Lesson 14
ON BAPTISM

152 Q. What is Baptism?
A. Baptism is a Sacrament which cleanses us from Original Sin, makes us
Christians, children of God, and heirs of Heaven.

"Christians," that is, members of the Church of Christ. "Children of
God," that is, adopted children. All men are children of God by their
creation, but Christians are children of God, not merely by creation,
but also by grace and union with Our Lord. "Heirs of Heaven." An heir is
one who inherits property, money, or goods at the death of another.
These things are left by a will or given by the laws of the State, when
the person dies without making a will. A will is a written statement in
which a person declares what he wishes to have done, at his death, with
whatever he possesses--the charitable objects or the persons to whom he
wishes to leave his goods. This will is called also the last testament.
It is signed by witnesses, and after the death of the testator is
committed to the care of a person--called the executor--whose business
it is to see that all stated in the will or testament is carried out.
There is an officer in the State to take these things in hand and settle
them according to law, when the amount left is large, and there is a
dispute about it. You can understand better now why we call the Bible
the Old and the New Testament. When Our Lord died we were left an
inheritance and spiritual property. The inheritance was Heaven, which we
had lost through the sin of Adam and regained by the death of Our Lord.
The spiritual property was God's grace, which He merited for us. The Old
Testament contains the promise of what Our Lord would leave us at His
death, and the New Testament shows that He kept His promise and did
leave what He said. The Old Testament was written before He died, and
the New Testament after His death. The witnesses of these testaments
were the patriarchs, prophets, Apostles, and evangelists, who heard God
making the promises through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. The
Church is the executor of Christ's will, and it is its business to see
that all men receive what Christ left them, namely, God's grace and
Heaven. It must also see that they are not cheated out of it by their
enemies--the devil, the world, and the flesh.

153 Q. Are actual sins ever remitted by Baptism?
A. Actual sins and all the punishment due to them are remitted by
Baptism, if the person baptized be guilty of any.

We know that Baptism remits Original Sin. But suppose a person is not
baptized till he is twenty-five or thirty years old; he has surely
committed some sins since he was seven years of age--the time at which
he received the use of reason. Now the question asks, Are all his sins,
those he committed himself as well as the Original Sin, forgiven by
Baptism? The answer is, Yes. All his sins are forgiven, so that he has
not to confess them. But he must be heartily sorry for them and have the
firm determination of never committing them again, just as in
confession. Moreover, that he may not have to confess these sins, we
must be absolutely certain that he was never baptized before. Besides
remitting the sins themselves, Baptism remits all the temporal
punishment due to them.

In the Sacrament of Penance the sinner is saved from the eternal
punishment--that is, Hell--and from part of the temporal punishment. But
although the sins have been forgiven, the sinner must make satisfaction
to God for the insult offered by his sins.

Therefore, he must suffer punishment in this world or in Purgatory. We
call this punishment temporal, because it will not last forever. You can
make this satisfaction to God while on earth, and thus avoid much of the
temporal punishment by prayers, fasting, gaining indulgences, alms, and
good works; and even by bearing your sufferings, trials, and afflictions
patiently, and offering them up to God in satisfaction for your sins.

In Baptism both the eternal and temporal debt are washed away; so that
if a person just baptized died immediately, he would go directly to
Heaven, not to Purgatory: because persons go to Purgatory to pay off the
temporal debt. Neither could that person gain an indulgence, because
indulgences are only to help us to pay the temporal debt. Neither could
that person receive the Sacrament of Penance, because Penance remits
only sin committed after Baptism, and that person had no sins to remit,
because he died just after receiving Baptism. See, then, the goodness of
Our Lord in instituting Baptism, to forgive everything and leave us as
free from guilt as our first parents were when God created them.

154 Q. Is Baptism necessary to salvation?
A. Baptism is necessary to salvation, because without it we cannot enter
into the kingdom of Heaven.

Those who through no fault of theirs die without Baptism, though they
have never committed sin, cannot enter Heaven--neither will they go to
Hell. After the Last Judgment there will be no Purgatory. Where, then,
will they go? God in His goodness will provide a place of rest for them,
where they will not suffer and will be in a state of natural peace; but
they will never see God or Heaven. God might have created us for a
purely natural and material end, so that we would live forever upon the
earth and be naturally happy with the good things God would give us. But
then we would never have known of Heaven or God as we do now. Such
happiness on earth would be nothing compared to the delights of Heaven
and the presence of God; so that, now, since God has given us, through
His holy revelations, a knowledge of Himself and Heaven, we would be
miserable if left always upon the earth. Those, then, who die without
Baptism do not know what they have lost, and are naturally happy; but we
who know all they have lost for want of Baptism know how very
unfortunate they are.

Think, then, what a terrible crime it is to willfully allow anyone to
die without Baptism, or to deprive a little child of life before it can
be baptized! Suppose all the members of a family but one little infant
have been baptized; when the Day of Judgment comes, while all the other
members of a family--father, mother, and children--may go into Heaven,
that little one will have to remain out; that little brother or sister
will be separated from its family forever, and never, never see God or
Heaven. How heartless and cruel, then, must a person be who would
deprive that little infant of happiness for all eternity--just that its
mother or someone else might have a little less trouble or suffering
here upon earth.

155 Q. Who can administer Baptism?
A. The priest is the ordinary minister of Baptism; but in case of
necessity anyone who has the use of reason may baptize.

"Ordinary"--that is, the one who has a right to baptize and generally
does; others can baptize only in case of necessity.

"Priest" and all above him--bishops, and the Pope; for they have all the
power the priest has, and more besides. "Minister" is the name given
here to one who performs any of the sacred rites or ceremonies of the
Church. "Necessity." When the ordinary minister cannot be had and when
Baptism must be given; for if it is not absolutely necessary to give the
Baptism, then you must wait for the ordinary minister.

"Anyone." Even persons not Catholics or not Christians may, in case of
necessity, baptize a person wishing to receive Baptism, if they know how
to baptize and seriously wish to do what the Church of Christ does when
it baptizes. You cannot baptize a person against his will. Neither can
you baptize an infant whose parents are unwilling to have the child
baptized, or when the child will not be brought up in the Catholic
religion. But if the child is dying, it can and should be baptized, even
without the consent of the parents.

"Use of reason." Because the person must intend to do what Our Lord
ordered to be done in giving Baptism; and a little child could not
understand, and could not therefore baptize.

156 Q. How is Baptism given?
A. Whoever baptizes should pour water on the head of the person to be
baptized, and say, while pouring the water: I baptize thee in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

When the priest baptizes in the church, he uses consecrated water--that
is, water blessed for that purpose on Holy Saturday, and mixed with holy
oil. When he or any other, in case of necessity, baptizes in a private
house, he may use plain, clean water, and he baptizes without the other
ceremonies used in the church. Remember, in Baptism you can use ordinary
clean water, warm or cold. When the priest or anyone baptizes by simply
pouring the water and pronouncing the words of Baptism, we call it
private Baptism. The Baptism given in church with all the ceremonies is
called solemn Baptism. Any person baptized privately should be brought
to the church afterwards to have the rest of the ceremonies performed.

It will increase your respect for the Sacrament to know what ceremonies
are used in solemn Baptism, and what they signify. The following things
must be prepared: the holy oils, a little salt, a little pitcher or
something similar to pour the water from, a vessel to receive the water
when poured, some cotton, two stoles, one white and one purple, towels,
a white cloth, candle, and candlestick.

