Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Questionable Baptism
ROME, NOV. 24, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
There were several reactions to our Nov. 10 piece regarding an invalid procedure in carrying out a baptism. Readers desired to know how far a minister can deviate from the approved rite without invalidating the sacrament.
First of all, there should be no deviations from the approved rite. The present rite of baptism was developed from a pre-eminently pastoral standpoint. Likewise, national bishops' conferences have been granted wide leeway to make further adaptations in the light of each country's particular traditions. Thus, there should be no need for further personal embellishments by ministers in the name of pastoral efficacy but rather an intelligent use of the rich pastoral instrument they have at their disposal.
However, when such abuses do occur it is, thankfully, quite difficult to invalidate the sacrament of baptism as its minimum requirements are very basic.
These minimum requirements consist in the minister pouring water over the person to be baptized while saying the Trinitarian formula: "N., I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Deviations in the form which do not change the essential meaning, such as: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit," or additions such as "Amen" or "Alleluia" are illicit but would not be sufficient to invalidate the sacrament.
Changes that modify the essential meaning of the Trinitarian formula, such as those mentioned in our previous answer, do invalidate the sacrament.
Deviations or errors in the matter such as failing to pour water three times or failing to immerse at least part of the head during a baptism by immersion would once again be illicit ritual failures, but they would not in themselves make the sacrament invalid.
There were several reactions to our Nov. 10 piece regarding an invalid procedure in carrying out a baptism. Readers desired to know how far a minister can deviate from the approved rite without invalidating the sacrament.
First of all, there should be no deviations from the approved rite. The present rite of baptism was developed from a pre-eminently pastoral standpoint. Likewise, national bishops' conferences have been granted wide leeway to make further adaptations in the light of each country's particular traditions. Thus, there should be no need for further personal embellishments by ministers in the name of pastoral efficacy but rather an intelligent use of the rich pastoral instrument they have at their disposal.
However, when such abuses do occur it is, thankfully, quite difficult to invalidate the sacrament of baptism as its minimum requirements are very basic.
These minimum requirements consist in the minister pouring water over the person to be baptized while saying the Trinitarian formula: "N., I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Deviations in the form which do not change the essential meaning, such as: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit," or additions such as "Amen" or "Alleluia" are illicit but would not be sufficient to invalidate the sacrament.
Changes that modify the essential meaning of the Trinitarian formula, such as those mentioned in our previous answer, do invalidate the sacrament.
Deviations or errors in the matter such as failing to pour water three times or failing to immerse at least part of the head during a baptism by immersion would once again be illicit ritual failures, but they would not in themselves make the sacrament invalid.
posted by Chipi Buenafe at
10:28 AM
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