Baptism: seventeen questions

Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door to the other sacraments. Through it we are cleansed of sin and reborn as children of God. We become members of Christ, are made part of the Church and share in her mission.

To baptize, from the Greek baptizein, means to plunge or immerse. Going down into the water is a burial with Christ in his death, and coming up is rising with him as a new creature (Rom 6:3-4). Baptism is also called the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, and enlightenment, because the baptized receive Christ, the true light.

The Church sees it foreshadowed in the Spirit over the waters at creation, in Noah's ark, and above all in the crossing of the Red Sea, when Israel was led out of slavery. The crossing of the Jordan into the promised land is another sign. The Church recalls these wonders when she blesses the baptismal water at the Easter Vigil.

Yes. Jesus began his public life by being baptized by John in the Jordan. After his resurrection he sent the apostles to make disciples of all nations, "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19). He also taught that no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit (Jn 3:5).

Water, by triple immersion or by pouring three times over the head, with the invocation of the Holy Trinity. In the Latin Church the minister says, "N., I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." In the Eastern liturgies the priest says, "The servant of God, N., is baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

The anointing with sacred chrism signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit: the new Christian is "anointed", joined to Christ, priest, prophet and king. The white garment shows that the person has put on Christ (Gal 3:27). The candle, lit from the Easter candle, shows that Christ has enlightened the newly baptized, who may now pray the Our Father as a child of God.

Children are born with a fallen human nature marked by original sin, and they too need the new birth of Baptism. The grace of salvation is pure gift, and this shows most clearly in infant Baptism. The Church and parents would deny a child a priceless grace if they did not have the child baptized soon after birth. This is an ancient practice, clearly attested from the second century.

Baptism is the sacrament of faith, but faith needs the community of believers. The faith asked for is not perfect and mature, but a beginning that must grow. For every baptized person, child or adult, faith must grow after Baptism, and the Church renews the baptismal promises each year at the Easter Vigil.

Parents help the grace of Baptism unfold, and godparents must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptized on the road of Christian life. The whole parish shares this care. The Eastern Code asks parents to have their infant baptized as soon as possible, and asks the pastor to prepare parents and sponsors well.

The ordinary ministers are the bishop and the priest, and in the Latin Church also the deacon. In the Eastern Churches Baptism is ordinarily given by a priest, and a deacon baptizes only in case of necessity. In real necessity anyone, even someone not baptized, can baptize, if he intends to do what the Church does and uses the Trinitarian words with water.

The Lord himself says so (Jn 3:5; Mk 16:16). Baptism is necessary for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who could have asked for it. The Church knows of no other means that assures entry into eternal happiness. Yet, the Catechism adds, God has bound salvation to Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.

Those who die for the faith before Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ, the Baptism of blood. Catechumens who die before Baptism are saved by their explicit desire for it, with repentance and love. Anyone who, not knowing the Gospel, seeks the truth and does God's will as he understands it can be saved; it may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism had they known of it.

The Church entrusts them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. God desires all to be saved, and Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me" (Mk 10:14). So we may hope that there is a way of salvation for them. This makes the Church's call to baptize little children all the more urgent.

It forgives all sins, original sin and all personal sins, and all punishment due to sin. It makes us a new creature, an adopted child of God, a sharer in the divine nature, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit, and it makes us part of the Church. Some effects of sin remain, such as suffering, death and the inclination to sin called concupiscence, which cannot harm those who resist it with Christ's grace.

No. Baptism seals the Christian with an indelible spiritual mark, the character of belonging to Christ. No sin can erase it, even if sin keeps Baptism from bearing fruit. Given once for all, it is never repeated.

In the Eastern rites the initiation of infants begins with Baptism, followed at once by Chrismation and the Eucharist; the Eastern Code asks that Chrismation be given with Baptism except in true necessity, and that the Eucharist follow as soon as possible, according to each Church's own law and liturgical books. In the Syro-Malankara and Syro-Malabar Churches the priest gives Chrismation together with Baptism. Practice on the infant's first Communion varies: in many places a solemn First Communion follows later, after instruction. In the Latin Church infants are baptized, and Confirmation and First Communion come later, after preparation.

Those who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are in a real, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. They have a right to be called Christians and are accepted as brothers and sisters. Baptism is the sacramental bond of unity among all who are reborn through it.