rushed christening possible?

Mind Hunter 85

Hi I'm not overtly religious but I am a catholic and I do believe in God thats for sure. However I don't attend mass regularly nor do I See this changing soon. It might sound silly but I'm about to fly soon and have on operation I'd say majorish surgery hopefully not life threatening though. It's 3 to 4 hours operation. But anyways rambling on this is not for me,
It's my twins they are 15 months old.
I want to get them christened before we go. So I guess anytime in the next week any day time would suit.
But is this possible to find a priest to agree. I don't really want anyone there, Maybe Godparents but thats all. Can this be done?

Onesimus

Yes absolutely. St.John Vianney the patron Saint of Priests even recommends that we have the children Baptized 24 hours after Birth.

Just explain to the Priest your urgent need to get the twins baptized and he will understand.

In the event that he will not understand ( which is extremely rare ) and it is a matter of life and death you may baptize the children yourself and hold the Christening at a later date in the safe knowledge that they are already baptized.

Simply take some Holy Water and do the following from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1256 The ordinary ministers of Baptism are the bishop and priest and, in the Latin Church, also the deacon.57 In case of necessity, anyone, even a non-baptized person, with the required intention, can baptize58 , by using the Trinitarian baptismal formula. The intention required is to will to do what the Church does when she baptizes. The Church finds the reason for this possibility in the universal saving will of God and the necessity of Baptism for salvation.59


1284 In case of necessity, any person can baptize provided that he have the intention of doing that which the Church does and provided that he pours water on the candidate's head while saying: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

You can also use the formula and add the name of your child of course: ''I baptize you ''Lydia'' in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.''

neemish

Please do not baptise your children yourself! Although it is theologically possible, you will make it very difficult to have the baptisms registered with your local Parish, and you will still need to have a Ceremony of Welcome.

Contact your local Parish and have a chat with the PP. After Sunday Mass is not the best time, as there are always people to chat to! Ring him and make an appointment. Just explain the situation see how it goes. But if the Parish has a preparation programme, you may not be able to bypass that. Also some Parishes do not have individual baptism ceremonies.

Good luck!

Onesimus

neemish wrote: »

Please do not baptise your children yourself! Although it is theologically possible, you will make it very difficult to have the baptisms registered with your local Parish, and you will still need to have a Ceremony of Welcome.

Contact your local Parish and have a chat with the PP. After Sunday Mass is not the best time, as there are always people to chat to! Ring him and make an appointment. Just explain the situation see how it goes. But if the Parish has a preparation programme, you may not be able to bypass that. Also some Parishes do not have individual baptism ceremonies.

Good luck!

They are registered in Heaven, which is more important to the priest first and foremost.

neemish

Yes, absolutely, But the CCC allows for emergency baptism only in case of necessity, which is commonly understood as immediate threat of death or impending threat. For example, a nurse or doctor in a hospital can baptise a new born who is seriously ill.

In a case where baptism through a parish, even at short notice of 24 hours, that is the preferred route

Onesimus

neemish wrote: »

Yes, absolutely, But the CCC allows for emergency baptism only in case of necessity, which is commonly understood as immediate threat of death or impending threat. For example, a nurse or doctor in a hospital can baptise a new born who is seriously ill.

In a case where baptism through a parish, even at short notice of 24 hours, that is the preferred route

Yes I get where neemish is coming from. Silly me!!! I would have thought ''neccesity'' meant something else but it obviously does not.

There is also the fact that, in the event you could not get the baby baptized within short notice, there is the ''baptism of desire'' which basically means that ( God forbid ) should anything happen between now and the baptism they will be considered baptized in the eyes of the Lord.

But definitely the priest will be understanding of your situation. Just give them a call and take it from there.

martinedwards

I don't see a major problem.

it's BETTER from a paperwork point of view to keep it "in house" but midwives regularly do emergency baptisms (with parents permission obviously) if a baby is born very sickly.

there are arrangements with the local curches for the regestrations of these baptisms.

find a priest with 15 minutes free and it should be no problem.

georgieporgy

from reading the OP I don't think there is any imminent danger of death for the children in this case. It's the mother that is going abroad for surgery. And she states she is not a regular practising catholic. Perhaps it would be better not to rush baptism in this case?