A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 20: The Sacrament of Baptism

OLRL ^ | Fr. William J. Cogan

[NYer]

Lesson 20: The Sacrament of Baptism

"And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night, and said to Him:  Rabbi, we know that Thou are come a teacher from God; for no man can do these signs which Thou dost, unless God be with him.  Jesus answered, and said to him:  Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, He cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith to Him:  How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born again?  Jesus answered:  Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."  (John 3:1-5)

1. What is Baptism?
       Baptism is the Sacrament which makes you a Christian and a member of the Catholic Church and gives you the right to receive the other Sacraments.

• What does Baptism do to your soul?
  1. It takes away all sin:  Original Sin, plus mortal and venial sins.

     "Do penance and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins."    (Acts 2:38)

  2. It puts Sanctifying grace into your soul for the first time.
  3. It brings the Holy Ghost to dwell in your soul.
  4. It makes you a member of the Catholic Church.
  5. It enables you to receive the other Sacraments.

• Why do you have to be baptized?
      Because Jesus Christ said:

  "Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."    (John 3:5)

• What kind of sin is it to delay your Baptism?
      A serious (mortal) sin.

  "Why tarriest thou?  Rise up, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins."    (Acts 22:16)

• What do you have to do to be baptized?
  1. You have to take a full course of instructions in the Catholic religion;
  2. Give up all seriously sinful habits;
  3. Have the right intention.

     The "right intention" means that you wish to become a Catholic because the Catholic Church is the only true Church.

• Who gives Baptism?
      Ordinarily, the priest, but anyone can baptize in an emergency.  (See Lesson 33, Q. 4)

• How is Baptism given?
      It is given by pouring water over the forehead of the person to be baptized and, while pouring the water, saying, "I baptize thee in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost"  (Matthew 28:19), while having at least the minimum intention to do what the Church wants you to do by performing this sacramental act.

  Baptism can also be given by immersion or sprinkling, but in all cases the water has to flow over the head or forehead (not just the hair).

• What are sponsors for?
      Sponsors at Baptism are supposed to see that their godchildren stay faithful to their religious duties.

  A sponsor has to be a good Catholic at least 44 years old.

• Why do you take the name of a Saint at Baptism?
      You take a Saint's name to have that Saint watch over you and to have someone to imitate.

• Do babies have to be baptized?
      Yes, because they have Original Sin on their souls, which means they have no Sanctifying Grace.

• How soon should a baby be baptized?
      Within two or three weeks of its birth.

  It is a mortal sin to delay the Baptism of a baby for a long time.

PRACTICAL POINTS

1. Make arrangements with your priest a week before the baby's Baptism.  The baby's godfather and godmother should be good Catholics.

• An expectant mother in a hospital should tell the doctors and nurses that she is a Catholic and that, if there is any danger to the life of the baby, they should send for a priest right away.  In case of real emergency, somebody should baptize the baby, even in the womb, if necessary.

• If there is a miscarriage, the whole substance from the womb should be put into water right away, and the words, "I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost", should be said by the one baptizing.  It should be noted that the water has to flow over the skin of the fetus or embryo.  Consequently, it will be necessary to break the protective membrane which encloses the body.

• Regarding babies who die without Baptism, see Practical Point 3 in Lesson 8.

• If your were baptized in a Protestant church, you will probably still have to go through the Catholic ceremony of Baptism.  This is called conditional Baptism.  The reason for this is to make sure that you are really baptized.  It is practically impossible to find out if your Protestant Baptism was done according to the intention of Christ, since many Protestant ministers consider Baptism merely a sort of initiation ritual or symbol that produced no effect in the soul.

[NYer]

Lesson 20 of 43.

Make arrangements with your priest a week before the baby's Baptism.

This material is out of date. The Catholic Church now requires that both parents and godparents attend instruction before the Baptism of the child.

[Texas Eagle]

Baptism is the Sacrament which makes you a Christian and a member of the Catholic Church and gives you the right to receive the other Sacraments.

Oh??? Gee. I've read your scripture reference several times and I don't see one word about The Catholic Church.

You people might want to repent. Repent from adding to God's Word in direct violation oh His commands.

[NYer]

I've read your scripture reference several times and I don't see one word about The Catholic Church.

Martha and Mary (or where's the word "Catholic" in the Bible?)

