Few of us actually remember when we were baptized
even though it is one of the most important things ever to
happen to us. That is, of course, because most of us were
baptized as infants. Thus there are two “Rites” for Baptism,
one for children and one for adults (converts) which is part
of The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Today we will
look at the Rite of Baptism for Children.
The Baptism should take place on a Sunday, ideally at a
Mass. Sadly this is not the general practice for infant
Baptism. The Rite begins with the celebrant asking the
parents what name they give their child and what they ask
of God’s Church for this child. The celebrant then asks the
godparents if they are prepared to help the parents in their
duty as Christian parents after which the child is signed
with the Cross on his forehead. When the Baptism takes
place outside of Mass a reading from Sacred Scripture
follows with a homily by the celebrant and prayers of
intercession which includes a Litany of Saints. What
comes next sounds ominous, the Prayer of Exorcism. This
does not mean that the child is possessed, but is a
recognition that we are born in original sin. The child is
then anointed on the breast with the oil of catechumens.
Next comes the blessing of the water. Once the water is
blessed the parents and godparents make a three-fold
renunciation of sin and a three-fold profession of faith. This
is given in question form to which the parents and
godparents respond “I do”. The reason for the three-fold
form is that in Biblical times legal contracts were made by a
three-fold public declaration, so it is as if we are making a
contract with God on behalf of the child. The parents are
again asked if it is their will that the child be baptized in the
Faith just professed. The celebrant then either immerses
the child or pours water over him three times as he says “I
baptize you in the Name of the Father; and of the Son; and
of the Holy Spirit”. The child is then anointed on the crown
of the head with Sacred Chrism (the same Chrism with
which the Bishop anoints the hands of the newly ordained
priests). Both the first anointing with the oil of the
catechumens, and that with the Sacred Chrism have their
origin in the earliest days of our Faith when first the
Judges, then later the Kings of Israel, were anointed with
sacred oil. The Chrism is a means of “sealing” the Baptism.
Two symbolic actions follow: the clothing with the White
Garment and the presentation of the Baptism Candle. The
first has its origin in the early days of the Church when
adults were baptized by immersion, clad in their birthday
suits and it was necessary to clothe them as they came out
of the water. The White Garment with which they were
clad took on the symbolism of putting on a new life in
Christ. The candle – lit from the Paschal Candle –
represents the Light of Christ which now illumines their
lives. The Rite then concludes with the Our Father and a
blessing.
The ordinary minister of the Sacrament is the Bishop,
Priest or Deacon. In an emergency anyone can baptize,
using the essentials of water and the Trinitarian Formula.
However, this should be done by a layperson, with the