101 Things Everyone Should Know About Catholicism by Helen Keeler

Author:Helen Keeler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Adams Media
Published: 2005-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

52

THE ELEMENTS OF THE BAPTISMAL CEREMONY

There are special liturgies and preparations for adults who convert and are baptized in the Catholic faith (see Number 90). However, the majority of Catholics are baptized as infants, a tradition that dates back to the early days of the Church. Because Baptism washes away sin, and the Church taught that it was necessary for salvation, parents and Church ministers were reluctant to wait for children to grow up before being baptized. On the positive side, there seemed no reason to wait to give the baby the gift of purity and grace. Thus the practice of infant baptism became accepted.

Babies are too young to have faith because they lack perception. However, the Church teaches that they can receive grace because all sacraments work ex opere operato —by virtue of their own action.

First the priest pronounces prayers of exorcism over the baby. Then he anoints the child with the oil of the catechumens (a special oil blessed by the bishop and used during the baptism ceremony). Next, on the baby’s behalf, the parents and godparents renounce Satan and all his pomp and works (the sins and vanities of the world). Then, the adults say the Creed, pronouncing their own faith and faith on behalf of the infant, whom they promise to raise in the Church.

Next, the priest carries out the actual baptism by pouring water over the head of the infant and saying, “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Through the pouring of the water the infant is reborn again with and in Christ.

The final actions include the anointing with chrism, the sign of Christianity, in which the anointed shares in the essential powers of Christ. (Chrism is a mixture of oil of olives and balsam, blessed by a bishop and used for administering certain sacraments or performing certain ecclesiastical functions.) The infant is adorned in a snowy white garment, a symbol of purity of the infant’s soul, full of grace and free from sin. The white garment identifies each baptized infant with the shining garment in which Christ appeared during the Transfiguration. Finally, the priest passes a lit candle to the godparents and says a prayer that the newly baptized may be faithful to Christ unto his last day.

All the newly baptized need help to grow in the faith, which is why every baptized person has a godfather and a godmother. These individuals, who act as sponsors, must be firm believers. For every infant who is baptized, the parents choose godparents, who must be Catholic. The understanding is that godparents are there to help the parents in acting as spiritual guides and as role models. They are also expected to make sure the child gets a Christian education if the parents are lax about it. Godparents are meant to help the newly baptized grow in the faith, and they play an important role throughout the child’s life.

Baptism is usually a day of celebration for the infant’s family.

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