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Anonymous Manuel wrote:

Hi, guys —

I am a Catholic, and a few months ago, I performed an emergency Baptism on someone while they were on their deathbed. I did everything correctly in terms of pronouncing the correct words and everything else, but I've done research, and I think when someone baptizes another person, they baptize "in persona Christi" (in the person of Christ) as a priest does. At the time that I baptized this person, I wasn't sure about whether I personally was baptizing them or if I was acting "in persona Christi". While I was pouring the water, I mainly thought I was baptizing them myself, but I sort of thought it was a little like baptizing "in persona Christi":

  • So, I was wondering, was this person truly baptized, even if my theology was not 100% correct?
Anonymous Manuel
  { I was wondering, was this person truly baptized, even if my theology was not 100% correct? }

Eric replied:

Manuel,

As long as you intended to do what the Church does, you validly baptized them. Even an atheist can validly baptize someone.

Eric

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