If it were discovered that your priest had been invalidly baptized, what would that mean for you?

[Michie]

*You are in the Catholic forum*

The other week, Catholic Twitter was in a tizzy over the story of an unfortunate priest who discovered, fifteen years into his priesthood, that his hippy parents had baptized him with milk. Which is not a valid baptism. And since baptism is "the door of the sacraments" ... well, he's not only need to be baptized it at least conditionally baptized...

Continued below.
Simcha Fisher: A fake baptism and the real presence

 

[pdudgeon]

You know, the more I think about this the more I think that it's an urban legend.

Going back to my pre-RCIA days I remember all those original documents that I had to come up with, including a baptismal record just in order to take the classes. And it all had to be squared away before those classes began or else I would have had to wait until the next year.

I know that one of the students was deferred till the next year for the very reason that he thought that he had been baptized in his local childhood parish, but the parish could not find any records for him. He wound up getting baptized in our parish, and then complete with records to prove his baptism, he was accepted into the class, and made up the previous classes that he had missed along the way the next year.

 

[Arcangl86]

So here's a question. Would it even be possible for somebody who was invalidly baptized to even be accepted for ordination? When I was applying to be ordained as a Lutheran Pastor I had to give them my baptism date, and the Catholic Church is famous for the amount of documentation around the sacraments.

 

[Colin]

For me it would mean that I follow the advice of my bishop as he dealt with this odd situation .

 

[prodromos]

I would assume that the grace of his ordination would fill whatever was lacking in his baptism

 

[Michie]

It is an urban legend as stated in the article. The ramifications is what she is discussing. It would be a nightmare. None of the sacraments he presided over would be valid.

There is a case of priest that us well documented which shows how real the sacraments are the article goes into. It's a good read.

 

[Michie]

I would assume that the grace of his ordination would fill whatever was lacking in his baptism

No. As the article states we cannot just disregard it. It would mean every sacrament he presided over would be invalid. Marriages and baptisms might be a a different issue.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I would assume that the grace of his ordination would fill whatever was lacking in his baptism

If he wasn't baptized how does that happen? You seem to be saying it doesn't matter being baptized or not. If I would become Orthodox would I be rebaptized or not? I get different answers from different people but it all comes down to some kind of 'economy' thing where after some hand-waving it doesn't really matter. But it DOES matter. In this (hypothetical) case he would need to be baptized, then confirmed, then ordained, and the sacraments he tried to confect before that would be nothing. Except the baptisms and probably the marriages, because anyone can baptize and the couple marries each other. The rest, the confessions and the Eucharist and the anointing of the sick would be nothing sacramentally. God could still act, but outside of any non-existent sacrament. Just as God acts among many Protestants even without valid ordination.

 

[Michie]

We can't just make the sacraments what we wish them to be. That would make Christ a liar.

 

[chevyontheriver]

So here's a question. Would it even be possible for somebody who was invalidly baptized to even be accepted for ordination? When I was applying to be ordained as a Lutheran Pastor I had to give them my baptism date, and the Catholic Church is famous for the amount of documentation around the sacraments.

Catholics ask for baptismal certificates even for two people being married. Documentation IS required. Not just a date, not just relying on someone's memory. But an official declaration that it happened. So it would be very very rare that a priest would be found to have been unbaptized.

Now it IS becoming more and more common that baptisms are done defectively. The requirements are immersion or pouring with real water and the Trinitarian words. Goofy baptisms now are sometimes done in the name of a creator, a redeemer, and a sanctifier. Or this goofy hypothetical with milk. Those don't even begin to be valid for Christian baptism. But people who think they are hip and modern do things like that. So a certificate should indicate that water was used and the words used as well.

 

[Michie]

I had to send in for mine then they have to make sure the baptism is valid. The unbaptized can attend RCIA and if they decide to convert, they are baptised Easter Vigil.

Catholics ask for baptismal certificates even for two people being married. Documentation IS required. Not just a date, not just relying on someone's memory. But an official declaration that it happened. So it would be very very rare that a priest would be found to have been unbaptized.

Now it IS becoming more and more common that baptisms are done defectively. The requirements are immersion or pouring with real water and the Trinitarian words. Goofy baptisms now are sometimes done in the name of a creator, a redeemer, and a sanctifier. Or this goofy hypothetical with milk. Those don't even begin to be valid for Christian baptism. But people who think they are hip and modern do things like that. So a certificate should indicate that water was used and the words used as well.