Baptism

The Sacrament of Baptism

Short Introduction

Baptism is the first and most necessary of the seven sacraments, instituted by Christ, by which
original sin is washed away and the soul is reborn into the life of sanctifying grace. Through it, a
person becomes a child of God, a member of the Catholic Church, and an heir to the Kingdom of
Heaven. Because Baptism is necessary for salvation, the Church has always urged that infants be
brought to the sacrament without unnecessary delay.

Full Explanation

What Baptism Is

Baptism is the sacrament of spiritual rebirth. The Catechism defines it plainly: Baptism is the
sacrament that cleanses us from original sin, makes us Christians, children of God, and members of
the Catholic Church. Our Lord Himself commanded this sacrament when He said to the Apostles,
“Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19). St. Thomas Aquinas, in the Summa Theologica, teaches that
Baptism is the “door” of the sacraments — the gateway through which a soul must pass before
it can validly receive any other sacrament, since it is Baptism that first incorporates the soul into
Christ and His Mystical Body.

Matter and Form

The Catechism instructs that the matter of the sacrament is true, natural water, and the form is
the words: “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
Water may be applied by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling. The ordinary minister of Baptism is
a bishop, priest, or deacon; however, in case of necessity — such as danger of death — any person,
even one who is not Catholic, may validly baptize provided they use the correct matter and form
and intend to do what the Church does.

The Effects of Baptism

According to The Catechism, Baptism produces several effects in the soul:

It removes original sin and, in the case of adults, all actual sin and the punishment due to it.
It infuses sanctifying grace, together with the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.
It imprints an indelible spiritual mark, called a “character,” upon the soul — a mark that
can never be erased and for this reason Baptism can never be repeated.
It makes the soul a member of the Catholic Church and a temple of the Holy Ghost.
It opens the gate of Heaven, which had been closed to mankind by the sin of Adam.

The Necessity of Baptism

The Church has always taught, following the words of Christ to Nicodemus — “Unless a man be
born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5)
— that Baptism is necessary for salvation, either by actual reception (baptism of water) or, for
those who die without the opportunity to receive it, by baptism of desire or baptism of blood

(martyrdom). For this reason, the 1917 Code of Canon Law directs that infants are to be baptized
as soon as possible, and that in cases of danger of death, an infant is to be baptized immediately,
without delay, even before the usual ceremonies are performed.

The Responsibilities of Parents

Catholic parents hold the first and gravest responsibility for the Baptism of their children. Tradi-
tional Catholic teaching holds that:

Parents must arrange for Baptism promptly. Canon law of the period instructed
pastors to see that infants were baptized within the first days after birth, and parents were
bound in conscience not to delay this without a serious reason.
Parents must ensure their child is raised in the Catholic Faith. The grace received in
Baptism must be nurtured; parents are bound to teach their children their prayers, bring them
to Mass, prepare them for the Sacraments of Penance, Holy Communion, and Confirmation,
and raise them in Catholic morals and practice.
Parents choose fit godparents. It is the duty of the natural parents to select sponsors
who are practicing Catholics, capable of assisting in the child’s religious upbringing should
the need ever arise.
Parents give good example. The Catechism reminds the faithful that the first and most
lasting lessons a child learns come from the example of father and mother; parents are therefore
bound to live their own Catholic Faith sincerely.

The Responsibilities of Godparents (Sponsors)

The godparent, or sponsor, undertakes a serious spiritual office at the baptismal font, contracting
what the old manuals call a “spiritual relationship” with the child. Traditional obligations include:

To answer for the child at the font. In the case of infant Baptism, the godparent professes
the Faith in the child’s name and makes the baptismal promises on the infant’s behalf.
To be a qualified Catholic. Canon law required that a sponsor be a baptized, confirmed
Catholic, of the proper age (traditionally at least fourteen), who understands the Faith, leads
a life in keeping with it, and is not the child’s own father or mother.
To assume responsibility for the child’s Christian education should the parents
fail or die. This is the heart of the sponsor’s duty: the godparent stands ready, before God,
to see that the child is raised a Catholic if the parents are unable or unwilling to fulfill that
duty themselves.
To pray for and set a good example to their godchild throughout life, encouraging
them toward the practice of the Faith, the reception of the sacraments, and a virtuous Catholic
life.
Only one godfather and one godmother (or a single sponsor of either sex) were tradi-
tionally permitted per the 1917 Code, to keep the spiritual bond clear and the responsibility

unambiguous.

Sources referenced: The Catechism; the 1917 Code of Canon Law; St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa
Theologica.