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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Emergency baptism	Scott	Friday, November 7, 2008
Question: Hi brother, I realize that a lay person may baptize in an emergency situation. My question is, if am emergency baptism is performed by a lay person on somone in near death in or critical situation but that person pulls through and recovers, is the baptism valid, or will he have to go to through the church and have it done officially? What if the person baptised would not go and seek baptism after his recovery, because he is not caught up in a near death moment anymore and was never at all religious or worried about his soul, would the baptism be valid? Please advise.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Scott: One can be validly baptized only once. If a person receives a valid emergency baptism and then recovers he is still validly baptized. Even if the person recovers and decides to become a Satanist, he is still validly baptized. Nothing an invalidate a valid baptism. Baptized places an indelible mark upon the soul. It can never be removed. If a baptized person goes to hell, he takes the mark of baptism with him. Thus, if the baptism is valid, then nothing can change the fact that the mark of baptism is on that person's soul. In order for the emergency baptism to be valid the person must consent to it. Canon Law 865.2 states: An adult in danger of death can be baptized if, having some knowledge of the principal truths of the faith, the person has manifested in any way at all the intention to receive baptism and promises to observe the commandments of the Christian religion. Also the layman who performs the emergency baptism, if a priest or deacon is not present, must do so by pouring "true water" with the "proper form of words" (c. 849), which the Trinitarian Formula. If the person in danger of death was never a catechumen then he must give serious indications of being converted to Christ and of renouncing pagan worship and must be seen to be attached to anything that conflicts with the moral life. The person must also make a promise to go through the complete cycle of initiation upon recovering. (RCIA 279, DOL 2422) If such a person did not follow through with RCIA upon recovering, the baptism is still valid as far as I know. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Emergency baptism

Scott

Friday, November 7, 2008

Question:

Hi brother,

I realize that a lay person may baptize in an emergency situation.

My question is, if am emergency baptism is performed by a lay person on somone in near death in or critical situation but that person pulls through and recovers, is the baptism valid, or will he have to go to through the church and have it done officially?

What if the person baptised would not go and seek baptism after his recovery, because he is not caught up in a near death moment anymore and was never at all religious or worried about his soul, would the baptism be valid?

Please advise.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Scott:

One can be validly baptized only once. If a person receives a valid emergency baptism and then recovers he is still validly baptized. Even if the person recovers and decides to become a Satanist, he is still validly baptized. Nothing an invalidate a valid baptism.

Baptized places an indelible mark upon the soul. It can never be removed. If a baptized person goes to hell, he takes the mark of baptism with him.

Thus, if the baptism is valid, then nothing can change the fact that the mark of baptism is on that person's soul.

In order for the emergency baptism to be valid the person must consent to it. Canon Law 865.2 states:

An adult in danger of death can be baptized if, having some knowledge of the principal truths of the faith, the person has manifested in any way at all the intention to receive baptism and promises to observe the commandments of the Christian religion.

Also the layman who performs the emergency baptism, if a priest or deacon is not present, must do so by pouring "true water" with the "proper form of words" (c. 849), which the Trinitarian Formula.

If the person in danger of death was never a catechumen then he

must give serious indications of being converted to Christ and of renouncing pagan worship and must be seen to be attached to anything that conflicts with the moral life. The person must also make a promise to go through the complete cycle of initiation upon recovering. (RCIA 279, DOL 2422)

If such a person did not follow through with RCIA upon recovering, the baptism is still valid as far as I know.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum