Baptism: A Barrier To Reunion?

[OrthoNoob]

If I understand correctly, the Catholic Church allows anyone, even an unbaptized person, to perform a Catholic baptism in an emergency, provided he uses the correct matter, follows the correct form, and has correct intent. Contrariwise, the Orthodox Church maintains that even emergency baptism must be carried out by a baptized (Orthodox?) Christian.

This means that even if all other barriers to corporate reunion were broken, there may still be a significant number of Catholics who on the Orthodox view are not validly baptized. Have any hierarchs addressed this issue? Am I misunderstanding something important? Or is it a real problem that might necessitate the (re?)baptism of many Catholics if reunion were achieved?

 

[Deacon Lance]

If I understand correctly, the Catholic Church allows anyone, even an unbaptized person, to perform a Catholic baptism in an emergency, provided he uses the correct matter, follows the correct form, and has correct intent. Contrariwise, the Orthodox Church maintains that even emergency baptism must be carried out by a baptized (Orthodox?) Christian.

This means that even if all other barriers to corporate reunion were broken, there may still be a significant number of Catholics who on the Orthodox view are not validly baptized. Have any hierarchs addressed this issue? Am I misunderstanding something important? Or is it a real problem that might necessitate the (re?)baptism of many Catholics if reunion were achieved?

A child that is baptized in an emergency by a non-Christian will have a conditional baptism redone in the parish.  No issue here.

 

[LBK]

The Orthodox position is that an emergency baptism must be followed up by chrismation, if the newly-baptised survives the emergency (such as a baby born prematurely). I do not know if there is a similar mandatory followup within RC practice.

 

[Deacon Lance]

A child with questionable survival chances would be chrismated if a priest is available.

 

[OrthoNoob]

If I understand correctly, the Catholic Church allows anyone, even an unbaptized person, to perform a Catholic baptism in an emergency, provided he uses the correct matter, follows the correct form, and has correct intent. Contrariwise, the Orthodox Church maintains that even emergency baptism must be carried out by a baptized (Orthodox?) Christian.

This means that even if all other barriers to corporate reunion were broken, there may still be a significant number of Catholics who on the Orthodox view are not validly baptized. Have any hierarchs addressed this issue? Am I misunderstanding something important? Or is it a real problem that might necessitate the (re?)baptism of many Catholics if reunion were achieved?

A child that is baptized in an emergency by a non-Christian will have a conditional baptism redone in the parish.  No issue here.

Thank you, Father Deacon. I presume this is the practice in all Catholic Churches and not solely the Byzantine ones?

 

[Deacon Lance]

It is the practice of the Latin Church.  Eastern Catholic Churches actually mirror the Orthodox on this point, only a baptism performed by a Christian is recognized.

Latin Canon:
Can.  861 §1. The ordinary minister of baptism is a bishop, a presbyter, or a deacon, without prejudice to the prescript of can. 530, n. 1.

§2. When an ordinary minister is absent or impeded, a catechist or another person designated for this function by the local ordinary, or in a case of necessity any person with the right intention, confers baptism licitly. Pastors of souls, especially the pastor of a parish, are to be concerned that the Christian faithful are taught the correct way to baptize.

Eastern Canon:
Canon 677 §1. Baptism is administered ordinarily by a priest; but, with due regard for particular law, the proper pastor of the person to be baptized, or another priest with the permission of the same pastor or the local hierarch, is competent for its administration, which permission, for a serious reason is lawfully presumed.

§2. In case of necessity, baptism can be administered by a deacon or, in his absence or if he is impeded, by another cleric, a member of an institute of consecrated life, or by any other Christian faithful; even by the mother or father, if another person is not available who knows how to baptize.

 

[mike]

A child with questionable survival chances would be chrismated if a priest is available.

In the Latin rite?

 

[Deacon Lance]

A child with questionable survival chances would be chrismated if a priest is available.

In the Latin rite?

Yes.

Can.  891 The sacrament of confirmation is to be conferred on the faithful at about the age of discretion unless the conference of bishops has determined another age, or there is danger of death, or in the judgment of the minister a grave cause suggests otherwise.

 

[choy]

A child with questionable survival chances would be chrismated if a priest is available.

In the Latin rite?

Yes.  That is why my son, who was baptized while we were practicing Roman Catholics, was also given "Confirmation" in the hospital because he was going to have surgery soon after being born.  So when we became Eastern Catholic, he was allowed to receive Communion because he has already been Chrismated.