Wrong oil during Baptism?

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ahs

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We just had our baby Baptized, but I noticed that the Chrism Oil did not have the distinct aroma for which it is known. There were 3 canisters of oil in the “kit”, and I think he used the same one for the initial anointing prior to Baptism as he did for afterward (where Chrism Oil is placed on the head).
I am not asking whether the Baptism is valid (I know that it is), I’m just wondering if the Chrism Oil sometimes does not have that beautiful aroma, or if there is a chance that the wrong oil was used…and whether that matters.
 
Fauken is correct. The matter of baptism is water, the form is “I baptize you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” and the intent is to do what the Church intends through baptism. If the first two conditions are present, the intention is presumed.

Edited to add: the prebaptismal anointing, done with the Oil of Catechumens, is not necessary for validity, while the postbaptismal anointing with Chrism is part of the “explanatory rites,” which, as the name suggests, are ceremonies meant to explain the significance of baptismal initiation. The Chrism underlines that in baptism, we are made a new creation in Christ, who is priest, prophet, and king, while also anticipating the anointing with Chrism that occurs in Confirmation. This is why the whole rite concludes with the priest leading the people in the Our Father in front of the altar, as an anticipation of the newly baptized being someday welcomed to Eucharistic Communion.

-Fr ACEGC
 
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Chrism in use today is a year old. It will be replaced with fresh oil next week.

When I was a sacristan, I noticed that the scent in sacramental oils would change over time. The chrism used for your child’s baptism likely reflects this. It’s still fine to use. Be at peace. 🙂
 
Sometimes, if your parish has unfortunately kept around the oils wayyyy too long, they will denature and congeal, or else the chrism will have the balsam kind of precipitate out of the oil. I’ve seen both. If your oil stocks are filled with a lip balm like substance, or else a layer of liquid with some brown stuff at the bottom, you’re long overdue for an oil change…
 
Yes. My own parish habitually kept ancient oils around, and used them. We finally buried everything up to and including 2017 after the Vigil last year. At least a decade’s worth. Ugh.
 
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About 10 years ago the Chrism we received from the diocese after the Chrism Mass had a layer of brown precipitate on the bottom. Unlike the balsam smell of previous years, the smell of the Chrism that year was vanilla. Every baptism triggered in me a craving for sugar cookies. It was only a few years later that we returned to the traditional balsam smell and no precipitate.
 
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