Will a priest baptize an infant without parents consent?

[susanrose208]

I am aware that the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that … if an infant dies before Baptism, ‘we entrust the child to God’s Mercy’.
But what if the (nonCatholic/Christian) parents do not wish to have their child baptized at all? I always believed it is better to have this sacrament than not: Will a priest perform this rite or can a friend do it (even tho it is not an emergency situation?) Thank you.

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

Code of Canon Law:

Can. 868 §1. For an infant to be baptized licitly:

1/ the parents or at least one of them or the person who legitimately takes their place must consent;

2/ there must be a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic religion; if such hope is altogether lacking, the baptism is to be delayed according to the prescripts of particular law after the parents have been advised about the reason.

The Church requires the consent of the parents **and **that there be a hope the child will be raised Catholic. The situation you describe would not incorporated either of these requirements.

Parents have the natural right to raise their children according to their conscience. It is only in the gravest of circumstances that this basic right can be overridden. To baptize a child against the will of the parents, not only negates the importance of a free response to God’s grace, violates the natural order of things as established by God.