Good evening, Father Angelo,

I am writing to you from Palermo and ask you the following question: can a baby girl, born prematurely (in the fifth month of gestation), who was baptized at birth by her father because she was in mortal danger, now be rebaptized in the Church because, thank God, she is out of danger (this baby is truly a miracle; she weighed only 500 grams and is now still hospitalized, but out of danger and apparently without any harm)?

The father, as soon as she was born, couldn’t even touch her, so, placing his finger on her forehead, he recited the formula, “Luisa, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” making the sign of the cross.

Of course, in this case the matter of water was missing; those were hectic moments, but I believe it can at least be considered a Baptism of intention.

While we wait for your response, please join us in praying for little Luisa.

Thank you!

Priest’s answer

Beloved,

1. In the case you presented to me, the child must be baptized because, despite her father’s excellent intentions and gesture of great supernatural charity, the child was not baptized.

I am convinced that the Lord was greatly pleased with her father’s gesture, which was certainly meritorious for him not only from the supernatural perspective of grace but also for the life of his beloved daughter.

2. For the sacrament of baptism to be celebrated, the proper words must certainly be pronounced. In theological jargon, this is called the “form of baptism.” The child’s father was correct in this regard because he said: “Luisa, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

He also did so, accompanying it with the gesture of the cross.

3. However, for the celebration of the sacrament of baptism, matter is also necessary, which in this case is water.

Baptism means immersion. Now, when the father baptized the child, he did not allow her to come into contact with water.

Furthermore, the word sacrament means sacred sign.

The sign that must be performed here is that of washing.

The words accompanying the washing express the reason for which this washing is performed.

4. Our Lord spoke of the absolute necessity of water when He said to Nicodemus: ” Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (Jn 3:5).

Appropriately, St. Thomas observes, if only the words were uttered, it could give the impression that only the soul is purified and sanctified.

But through water accompanied by the word, the body is also sanctified and becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit.

5. Therefore, Luisa’s case cannot be compared to that of those baptized in danger of death. Because in this case, water was used and the proper words were spoken.

Being valid, this baptism, celebrated in extremis, is recorded in the parish baptismal register.

Subsequently, the child is taken to church for the completion of the baptismal rites, such as exorcism, anointing with sacred chrism, and the conferring of the white robe.

6. Luisa, however, has not yet been baptized because her father’s gesture, however beautiful and highly meritorious, is not sufficient to constitute the Sacrament of Baptism.

Therefore, the entire rite of the Sacrament of Baptism will be performed as soon as possible.

With best wishes for all of you, but especially for the little girl, I bless you and remember you in prayer.

Father Angelo

Questo articolo è disponibile anche in: Italian