and renews their baptism vows along side the newly baptized. It sounds like what would happen at Easter anyway, but still is this licit?

I don’t feel like its my place to ask if the pastor is following code but it does seems he has special permission to do baptism for adults since, like I said the Bishop himself doesn’t come around until way after Easter. But I guess the real question is it OK for me to get baptized on a date other than Easter vigil or can I, in this case, be baptized licitly this Sunday?

 

[Magdalen2013]

I say “go for it” – but do attend the classes, if only to help others on their way.

 

[1ke]

When the pastor baptizes an adult, he also confirms them, unless for some reason the Bishop has determined otherwise in his diocese.

There is nothing “illicit” about an adult being baptized on a day other than Easter Vigil.

 

[capablanca911]

About a year or so ago I was in a sacrament preparation class but dropped out early mostly due to doubts and schedule problems. After a lot of thought and battling I now believe absolutely in the Catholic Church so, I went back to the same parish where they had the class I went to a year ago and it turns out that they are in the last two weeks of the class, and are going to be confirmed in October (that’s when the bishop comes).

The pastor there said that I was in the class before and if I feel I’m ready that I could go ahead and be baptized this Sunday and be confirmed in October. It’s kind of a pleasant surprise because I came back thinking I’d be in the class for a year. And while it is short notice, the pastor told me after I receive the sacraments I can still come to the classes and learn more. I know the basics of the faith (I have been learning on my own on and off for years.) I feel like I’m ready and need to be baptized. But I the only problem I feel is, is it illicit for a priest to baptize adults outside of Easter?

There is no formal RCIA at this parish, which is why I called it a “sacrament preparation class”, and the Bishop can’t come in April anyway. (I live in a large diocese). I asked the church secretary about this issue and she said as long as the pastor says it’s OK and I’m ready then it’s fine. The pastor does baptisms once month, and there’s a special mass for it where the whole congregation welcomes the new Christian and renews their baptism vows along side the newly baptized. It sounds like what would happen at Easter anyway, but still is this licit?

I don’t feel like its my place to ask if the pastor is following code but it does seems he has special permission to do baptism for adults since, like I said the Bishop himself doesn’t come around until way after Easter. But I guess the real question is it OK for me to get baptized on a date other than Easter vigil or can I, in this case, be baptized licitly this Sunday?

Baptism is always needed ASAP.

 

[MaryT777]

I say “go for it” – but do attend the classes, if only to help others on their way.

I agree with this post!
Mary.

 

[Aelred_Minor]

If your pastor says you are ready for baptism then the only thing I find odd is separating baptism from confirmation and first communion. Why not do them all at the same mass as is usual for adult converts?

Maybe there is a good reason. Maybe the bishop has requested it for some reason. But on the surface it does seem odd and undesirable to me. Keep the sacraments of initiation united and in the right order if you can, for adult converts.

 

[Least]

Or sooner.

GOD BLESS YOU.

 

[ChurchSoldier]

Or sooner.

GOD BLESS YOU.

^^^^^^^^ What they said^^^^^^^^

 

[TimothyH]

And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.
(Acts 22:16)

-Tim-

 

[Gem02]

Can. 851 The celebration of baptism must be prepared properly; consequently:

1/ an adult who intends to receive baptism is to be admitted to the catechumenate and is to be led insofar as possible through the various stages to sacramental initiation, according to the order of initiation adapted by the conference of bishops and the special norms issued by it;

Can. 856 Although baptism can be celebrated on any day, it is nevertheless recommended that it be celebrated ordinarily on Sunday or, if possible, at the Easter Vigil.

Can. 861 §1. The ordinary minister of baptism is a bishop, a presbyter, or a deacon, without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 530, n. 1.

Can. 863 The baptism of adults, at least of those who have completed their fourteenth year, is to be deferred to the diocesan bishop so that he himself administers it if he has judged it expedient.

