The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-01-22
BAPTISM.

T6CGlNGs u new Clu1 dSlCAS dLu q " |
raised to higher level, says the
Cleveland universe"
We cannot think too highly or say
too much of the immense dignity and
the great inheritance bestowed on us
by baptism. The non-baptized and
the baptized are not on the same
plane, hence are not free to marry and
cannot actually marry without a dis
pensation.
Sanctifying grace is infused into,
the soul by baptism and by it the guilt
and stain of original sin and every
stain of actual sin which may have
been incurred are washed away. The
sin of Adam descended upon us that
we were born as all children are, de-
prived of original justice. We are not
only deprived of our birthright by
original sin, but were weighed down
by great burden of weakness and
misery. The effects of original sin are
weakness in our will, a darkness
in our understanding and a strong
inclination to evil The object of
baptism is to remedy these misfor-
tunes. Being "born again of water
and the Holy Ghost" our birthright is
restored to us in supernatural way
by baptism.
Baptism is the one sacrament of
absolute necessity. The other sacra-
ments are necessary in certain cases
and to provide for certain wants, but
baptism is essential to enter into the
Kingdom of God and to become a par
taker with Christ. He that believeth
and is baptized, shall be saved; but
he that believeth not, shall be CON
demned." est. Mark XVI, 16.)
Baptism should be administered
without the least unnecessary delay
unless a man be born again of water
and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of Cod (St. John
III, 3D. Hence it is a sin to delay too
long the baptism of children. St.
Liguori considers that delay of over
two weeks entails a mortal sin. Such
delay endangers the loss of a price
less boom
When baptism has been admins
tered validity, it cannot be repeated.
But if there be good grounds to doubt
that it was properly bestowed, it
should be given conditionally. Too
much depends on this sacrament to
accept mere probability that it was
validity bestowed.
To administer. the sacrament prop
erly the matter and form" the
water and the words, must be united,
and the person baptizing must have
at least implicitly the intention of
doing what the Church wishes him to
do. Fearing that something of these
conditions may have been wanting in
their baptism, converts to the Church
are baptized conditionally.
But baptism of water may be sup
piled by the baptism of blood and of
desire. There have been instances,
and many of them, where persons
have made profession of faith and
have as consequence been mar
tyred before they could receive the
sacrament of baptism. The exceeding
love of God which induced them to
| lay down their lives in martyrdom
supplied the place of the baptism of
water.
There are persons who turn to God
and make acts of love and sorrow for
sin and have a great desire for bap-
tism who may die, may be ship
wrecked, for instance. In such cases,
the want of the sacrament is supplied
by the great desire to receive it.
1t may, however, be we'll to remark,
that the baptism of blood and of de-
sire are not sacraments and do not
give the mark or character which
| baptism implies, but they are extra
ordinary means to supply the want of
baptism.
There is but one baptism. This is
st. Paul in Ephesians w, 4: lone
body and one spirit as you are called
in one hope of your calling, one Lord
one faith, one baptism" Hence all
who are truly baptized are made there
by members of the same Church OF
Christ. 1t does not matter when OF
by whom the sacrament may have
been administered. No matter who
baptizes he is only an instrument
acting for our Lord, who "baptizes
with the Holy Ghost" Est. Mark /, 81
st. Augustine says in reference tic
. this: Let Peter baptize, He it is who
baptizes. Let Paul baptfze, He it is
who baptizes. Let Judas baptize, He
it is who baptizes. THE Church OF
one baptism is but the true Church
of Christ-the Catholic Church. Every
child baptized, no matter by whom OF
where, is member of the Catholic
i Church and remains member of that
Church until by some act of his own
4 he separates himself from the com
munion of that Church.
i In case of necessity any one may
baptize and should A child so bap
tized receives a private baptism
Should the child recover, he must be
taken to the church that the solemn
! form by which the child is dedicated
to God and the usual blessings may be
i properly administered
4 The holy oils used in baptism are
the oil of catechumens and the holy
chrism. The chrism is the oil used
to consecrate the chaIices, the altar
stones and anything that is specially
consecrated to God.
Prayers and symbolical actions are
used in administering baptism. By
the exorcisms the devil is commanded
Ia I. ~