Catholic infant baptism and unmarried parents?

Question

Can two Catholic parents who are unmarried have their out of wedlock child baptized in the Catholic Church?

Answer 1

Your question deals with the specific case of unmarried parents. The law of the Church states that the parents or at least one of them needs to give consent to the baptism and that there is reasonable hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic faith. If the pastor feels that this hope is missing, he may put off the baptism until the parents can reasonably assure him that they will raise this child in the Church (Canon 868). There is no denial of baptism. There is only the possibility of deferring the sacrament until the child's family or faith situation is resolved.

The law does not say that the parents must be married for the baptism to take place. The concern, as seen above both in the Rite of Baptism and in the Code of Canon Law, is that the child be raised in the faith. Is it possible for a pastor to make a judgment in a certain case that the baptism of a child should wait for the parents to be married? Yes, he indeed has the right to make that judgment. However, it is to be made on a case-by-case basis and is not a general policy.

Answer 2

Yes, as long as (a) the parents intend to raise the child Catholic and (b) they meet whatever qualifications are required by the diocese, which might include taking a class on baptism and what it means and (c) they have at least one practicing Catholic to be the child's godparent.

The status of the unmarried couple is not reflected on the children, unless the couple gives the priest a reason to believe that they will not raise the child to know and understand the Catholic faith. However, many unmarried couples who have a baby are planning to wed in the Catholic Church in the future or don't know it's possible for them to be married after having a baby out of wedlock or something like that.

The best thing for this couple to do is to make an appointment with the priest ASAP to discuss things thoroughly.

Answer 3

Yes, the Catholic Church will allow the baby to be Baptized. However, consider that the parents - in baptizing their child - are promising to raise and educate their child in the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church.

This includes, among other things, prmoting the Virtue of Chastity. Would it not be hypocritical for the parents to promote chastity when they themselves remain unmarried?

I am not talking about the fornication itself. What's done is done.

It would be best, for both parents and child, if the child was raised by parents who have received the sacrament of Holy Matrimony.

If they don't, and they attempt to impart the Virtue of Chastity, the child will someday be able to interpret and question the hypocrisy of the parents teachings when they themselves did not follow it.

The point is, Baptism is a big deal and a HUGE commitment for both parents and child. The parents MUST be willing to live the Christian life as best they can if they wish to raise Christian children.

Answer 4

Yes. My daughter was baptized in a Catholic church. We had no problem.

Answer 5

Ask at your church. My cousin and his girlfriend where able to get their twins baptized at one catholic church, but another one in the same town wouldn't. I think it really depends on the priest these days.

Answer 6

No

Answer 7

Yes.

Answer 8

I don't think the Priest will let them if he knows.

Answer 9

Gen. 17:12, Lev. 12:3 - these texts show the circumcision of eight-day old babies as the way of entering into the Old Covenant - Col 2:11-12 - however, baptism is the new "circumcision" for all people of the New Covenant. Therefore, baptism is for babies as well as adults. God did not make His new Covenant narrower than the old Covenant. To the contrary, He made it wider, for both Jews and Gentiles, infants and adults.

Job 14:1-4 - man that is born of woman is full of trouble and unclean. Baptism is required for all human beings because of our sinful human nature.

Psalm 51:5 - we are conceived in the iniquity of sin. This shows the necessity of baptism from conception.

Matt. 18:2-5 - Jesus says unless we become like children, we cannot enter into heaven. So why would children be excluded from baptism?

Matt 19:14 - Jesus clearly says the kingdom of heaven also belongs to children. There is no age limit on entering the kingdom, and no age limit for being eligible for baptism.

Mark 10:14 - Jesus says to let the children come to Him for the kingdom of God also belongs to them. Jesus says nothing about being too young to come into the kingdom of God.

Mark 16:16 - Jesus says to the crowd, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." But in reference to the same people, Jesus immediately follows with "He who does not believe will be condemned." This demonstrates that one can be baptized and still not be a believer. This disproves the Protestant argument that one must be a believer to be baptized. There is nothing in the Bible about a "believer's baptism."

Luke 18:15 – Jesus says, “Let the children come to me.” The people brought infants to Jesus that he might touch them. This demonstrates that the receipt of grace is not dependent upon the age of reason.

