The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-07-04


being cared for by Catholic girl and
a Protestant woman. The priest be-
ing away, and the baby dying, the
mother asked the young girl to baptize
the baby. The Catholic girl was hold
ing the child and picked up bottle of
Holy Water. Both being excited the
Protestant woman took the bottle from
her and poured the water on the
chlId's head while the Catholic said
the usual words: 81 kaptize thee" ETC.
Was the child baptized?
The catechism is very definite in it's
instructions in regard to the manner
of baptizing a child in danger of death
1t says: Baptism is given by pouring
water on the head of the child to be
baptized and saying, at the same time,
Il baptize thee in the name of the Fa-
Their and of the Son and of the Holy
Ghost" 1t is not even necessary to
use Holy Water. Any kind of water
will do but the water must be poured
on the head of the child, or if this is
dangerous or impossible, on any other
part of the body, and the words
said by the same person, not by a diff
ferent person. In this case, therefore,
the child would not be baptized, be-
cause the water was poured on by one
person and the words said by another.
This is a matter about which one
should be very careful and Catholics,
especially, who know that the eternal
happiness of the child depends upon
the valid administration of baptism,
should learn how to baptize properly
in case of necessity.
I. How do we know that the Pope
is lnfallibie? 2. What proof is there
that baptism cleanses us from original
sin and makes US Christians, children
Of God and heirs to the Kingdom OF
Heaven? 8. Do unbaptized children
go after death to a place called Limbo,
or is there such a placer. 4. What
is meant by the baptism of bells? 5.
Why should man he prosecuted and
cursed who conscientiously leaves the
religion in which he was born to ac-
cept that Of Jesus Christ?
l. BY the infaIlibility of the Pope
we mean that the Pope, when he
speaks as the chief pastor and teacher
of all Christians, and by virtue of his
supreme apostolic authority, defines a
doctrine Of faith or morals to be held
by the universal church, is incapable
of making mistake. This immunity
from error is conferred upon him by
virtue of a special assistance granted
to him by the Holy Ghost who guides
and directs him in defining matters of
faith and morals to be believed by all
the followers of the Church without
exception. Although this dogma was
not explicitly defined until 1870, tradi-
ton, the teaching of the Fathers, and
the history of the Church, show con
clusively that it was the belief of the
Church from the beginning. The doc
trine CT Papal infallibility is founded
on the words of Christ to st. Peter: Il
say to thee: that thou are Peter; and
upon this rock | will build my church,
and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it." Matt. XVI, 1SD; And
the Lord said: Simon, Simon, behold
Satan hath desired to have you, that
he may sift you as wheat, but | have
prayed for thee that thy faith fail
not, and thou, being once convert
ed, confirm thy brethren (Luke
XXI, 81, 32) Read also, john XXI,
Is, Is, II. 2. That baptism re-
mits all sins, original and actual, is
clearly stated in the Acts of the Apos-
ties, II, 3S): Peter said to them: DO
penance, and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of your sins =; Acts
(XXII, 49, Rise up, and be baptized
and wash away thy sins" Ephesians
Nv, 25): Christ also loved the Church
and delivered Himself UP for it, that
He might sanctify it, cleansing it by
the laver of water in the word of lisa"
Since we are all born into the world
with the stain of original sin on our
souls, baptism, which removes this
stain, is the door through which we
enter the Church. By baptism, there
fore, we are Christians and children
of God with a claim upon heaven and
it's joys if we preserve our baptismal
robe unstained or do penance for the
actual sins into which we may fall
g. The teaching of the Church is I'M
compromising in regard to the fate of
children who depart this life without
baptism either of water, of blood or
of desire They are forever excluded
from the enjoyment of the Beatific
Vision of God They cannot enter
heaven. They have been guilty of no
personal sins that would condemn
them to purgatory for time or to hell
for all eternity. They are, therefore,
consigned to place, usually called
Limbo, in which they suffer no pain
of sense because they are not guilty
of actual sin. Some theologians teach
that children who die without baptism
enjoy a measure of happiness suited
to their capacity. Many people think
1t is cruel on the part of Almighty God
to exclude from heaven children who
die without baptism through no fault
of their own. But in thus excluding
them from the enjoyment of His pres
ence, no injustice is done to them
They have no inherent right, to see
God face to face. The vision of God is
the free gift of the Creator who can
place the conditions for the enjoyment
of it on the part of creatures. Origi.
mol Gin daDrivcc tho raca of ON nm