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I am from the United Kingdom and am a practicing Catholic but my wife belongs to
the Church
of England. She is vehemently against the Catholic religion, so I worship,
unbeknown to her,
in private. We have a child but the subject of Baptism has never
been raised, as she is opposed
to this ritual, and does not want our child to be
baptized Catholic.
She has opted for the child not to be baptized at all but wishes to
wait until the child is old enough to decide for herself which is unsettling for me.
Is there a way I could baptize our child while she is asleep so that the child may
be welcomed into Heaven should something happen?
I worry because I have read that the Lord does not recognize the unbaptized.
Thank you for your help.
Damian
{
Since my wife
is against the Catholic faith and infant baptism, can I baptize our child privately? }
Eric replied:
Hi Damian,
For Baptism of a child to be licit (according to the law, in other words), it must
be done with an expectation that the child will be raised Catholic. It does no good
to baptize children and then teach them nothing of the faith nor to have them practice
it.
I doubt you can catechize your children in secret or practice with them
in secret, at least not forever. Such a Baptism would however be valid
(i.e., a true Baptism).
Hope this helps,
Eric
John replied:
Hi, Damian —
Why does the mother object to Baptism?
The Church of England
baptizes children with a valid Christian Baptism and holds to baptismal
regeneration.
Is it that she doesn't practice her faith?
Or does she simply
reject the Catholic Church?
Certainly Baptism in the Church of England
would leave the same spiritual mark on the child.
If the child later wishes to choose Catholicism over Church of England,
he or she can do so but, in the mean time, why deny the child Baptism into
the Christian community, so long as both parents are practicing Christians?
John
Mary Ann replied:
Hi Damian,
I agree with John. If she belongs to the Church of England, it makes no sense that
she doesn't want her child baptized. Her hostility seems more of a pagan variety.
Also, when she married the Catholic, she would have had to promise not
to interfere with her husband raising her child Catholic so perhaps the
couple is not married in the Church?
Something is missing here.
Mary Ann
Ann
commented:
Hi Mike,
Having been raised Episcopalian, which until recently, was essentially identical with
the Church of England. I can tell you from first-hand experience that infant Baptism is not only practiced, but encouraged in the Church of England.
However, many Englishmen
consider themselves to be Church of England, even though they rarely
attend services. This may very well be the case, here. One of those rare attendances
is usually for an infant Baptism!
I agree with Mary Ann: Something is missing here.
~Ann
Mike replied:
Hi Damian,
You said: I worry because I have read that the Lord does not recognize the unbaptized.
I just wanted to share with you what the Catechism says on this.
1261 As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say:
allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.
Hope this helps,
Mike
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