Was my baptism valid? (Hospital)

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Hi everyone, there’s a recent news of a priest who was invalidly baptized, although this has been rectified. As I was a baby back then and there was no video (the priest was really lucky to have his baptism recorded!), I do not know the actual words used. However, as far as I know, the baptism took place in a hospital because of an emergency. There was no baptismal rites for me in any church that occurred afterwards, and I do not have any baptismal certificate. Also, the priest who baptized me was also appointed to be my godfather at the same time. I would like to therefore request whether my baptism is valid. Please point out relevant CCC citations as well so that I can read them and be enlightened on this matter. Thank you and God bless!
 
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I think it is best to speak to a priest. Your priest will surely help you. If you are unable to do so because of the pandemic, don’t lose faith but rather continue to pray.

God Bless You!
 
If an unbaptized person has an accident and is dying on the roadside and asks any Christian layman to baptize him, the layman takes some water from the ditch or bottle, and can validly administer Baptism, provided he has the intention to do what the Church does.

So I think your Baptism is super-valid, but for more peace of mind you can send an email to the Diocesan Administration, explaining your case and, while you’re at it, how to get a Baptismal certificate, that doesn’t hurt 🙂
 
You’re in the same boat as most people who were baptized as babies. The vast majority of us do not have any video or transcript of the words used at the baptism, and the people who were there like parents, godparents, the priest etc either don’t remember or are dead. If there is no evidence that your baptism was invalid, in other words giving rise to a “Prudent doubt” as the canon law says, then your baptism is presumed valid.

The issue with the invalidly baptized priest is that a deacon at his baptism used the words “We baptize” instead of “I baptize”. This was obviously in the context of a church ceremony with people in attendance. The hospital priest likely didn’t have anyone in attendance and had no other clergy around so it is unlikely he would have been getting all creative and saying “We baptize” instead of “I baptize” when he was the only one there.
 
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Actually, I have another issue in mind, can a priest be both my baptizer and godparent at the same time? I read in another thread but I don’t think there’s any conclusive answer. I shall stop here since this issue deserves another thread.
 
If you were born before 1983, then in general, a priest (any priest) couldn’t have been your godparent unless there was urgent necessity and permission from his superior. It’s possible that a hospital priest might have had such necessity and gotten such permission.

In 1983 or later, the rules were relaxed, and there is no specific prohibition on the baptizing priest also being the godparent.

 
As far as I am aware, the hospital priest was requested to be my godparent on the spot in the hospital and he agreed, without obtaining any permission from his superior.
 
He likely had a blanket permission from his superior. He works in the hospital, he is going to be doing emergency baptisms all the time and this would have come up all the time. He can’t be calling the bishop every time he needed to suddenly baptize a person in danger of death.
 
I think I’ve already addressed everything. I’m not seeing anything that to me creates a “prudent doubt” about your baptism.

With respect to your baptismal certificate, if you were baptised by a priest then the diocese should have some record of that. You would not have been able to receive subsequent sacraments without it.
 
melvfe said:
As far as I am aware, the hospital priest was requested to be my godparent on the spot in the hospital and he agreed, without obtaining any permission from his superior.
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Probably the thing was not too regular from the canonical point of view, but at most the priest who baptized you will go to hell 😉 😉 but in the light of common sense the irregularity should not have affected the validity of the your Baptism.

This alleged irregularity seems to me rather external with respect to the essence of Baptism.
 
melvfe said:
Actually, I have another issue in mind, can a priest be both my baptizer and godparent at the same time? I
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Yes.

He can.

Please stop with the anxiety over this. You were baptized. Period.

Also godparents have NO impact on validity. None.
 
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An Atheist, Muslim, Pagan, any person who intends what the Church intends may validity baptize in an emergency.

Thing is, when this article hit I knew that so many people will now doubt their baptism.

You were baptized by a priest. There is no reason to think he did not validly baptized you. Priests, deacons do emergency baptisms not infrequently.

Nurses in Catholic hospitals used to be trained to do emergency baptisms.

When I converted I was given a little book that has some prayers and instructions for an emergency baptism.

You were confirmed? When that took place the parish required a baptismal certificate. Get a copy to ease your mind.
 
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