All being ready, the person holding the infant takes it on the right
arm, face up, and the priest, having learned the name it is to be given,
begins by asking the one to be baptized, "What do you ask of the Church
of God?" And the godparents answer for the child, "Faith." If the person
receiving Baptism is capable of answering for himself, he must do so.
Then the priest exhorts the child to keep the Commandments and love God;
then he breathes three times upon it and bids the evil spirit depart. He
next prays for the child and puts a little salt into its mouth, as a
sign of the wisdom that Faith gives, and again prays for the child. Then
he places the end of his stole over it as a sign that it is led into the
Church; for Baptism is given in a place called the baptistery, railed
off from the church and near the door, because formerly the ceremony up
to this point was performed outside the church, and at this part of the
ceremony the person was led in to be baptized. Then before Baptism the
person says the Creed and the Our Father; for when a grown person is to
be baptized he must first be instructed in all the truths of religion,
and he must say the Creed to show that he believes them. Again the
priest prays and places a little spittle on the ears and nose of the
child, using at the same time the words used by Our Lord when He spit
upon the ground, and rubbing the spittle and clay upon the eyes of the
blind man, healed him. (John 9:6). The priest next asks the child if it
renounces the devil and all his works and pomps--that is, vanities and
empty shows; and having received the answer anoints it with holy oil on
the breast and back. Then he again asks for a profession of faith, and
finally baptizes it. After Baptism he anoints its head with holy chrism,
places a white cloth upon it to signify the purity it received in
Baptism, and as a sign that it must keep its soul free from sin. Then he
places in its hand a lighted candle, to signify the light of faith it
has received in Baptism. We are baptized at the door of the church to
show that without Baptism we are out of the Church. We are often signed
with the Sign of the Cross to remind us that our salvation is due to the
Cross and Passion of Our Lord. The priest's stole is placed over us to
show that the Church takes us under its protection and shields us from
the power of the devil. We are anointed as a sign that we are freed from
our sins and strengthened to fight for Christ. The white cloth or
garment is placed upon us to remind us of the glory of the Resurrection;
the light is placed in our hand to show that we should burn with
Christian charity.

*157 Q. How many kinds of Baptism are there?
A. There are three kinds of Baptism: Baptism of water, of desire, and of
blood.

*158 Q. What is Baptism of water?
A. Baptism of water is that which is given by pouring water on the head
of the person to be baptized, and saying at the same time, I baptize
thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

*159 Q. What is Baptism of desire?
A. Baptism of desire is an ardent wish to receive Baptism, and to do all
that God has ordained for our salvation.

"Ardent wish" by one who has no opportunity of being baptized--for no
one can baptize himself. He must be sorry for his sins and have the
desire of receiving the Baptism of water as soon as he can; just as a
person in mortal sin and without a priest to absolve him may, when in
danger of death, save his soul from Hell by an act of perfect contrition
and the firm resolution of going to confession as soon as possible.
Baptism of desire would be useful and necessary if there was no water at
hand or no person to baptize; or if the one wishing to be baptized and
those about him did not know exactly how Baptism was to be given--which
might easily happen in pagan lands. One thing you must especially
remember in giving Baptism in case of necessity: namely, that it would
not do for one person to pour the water and another to say the words.
The same person must do both, or the Baptism will not be valid. If you
are called to baptize in case of necessity, be very careful to observe
the following points, otherwise the Baptism will not be valid: use clean
water and nothing but water--no other liquid would do. Say every one of
the exact words: "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost." It would not do to say, "I baptize thee in
the name of God"; or, "I baptize thee in the name of the Blessed
Trinity"; nor would it do to say simply, "In the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," without saying, "I baptize thee."
Say the words at the same time you pour the water, and be sure the water
touches the skin. It would not do to pour the water simply on the hair.
You must not sprinkle the water, but pour it upon the head.

When you have followed the above instructions carefully and are sure you
have baptized properly, never under any circumstance repeat the Baptism
on the same person. It is a sin to try to baptize more than once when
you know Baptism can be given only once. The sight of the person dying
and the fact that you are called for the first time may cause you to be
somewhat excited; but be calm, remember the importance of the Sacrament,
and you will administer it as directed. Parents should not baptize their
own children in case of necessity, if there is any other person present
who can validly do it. Remember those who administer Baptism contract a
spiritual relationship with the person they baptize (not with his
parents). If they wished, years afterwards, to marry the person they
baptized, they must make this relationship known to the priest.

Sponsors are not necessary in private Baptism. A person may be sponsor
for a child in Baptism without being present at the Baptism, provided
someone else holds the child in his name and answers the questions he
himself would answer if he were present. Such a sponsor is said to stand
for the child by proxy, and he, and not the one who holds the child, is
then the real godparent when, at the request of the parents or priest he
has consented to be sponsor.