[Texas Eagle]

I don't see Martha's or Mary's name in your scripture reference either.

Don't get me wrong here. It's not that I'm trying to be combative. I'm just trying to prevent you from spending eternity in Hell.

[AnAmericanMother]

Repent from adding to God's Word in direct violation oh His commands.

Here's where your mistake comes in. Read carefully St. Paul when he says in 2nd Thessalonians 2:15, "So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter."

We believe St. Paul -- Scripture is not the only "teachings" of the Church, "word of mouth" is equally part of the teachings, and in fact was given first place by St. Paul. And that word of mouth was preserved by the Catholic Church for centuries. In fact, Scripture as eventually codified was the result of the teachings of the Church as to what would be left in and what would be left out.

I presume that your reference to "adding to God's Word" is taken from Rev. 22:18. Of course, when St. John wrote the Revelation, he was referring to the biblion or scroll of Revelation, not to the entire Bible . . . which didn't exist yet.

So please don't presume to tell us that we're headed for Hell simply because we follow the teachings of St. Paul . . . . as dear old Noll once said, "I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken."

[Texas Eagle]

So please don't presume to tell us that we're headed for Hell simply because we follow the teachings of St. Paul . . . . as dear old Noll once said, "I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken."

Perhaps you're right. Where in The Bible do I find dear old Noll's admonition?

[AnAmericanMother]

I'm sorry, I was being too obscure.

"Noll" is the old nickname for Oliver Cromwell. Those were his famous words in a letter to the General Assembly of the Scots Kirk, in 1650, during some doctrinal squabble or other amongst the Puritans. ("Cat Fight!")

[Pyro7480]

I'm just trying to prevent you from spending eternity in Hell.

Don't make that presumption, particularly since I have a feeling your interpretation of Scripture only goes back so far, unlike that of the Catholic Church.

[Texas Eagle]

Okay. Just trying to be helpful.

[Pyro7480]

It’s ok. Thanks.

[Salvation]

I think it is four weeks at my church.

[Salvation]

A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 1: Religion
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 2: The Bible and Tradition
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 3: God and the Holy Trinity
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 4: Prayer
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 5: Public Worship of God

A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 6: Angels and Devils
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 7: Human Beings and the Purpose of Life
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 8: Sanctifying Grace
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 9: Heaven
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 10: Mortal and Venial Sin

A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 11: Hell
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 12: Purgatory
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 13: Original Sin
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 14: Jesus Christ, Our Savior
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 15: Jesus Christ, True God and True Man

A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 16: The Catholic Church is the Only True Church
A Brieft Catechism for Adults - Lesson 17: Qualities of the Catholic Church
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 18: The Pope, the Vicar of Christ
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 19: The Seven Sacraments
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 20: The Sacrament of Baptism

[Salvation]

You are the one who is denying the
One
Holy
Catholic
Apostolic

Church.

If I were you, I would might be the one who was worried about eternity. We aren’t, so I pray that you will open your mind to the Church.

We are praying for your conversion.

[Salvation]

**Texas Eagle
Since Aug 27, 1998**

Hmmm.

All of a sudden you decide Catholic threads are for you. Go figure??

[Salvation]

**If your were baptized in a Protestant church, you will probably still have to go through the Catholic ceremony of Baptism. This is called conditional Baptism. **

And what about in the case of someone who died, and desperately, in fact, had made several steps toward, wanting to be a Catholic?

I know we get into another area that really isn’t covered in this article, “A Baptism of Desire.”

[Saint Athanasius]

I don’t know if you know this, but that site that produces this “catechism” is in RIGHT field... far right.

They have links to SSPX, plus some of their articles are against the “New” Church... thought you might want to know.

In Him through Mary,

Athanasius

[Salvation]

A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 20: The Sacrament of Baptism

Baptism and the Usus Antiquior (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)

Justified by Baptism (fallout from the Beckwith conversion grows)

The Million-Dollar Infant Baptism

Mystical Baptism and Limbo

The Early Church Fathers on Baptism - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus

A Critique of a Critique (On Baptism by Immersion)

Catholics, Reformed Christian Churches sign document recognizing common baptism

[MHGinTN]

The texts I read do not say 'must be born again of water. Is this Douay Rheims translation the special version of the Catholic Church? ... Sorry to focus upon so fine a point but it does make a huge difference in the meaning of what Jesus taught regarding born of the Spirit.