Can. 866 Unless there is a grave reason to the contrary, an adult who is baptized is to be confirmed immediately after baptism and is to participate in the eucharistic celebration also by receiving communion

After reading the Canon section on Baptism I realized that 1ke is right and there is nothing illicit about it. It seems like the primary reason why people say it has to be done on Easter vigil is because of Can. 856 and 866 and to fulfill that you have to wait for the bishop who is ordinary minister of confirmation, and perhaps in most places he only comes to individual parishes on Easter.

Aelred Minor, I had thought of this as well but I forgot to ask why. I think I may ask again tomorrow but it may just be that the bishop doesn’t deem it expedient as in Can 863. He will be administering both confirmation and First Holy Communion however.

Part of the reason I posted this is because the pastor had said some wrong things about who could be sponsors for confirmation. He had explained properly that sponsors should be practicing Catholics who would be able to guide you and be an example in living a christian life. But then he said he didn’t want to judge who you’d pick because even Jews and people of other religions believe in the golden rule and could also be good examples. This raised my flags a bit, but since having a non-catholic sponsor is not going to affect the sacrament then its not such a big deal. However, this kind of advice seems kind of inappropriate and lax. And this made me wonder if the pastor was being lax about when I could be baptized. However, this isn’t the issue anymore as it is clear Easter isn’t the only time. The only issue really is Can 863. Did the bishop deem it expedient?

Frankly though, I feel a bit exhausted by all this probing and the answer is probably just logistics deems it appropriate. Unless, I ask him outright the only thing I can do is assume he does have permission. And again like I said I don’t think its appropriate to question him, especially when nothing that bad is really happening.

If you haven’t guessed it already by this post I have a bit of scrupulosity and I’m seeing how nice it is to just defer things to authority. I’m all freaked out that I might commit a sin of disobedience while I’m being baptized!

Anyway, I feel encouraged by all your positive replies and I’m sure I will be baptized this Sunday.

Thank you everyone!

 

[Joannm]

You can’t have a non-catholic sponsor.

 

[Gem02]

Yeah, I know Joannm I don’t know why he said that.

 

[TimothyH]

Go to confession frequently after you are baptized. Baptism is just the start. Continue to go to confession often, weekly. It is healing for your soul.

-Tim-

 

[Gem02]

Just wanted to say Thank You everyone! Today I’ve been baptized! Woo!:extrahappy: At one point I thought this day would never come but God had different plans for me. I actually started to cry while we were saying the Litany of the Saints, but they were tears of joy! Now, I can’t wait for confirmation and First Holy Communion!

 

[TimothyH]

Just wanted to say Thank You everyone! Today I’ve been baptized! Woo!:extrahappy: At one point I thought this day would never come but God had different plans for me. I actually started to cry while we were saying the Litany of the Saints, but they were tears of joy! Now, I can’t wait for confirmation and First Holy Communion!

Congratulations. Now get to work!

So, did you not receive communion? I find that a little odd. Why no communion?

Confession… confession… confession… go early and go often. It is balm for your soul.

-Tim-

 

[jmcrae]

About a year or so ago I was in a sacrament preparation class but dropped out early mostly due to doubts and schedule problems. After a lot of thought and battling I now believe absolutely in the Catholic Church so, I went back to the same parish where they had the class I went to a year ago and it turns out that they are in the last two weeks of the class, and are going to be confirmed in October (that’s when the bishop comes).

If your Pastor has given his permission, then let it be done.

Your Pastor acts under the direction of his Bishop, and it’s not up to us to second-guess what the Bishop may have said to the Pastor - if this is a regular custom of the parish, then the Bishop is aware of it, and it should be fine.

 

[Gem02]

Congratulations. Now get to work!

So, did you not receive communion? I find that a little odd. Why no communion?

Confession… confession… confession… go early and go often. It is balm for your soul.

-Tim-

I’m suppose to be receiving first holy communion from the Bishop after being confirmed along with the rest of the class. Almost everyone else in the class were born Catholic and just need to be confirmed (they’ve probably received first communion as children). Anyway, that gives me some time to try out your advice and go to confession. Perhaps you can PM me some resources about going to confession often?

jmcrae:

If your Pastor has given his permission, then let it be done.