Acts 2:38 - Peter says to the multitude, "Repent and be baptized.." Protestants use this verse to prove one must be a believer (not an infant) to be baptized. But the Greek translation literally says, "If you repent, then each one who is a part of you and yours must each be baptized” (“Metanoesate kai bapistheto hekastos hymon.”) This, contrary to what Protestants argue, actually proves that babies are baptized based on their parents’ faith. This is confirmed in the next verse.

Acts 2:39 - Peter then says baptism is specifically given to children as well as adults. “Those far off” refers to those who were at their “homes” (primarily infants and children). God's covenant family includes children. The word "children" that Peter used comes from the Greek word "teknon" which also includes infants.

Luke 1:59 - this proves that "teknon" includes infants. Here, John as a "teknon" (infant) was circumcised. See also Acts 21:21 which uses “teknon” for eight-day old babies. So baptism is for infants as well as adults.

Acts 10:47-48 - Peter baptized the entire house of Cornelius, which generally included infants and young children. There is not one word in Scripture about baptism being limited to adults.

Acts 16:15 - Paul baptized Lydia and her entire household. The word "household" comes from the Greek word "oikos" which is a household that includes infants and children.

Acts 16:15 - further, Paul baptizes the household based on Lydia's faith, not the faith of the members of the household. This demonstrates that parents can present their children for baptism based on the parents' faith, not the children's faith.

Acts 16:30-33 - it was only the adults who were candidates for baptism that had to profess a belief in Jesus. This is consistent with the Church's practice of instructing catechumens before baptism. But this verse does not support a "believer's baptism" requirement for everyone. See Acts 16:15,33. The earlier one comes to baptism, the better. For those who come to baptism as adults, the Church has always required them to profess their belief in Christ. For babies who come to baptism, the Church has always required the parents to profess the belief in Christ on behalf of the baby. But there is nothing in the Scriptures about a requirement for ALL baptism candidates to profess their own belief in Christ (because the Church has baptized babies for 2,000 years).

Acts 16:33 - Paul baptized the jailer (an adult) and his entire household (which had to include children). Baptism is never limited to adults and those of the age of reason. See also Luke 19:9; John 4:53; Acts 11:14; 1 Cor. 1:16; and 1 Tim. 3:12; Gen. 31:41; 36:6; 41:51; Joshua 24:15; 2 Sam. 7:11, 1 Chron. 10:6 which shows “oikos” generally includes children.

Rom. 5:12 - sin came through Adam and death through sin. Babies' souls are affected by Adam's sin and need baptism just like adult souls.

Rom. 5:15 - the grace of Jesus Christ surpasses that of the Old Covenant. So children can also enter the new Covenant in baptism. From a Jewish perspective, it would have been unthinkable to exclude infants and children from God's Covenant kingdom.

1 Cor. 1:16 - Paul baptized the household ("oikos") of Stephanus. Baptism is not limited to adults.

Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2 - Paul addresses the "saints" of the Church, and these include the children he addresses in Eph. 6:1 and Col. 3:20. Children become saints of the Church only through baptism.

Eph. 2:3 - we are all by nature children of wrath, in sin, like all mankind. Infants are no exception. See also Psalm 51:5 and Job 14:1-4 which teach us we are conceived in sin and born unclean.

2 Thess. 3:10 - if anyone does not work let him not eat. But this implies that those who are unable to work should still be able to eat. Babies should not starve because they are unable to work, and should also not be denied baptism because they are unable to make a declaration of faith.

Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:3-5 - the faith of those who brought in the paralytic cured the paralytic's sins. This is an example of the forgiveness of sins based on another's faith, just like infant baptism. The infant child is forgiven of sin based on the parents' faith.

Matt. 8:5-13 - the servant is healed based upon the centurion's faith. This is another example of healing based on another's faith. If Jesus can heal us based on someone else’s faith, then He can baptize us based on someone else’s faith as well.

Mark 9:22-25 - Jesus exercises the child's unclean spirit based on the father's faith. This healing is again based on another's faith.

1 Cor. 7:14 – Paul says that children are sanctified by God through the belief of only one of their parents.

Exodus 12:24-28 - the Passover was based on the parent's faith. If they did not kill and eat the lamb, their first-born child died.

Joshua 5:2-7 - God punished Israel because the people had not circumcised their children. This was based on the parent's faith. The parents play a critical role in their child's salvation.

Answer 10

Probably not......too many man-made rules in the Catholic church....among other atrocities

But who would want to baptize a baby anyway? Let the child grow up and make that decision on their own so that they understand the significance of the event.