Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Infant Baptism in Lent

ROME, APRIL 19, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

A reader commented on our April 5 column: "I think you missed a great point in your instruction about the infant baptism during Lent. There is the question of jurisdiction. It is to the parish priest that authority is given to baptize. I also question why grandparents are assuming the duties of arranging the baptism; what hope is there that the child will be raised in a Christian home if the parents do not even take initiative in the baptism of their child? While I would personally baptize the child, I would still require a statement of membership in a parish and permission to baptize another's subject. Salvation of souls is the greatest concern, but indiscriminate baptisms cause scandal to our Church and the sacrament itself by assuming it is merely a rite of birth or passage and not entrance into the Body of Christ with all the responsibilities and promises therein."

Although I am not aware why the grandparents were organizing the baptism, I presumed their good faith and assumed that they made the inquiries because they have a residence in the area were the family reunion was to take place. I also presumed that the necessary permissions had been sought and obtained. That is why I centered my attention on the question of baptism during Lent. In this sense, my answer would have been the same even if the parents had written regarding the policy of their own parish.

However, the point of jurisdiction is a valid one. As our reader points out, in former times being baptized in one's own parish by the pastor was a strict obligation. A 1907 article in The Catholic Encyclopedia notes: "It is to be noted that though every priest, in virtue of his ordination is the ordinary minister of baptism, yet by ecclesiastical decrees he can not use this power licitly unless he has jurisdiction. Hence the Roman Ritual declares: 'The legitimate minister of baptism is the parish priest, or any other priest delegated by the parish priest or the bishop of the place.' The Second Plenary Council of Baltimore adds: 'Priests are deserving of grave reprehension who rashly baptize infants of another parish or of another diocese.' St. Alphonsus [] says that parents who bring their children for baptism without necessity to a priest other than their own pastor, are guilty of sin because they violate the rights of the parish priest. He adds, however, that other priests may baptize such children, if they have the permission, whether express, or tacit, or even reasonably presumed, of the proper pastor. Those who have no settled place of abode may be baptized by the pastor of any church they choose."

Today, the law still holds a preference for baptism by one's own pastor in the parish church but allows for more flexibility in practice.

The 1973 introduction to the Rite of Baptism for Children affirms:

"10. So that baptism may clearly appear as the sacrament of the Church's faith and of incorporation into the people of God, it should normally be celebrated in the parish church, which must have a baptismal font.

"11. After consulting the local parish priest (pastor), the bishop may permit or direct that a baptismal font be placed in another church or public oratory within the parish boundaries. In these places, too, the right to celebrate baptism belongs ordinarily to the parish priest (pastor)."

The 1983 code enshrined this principle in canon law:

"Can. 857 §1. Apart from a case of necessity, the proper place of baptism is a church or oratory. §2. As a rule an adult is to be baptized in his or her parish church and an infant in the parish church of the parents unless a just cause suggests otherwise."

This general principle regarding the minister is further specified in the 1988 introduction to the rite of Christian initiation:

"11. The ordinary ministers of baptism are bishops, priests, and deacons .

"11.3. Except in a case of necessity, these ministers are not to confer baptism outside their own territory, even on their own subjects, without the requisite permission.

"14. Other priests and deacons, since they are co-workers in the ministry of bishops and pastors, also prepare candidates for baptism and, by the invitation or consent of the bishop or pastor, celebrate the sacrament."

Thus, by positing a "just cause" rather than a "grave" one for baptizing outside of one's own parish, the code retains this as preferred but allows some degree of flexibility and adaptation to the realities of modern life.

Although the universal law, as such, would not absolutely require permission from the parent's pastor in order to for an infant to be legitimately baptized in another parish, this is often required by national and local Church law.

This permission is also prudently requested by a pastor whenever an unknown couple asks for baptism so as to ensure, as far as reasonably possible, that the child will be raised and formed as a Catholic.