*160 Q. What is Baptism of blood?
A. Baptism of blood is the shedding of one's blood for the faith of
Christ.

Baptism of blood, called martyrdom, is received by those who were not
baptized with water, but were put to death for their Catholic faith.
This takes place even nowadays in pagan countries where the missionaries
are trying to convert the poor natives. These pagans have to be
instructed before they are baptized. They do everything required of
them, let us suppose, and are waiting for the day of Baptism. Those who
are being thus instructed are called Catechumens. Someday, while they
are attending their instructions, the enemies of religion rush down upon
them and put them to death. They do not resist, but willingly suffer
death for the sake of the true religion. They are martyrs then and are
baptized in their own blood; although, as we said above, blood would not
do for an ordinary Baptism even when we could not get water; so that if
a person drew blood from his own body and asked to be baptized with it,
the Baptism would not be valid. Neither would they be martyrs if put to
death not for religion or virtue but for some other reason--say
political.

*161 Q. Is Baptism of desire or blood sufficient to produce the effects
of Baptism of water?
A. Baptism of desire or of blood is sufficient to produce the effects of
the Baptism of water, if it is impossible to receive the Baptism of
water.

*162 Q. What do we promise in Baptism?
A. In Baptism we promise to renounce the devil with all his works and
pomps.

*163 Q. Why is the name of a saint given in Baptism?
A. The name of a saint is given in Baptism in order that the person
baptized may imitate his virtues and have him for a protector.

The saint whose name we bear is called our patron saint. This saint has
a special love for us and a special care over us. People take the names
of great men because they admire their good qualities or their great
deeds. So we take saints' names because we admire their Christian
virtues and great Christian deeds. We should, therefore, read the life
of our patron saint and try to imitate his virtues, and the day on which
the Church celebrates the feast of our patron saint should be a great
day for us also. The Church generally celebrates the saint's feast on
the day on which he died, that is, as we believe, the day on which he
entered into Heaven.

*164 Q. Why are godfathers and godmothers given in Baptism?
A. Godfathers and godmothers are given in Baptism in order that they may
promise in the name of the child what the child itself would promise if
it had the use of reason.

*165 Q. What is the obligation of a godfather and a godmother?
A. The obligation of a godfather and a godmother is to instruct the
child in its religious duties if the parents neglect to do so or die.

This is a very important obligation, and we should be faithful in the
fulfillment of it before God. Godfathers and godmothers are also called
sponsors. The following persons cannot be sponsors: (1) All persons not
Catholics, because they cannot teach the child the Catholic religion if
they do not know it themselves. (2) All persons who are publicly leading
bad lives; for how can they give good examples and teach their godchild
to be good when they themselves are public sinners? (3) All persons who
are ignorant of their religion should not take upon themselves the
duties of godparents. Therefore parents should select as sponsors for
their children only good, practical Catholics--not Catholics merely in
name, but those who live up to their faith, and who will be an example
for their children. To repeat what has already been said, godparents
contract a spiritual relationship with their godchild, and in the event
of marriage, they must make known this relationship to the priest. The
godfather and the godmother do not contract a relationship between
themselves, or with the child's parents, but only with the child so that
neither the godfather nor the godmother could later marry their godchild
without first obtaining proper dispensation; that is, permission from
the Church granted by the bishop or Pope. With regard to names, parents
should never be induced by any motive to give their child some foolish
or fancy name taken from books, places, or things. Above all, they
should never select the name of any enemy of the Church or unbeliever,
but the name of one of God's saints who will be a model for the child.
Whatever name is taken, if it be not a saint's name, the name of some
saint should be given as a middle name. If this has been omitted in
Baptism, it should be supplied in Confirmation, at which time a new name
can be added. Again, if a saint's name has been taken in Baptism it
should not be shortened or changed so as to mean nothing; as, for
example, Mazie, Miz, etc., for Mary. When your correct name is mentioned
your saint is honored, and I might say invoked, because it should remind
you of him. For that reason you should not have meaningless or foolish
pet names, known only to your family or your friends.