Most Reverend Father,
allow me to ask you about two further topics which I’m unable to properly discern on my own, but first let me extend to you my best greetings for the present Christmas time.
First topic: when a lay believer grants baptism to a child against the will of the parents and without the child being in articulo mortis, the baptism is effective but illicit. How can such a believer  atone for this sin? Would the absolution from any priest be enough, or something more will be required, like a bishop’s absolution?
Second topic: sometimes I feel that I receive the absolution based on doctrinal mistakes, meaning that my absolution is obtained due to an erroneous interpretation of the church Teachings by the absolver: in such a case is the absolution still valid or should I confess again?
Always grateful for your attention, in Jesus and Mary,
Giorgio

Risposta del sacerdote

Dear Giorgio,
1. baptism granted to a child against the will of the parents and without there being a danger of death is valid.
This stays true only if the one administering the baptism did it with the same intentions as the Church, namely, that he wishes to grant salvation through the infusion of grace.
Otherwise if he is doing it just for fun, however tasteless it may be since one shouldn’t joke about sacred things, he didn’t have the same intentions as the Church.

2. Despite being valid, the baptism though is illicit. This means that the one administering it has committed a grave sin on sacred matters. There, he committed a grave sacrilege.

3. No matter if the baptism was granted in a case of necessity or not, it is necessary to contact your parish priest so that this baptism gets properly recorded in the registries and so that it is possible to complete the ceremonies foreseen for the celebration of this sacrament.

4. There is no excommunication for administering baptism without a situation of necessity. Still, it is evident that when informing the parish priest for the registry recording, he should get admonished. Should the priest believe it necessary, he can appeal to the bishop to impose a penalty to ensure that such a sacrilege does not occur again.

5. If the priest errs theologically, so much the worse for him, and he will have to answer to the Lord. But this does not affect the absolution he grants for the sins confessed.These sins, therefore, remain confessed and forgiven.

In return for these kind Christmas greetings, I bless you and keep you in my prayers.
Father Angelo

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