• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Pope Francis baptizes a baby in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Jan. 12, 2020. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Question Corner: Can my son be baptized?

December 4, 2024
By Jenna Marie Cooper
OSV News
Filed Under: Commentary, Question Corner, Worship & Sacraments

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Q: I’m a new mother in the middle of a messy divorce. I admit that I have never been a very good Catholic, but I still want my baby baptized in the hope that he will have a better relationship with God than I’ve had. My ex-husband and I share custody, and in many ways he is a good parent, but he was raised in a very secular household and is basically an atheist. Can my son still be baptized? Or will the priest take one look at my situation and decide we don’t qualify?

A: First of all, I’m sorry that you are going through such difficult life circumstances. But the good news is that there is nothing in the church’s law which would prevent your child from being baptized.

The Code of Canon Law clearly states the requirements for infant baptism — and know that in the church’s law, an “infant” is any child under seven years of age, so all this could apply even to a child who is older than what we would colloquially consider a baby.

As we read in Canon 868, 1 of the Code: For an infant to be baptized lawfully it is required: “1. that the parents, or at least one of them, or the person who lawfully holds their place [such as the permanent legal guardian of an orphan] give their consent; 2. there must be a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic religion.”

Regarding the first requirement, while in a perfect world both parents of an infant would enthusiastically request the baptism of their child, at the end of the day all that is needed is for one parent to merely consent to their child’s baptism.

If you as your child’s mother are actively requesting baptism, you have already fulfilled this prerequisite; you do not need the permission or involvement of your child’s father. But it is still theoretically possible that an infant could be licitly baptized Catholic even if neither parent particularly cared about this one way or the other. For example, a baby could be baptized at their grandparent’s request as long as at least one parent gave their permission for this.

By the same token, although it is to be hoped that the child’s parents will be fervently practicing the Catholic faith, this goes way beyond the stated minimum requirement of one parent providing simple consent.

Looking at the second requirement, having a “founded hope” that the child will be raised Catholic is also a fairly low bar to clear. That is, the baptizing priest or deacon does not need proof, moral certainty, or even rock-solid assurances that the child will have a Catholic upbringing. There only has to be a reasonable hope that this will happen. And such a hope would seem to be present in cases where a parent is making the effort to seek out baptism for their child. Even in instances where this hope is judged to be, as the canon puts it, “altogether lacking,” the law speaks of delaying rather than denying baptism.

It’s also good to keep in mind that if a child is in danger of death, “all bets are off” so to speak. That is, canon law stipulates that an infant child in immediate danger of dying should be baptized immediately, with or without the permission of the parents (see Canon 868, 2). And in danger of death, “any person who has the requisite intention” can validly and licitly baptize, regardless of whether they are ordained priest clergy or even Catholic (Canon 861, 2).

Sometimes Catholics are surprised that the requirements for infant baptism are so minimal and seemingly “easy.” But in a beautiful way, the church’s law in this area echoes the words of Jesus himself: “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Mt 19:14).

Read More Question Corner

Question Corner: Do I need to attend my territorial parish?

Question Corner: Is the parish administrator the same thing as a pastor?

Question Corner: Are Jewish marriages valid to the Catholic Church?

Question Corner: When is it appropriate to say the St. Michael Prayer following the Mass?

Question Corner: Are the Gospels made up, nonhistorical accounts?

Question Corner: Does a married person need their marriage blessed or ‘convalidated’ once they become Catholic?

Copyright © 2024 OSV News

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Jenna Marie Cooper

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Cupcakes with 2025 graduation toothpicks in them and a bowl of cookies

Our 31-hour Road Trip

St. Paul and discovering that sin is ‘missing the mark’

Six lit candles on a chocolate birthday cake

Making a birthday wish come true

Pilgrims of Hope: Walking the Way of St. Francis in the Year of Jubilee

The fisherman and the pharisee

| Recent Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit
  • Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war
  • Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass
  • Movie Review: Sorry, Baby
  • ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release
  • Come away and rest awhile
  • French woman hopes sharing mystical encounter with Minnesota Benedictine helps sainthood cause
  • Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine
  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en