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Hi, James —
Baptism is entrance into the Catholic Church. If they aren't going to be raised Catholic, it defeats the purpose, more or less, to baptizing them. It's sort of like a married couple adopting a child then turning (him or her) out on the streets. Baptism is not magic. Nor is it a cultural rite of passage or a nice ceremony with white garments, candles, and a reception. It is a sacrament.
It requires faith on the part of the parents and an environment that cultivates the Catholic faith.
- Yes, it is a duty to have children baptized, but did you not also learn it is a duty to teach them the Catholic faith and make sure they are raised as Catholics as well?
You seem to have forgotten that part. You can't have one without the other.
While it is true you can baptize them, that is illicit.
- Moreover, I would ask, what point do you have in baptizing them?
- Do you really understand what Baptism means if you think you can baptize them and then your obligations are over?
Baptism is when a child enters the family of God. They are born again as a child of God and adopted as a son or daughter of God. The family of God is the Church. If the child never sees the Church after Baptism, it is like giving birth to, or adopting, a child and then turning them out on the streets. They end up in almost as bad a shape as if they hadn't been baptized, or maybe worse.
If you are in a situation where as grandparents you:
- believe in the Catholic faith and understand the importance and meaning of Baptism,
but your children do not, and
- you are concerned for your grandchildren, but aren't a part of their daily lives
I can understand your concern. It's a difficult position to be in. Nevertheless, the children aren't going to have any well-founded hope of salvation unless they are brought up in the Catholic faith anyway.
Make sure you understand the theology of Baptism and not just treat it as a cultural tradition. Just as a family wouldn't have a child until they were:
- financially
- psychologically, and
- emotionally . . .
prepared to support that child, so we can't baptize a child until the family is able to provide it the spiritual support it needs to make the Baptism fruitful.
Eric
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