Quick opinion question for fellow Catholics?

Question

Alright might religion class has an assignment to get some different people's opinion on the following question. If you could say your age and your gender, that would be cool, but you don't have to.

A mother and a father bring their infant child to your parish for Baptism. The father has never practiced a religion. The mother mother was baptized a Catholic but eventually stopped going to Church. If you were the pastor, would you allow the baby to be baptized? If not, why? If so, would there be any requirements you would ask the couple? What would they be?

Answer 1

Hello,

I have seen this situation before. No, I would not baptize the baby unless the parents said or swore they were returning to the church and would raise the baby in the religion accordingly. If they want the baby baptized as a social show, to have the christening party or to please the old folks then they are making a mockery of the sacrement and a priest is accountable to God for dispensing the scarements.

Early 50's, male.

Cheers,

Michael Kelly

Answer 2

*Is Catholic*

Male
old enough
has degrees in theology.

Canon Law on baptism requires that baptism be conducted on infants who are not in danger of death only if there is reasonable hope that the child would be raised Catholic.

Given the situation, the priest should ask the mother, as she is the Catholic, what it is that she will be doing to raise her child Catholic. If reasonable hope exists, this does not mean that the expectation is that the child will be raised devoutly Catholic, just that the effort would be made, then baptism should take place.

This would be the prime time for the priest to work with the mother and get her involved with parish life and for her to return to the Church. It would be a good idea to spend some time with her going over what baptism is and reminding her of her own baptism promises. This way the priest can work in the need for her to give a good confession...a point that will greatly ease the return of her to Mass.

It is important in such a situation that the priest be supportive because the wish for the child's baptism is a good sign of latent faith in the mother that can be re-awoken.

More if you need it.

Answer 3

Would I Baptize this child, if I were the pastor? Short answer: It all depends. . .

The Baptism of a child REQUIRES the active participation of the parents in a life of the Faith AND the religious education of the child. The father WILL begin attending Mass regularly and learning about the Faith so that he may properly instruct the child, as will the mother. (Hopefully, in time, the father willl convert to Catholicism but first things first.)

Because of the parents' lack of active participation in the life of the Church, I would ask that they find two active Catholics to stand as godparents. It is the job of the godparents to help the parents instruct the godchild in matters concerning the Church. If, for whatever reason, the parents become unable or unwilling to fulfill their responsibility as Catholic parents, the godparents must step in and take the role of religious educators. Under the circumstances, I would be pleased to see two godparents who are very enthusiastic about their faith. Perhaps even the child's parents could learn from them.

It's not the fault of the child that his/her parents' life in the faith leaves a lot to be desired. The child deserves to be Baptized regardless. But then again, what's the point if no one in this child's life cares about the Faith? If they don't take Baptism seriously, what chance does the child have of taking Baptism seriously?

I would hope and pray that there was someone in their circle of family/friends that could be entrusted with religous instruction for the child. Assuming there is, I would have no trouble going ahead with the Baptism.

Answer 4

If the parents were not register members of the parish, I would not baptized the child. Of course, now there are baptism prep classes. I would probably want to know why they want the child baptized. If the faith has so little interest for them that they don't attend mass, then why. unless I received indication that they planned to raise the child in an active Catholic home, I would advise against baptism

Answer 5

Well, I might have a problem marrying them (the parents), or giving them (the parents) communion, but in this case, the sacrament has nothing to do with them.

It's about the child. Why wouldn't any child have a right to be baptized as the parents wish? Even if the parents are both avid practitioners of another religion (even Satanists).

Answer 6

Being a Catholic is more than just calling yourself one. I would expect that they would commit to raising the child to be Catholic. This would require them to register a the parish, and attend weekly Mass.

early 40s, female revert after 25 yrs atheism

Answer 7

The early church replaced into unified. there have been some superficial ameliorations, the way it happens with each thing in diverse cultures, however the doctrine replaced into the comparable everywhere. After the fall of Rome, jap and Western branches began to drift aside, in particular because of the fact communications have been no longer as uncomplicated. the large Schism of 1054 cemented the chop up into Roman Catholic and jap Orthodox, which has been in place until in the present day.