Your Pastor acts under the direction of his Bishop, and it’s not up to us to second-guess what the Bishop may have said to the Pastor - if this is a regular custom of the parish, then the Bishop is aware of it, and it should be fine.

Thank you for reassurance. I’m not questioning anything anymore, I feel like God dropped this huge gift on my doorstep and I keep questioning why it was sent at this time or something. I’m so silly sometimes, I’m just glad I picked it up before it was sent back!

 

[Bergon]

About a year or so ago I was in a sacrament preparation class but dropped out early mostly due to doubts and schedule problems. After a lot of thought and battling I now believe absolutely in the Catholic Church so, I went back to the same parish where they had the class I went to a year ago and it turns out that they are in the last two weeks of the class, and are going to be confirmed in October (that’s when the bishop comes).

The pastor there said that I was in the class before and if I feel I’m ready that I could go ahead and be baptized this Sunday and be confirmed in October. It’s kind of a pleasant surprise because I came back thinking I’d be in the class for a year. And while it is short notice, the pastor told me after I receive the sacraments I can still come to the classes and learn more. I know the basics of the faith (I have been learning on my own on and off for years.) I feel like I’m ready and need to be baptized. But I the only problem I feel is, is it illicit for a priest to baptize adults outside of Easter?

There is no formal RCIA at this parish, which is why I called it a “sacrament preparation class”, and the Bishop can’t come in April anyway. (I live in a large diocese). I asked the church secretary about this issue and she said as long as the pastor says it’s OK and I’m ready then it’s fine. The pastor does baptisms once month, and there’s a special mass for it where the whole congregation welcomes the new Christian and renews their baptism vows along side the newly baptized. It sounds like what would happen at Easter anyway, but still is this licit?

I don’t feel like its my place to ask if the pastor is following code but it does seems he has special permission to do baptism for adults since, like I said the Bishop himself doesn’t come around until way after Easter. But I guess the real question is it OK for me to get baptized on a date other than Easter vigil or can I, in this case, be baptized licitly this Sunday?

It depends on the faculties your bishop has given to his priests. If your pastor is going to baptize you then he must have faculties to baptize adults. Do you know why he’s separating your baptism and confirmation?

 

[TimothyH]

I’m suppose to be receiving first holy communion from the Bishop after being confirmed along with the rest of the class. Almost everyone else in the class were born Catholic and just need to be confirmed (they’ve probably received first communion as children). Anyway, that gives me some time to try out your advice and go to confession. Perhaps you can PM me some resources about going to confession often?

Is this something you are voluntarily doing, waiting to receive from the bishop? It sounds nice but any baptized Catholic should be able to receive communion ten seconds after they are baptized. I could be wrong and welcome correction if I am.

If you look at the section on the sacraments in the Catechism you will see that there are two types, sacraments of initiation and sacraments of healing. There are no sacraments of forgiveness. Forgiveness is wonderful as far as it goes but it doesn’t go far enough. God wants to heal us of our sins, heal us of the damage which sin does to our soul and heal us of the desire to sin. Confession is a sacrament of healing and we should be looking for Jesus to forgive and to heal us in the confessional. That is why it is important to go frequently. It is a profound encounter with Jesus the Doctor, with the Holy Spirit the healer.

It keeps us humble so that we know we are frail and that we are not God. As we approach God in the confessional we realize who he is and who we are in comparison. Examining ourselves frequently reminds us how much we need God.

This is a pretty good article, very short and to the point. It should get you started. ewtn.com/library/SPIRIT/BAFRECON.TXT.

Never, ever be afraid to go to confession or to ask a priest to hear your confession before Mass.

-Tim-

Th

 

[zz912]

It depends on the faculties your bishop has given to his priests. If your pastor is going to baptize you then he must have faculties to baptize adults. Do you know why he’s separating your baptism and confirmation?

The bishop may have reserved confirmation to himself outside of the confirmations at the Easter Vigil. And he mentioned that the bishop is coming this month, so the wait is not so long.