What if my young children want to be rebaptized?

[mpester]

I am Catholic and my husband is Baptist. Our two children, 11 and 7, have been raised Catholic since birth. Both have been baptized and the elder child has made her First Communion and now serves as an alter server. We attend Mass weekly. My husband began going to his church two years ago but does not attend regularly. Sometimes our children go with him, sometimes they don’t. My kids have seen a few baptisms in his church and have said that they want to be baptized like that. I have tried explaining to them that they have been baptized. If they do get baptized in the Baptist church, what does that mean? Are they no longer Catholic? Will they not be able to participate in Mass?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

No, your children cannot be baptized in your husband’s church. Baptism is a one-time sacrament and attempted re-baptism is an objective sacrilege. You and your husband should both explain to your children that you have chosen together for them to be raised Catholic, and that means that they cannot take part in ceremonies such as baptism and communion in their dad’s church. I would go so far as to say that since your children already are experiencing serious confusion in their faith that they should no longer attend their father’s church, except perhaps on special occasions such as Christmas and Easter, when you also can be in attendance as a Catholic role model and presuming that you will ensure that they meet the Sunday/holy day obligation to attend Mass.