Baptism by Immersion
Baptism is the sacrament of spiritual rebirth. Through the symbolic action of washing with water and the use of appropriate ritual words, the baptized person is cleansed of all his sins and incorporated into Christ He becomes a member of the Mystical Body and receives the graces of the supernatural life. The sacrament […]
Baptism and Regeneration
Baptism is that Sacrament in which a person being washed with water in the name of the Three Divine Persons is spiritually re-born. Baptism confers the grace of justification, and effects the remission of all punishment of sin, both the eternal and the temporal, Mt. 3:11 – “I baptize you with water for repentance, but […]
Many Protestant denominations insist that baptism be done by full immersion, yet Catholics just poor water on the head. Why the difference?
Victor R. Claveau. MJ Answer: Baptism is the sacrament of spiritual rebirth. Through the symbolic action of washing with water and the use of appropriate ritual words, the baptized person is cleansed of all his sins and incorporated into Christ. He becomes a member of the Mystical Body and receives the graces of the supernatural […]
Infant Baptism
Victor R. Claveau, MJ While among all the persons that are recorded as being baptized by the Apostles, there is no explicit scriptural evidence that any infant was baptized. On the other hand, there is equally no evidence to suggest that the baptism of a Christian child was delayed until that person was grown, nor […]
Commentaries of the Fathers of the Church on John 3:5
Born of Water and Spirit. St. John Chrysostom. “If anyone asks, how is someone born of water, I ask in return, how is someone born from the earth? How was the clay separated into different parts? How were all different kinds of things, like bones, sinews, arteries, veins, and so on made from one kind […]
Epistle 58. To Fidus, on the Baptism of Infants.
Argument. — In This Letter Cyprian is Not Establishing Any New Decree; But Keeping Most Firmly the Faith of the Church, for the Correction of Those Who Thought that an Infant Must Not Be Baptized Before the Eighth Day After Its Birth, He Decreed with Some of His Fellow-Bishops, that as Soon as It […]
Baptism–Its Necessity–Its Effects–Manner of Baptizing
Victor R. Claveau, MJ The grace of God is that supernatural assistance which He imparts to us, through the merits of Jesus Christ, for our salvation. It is called supernatural, because no one by his own natural ability can acquire it. Without Divine grace we can neither conceive nor accomplish anything for the sanctification of our […]
Baptismal Vows
JOSEPH F. DELANY The name popularly given to the renunciations required of an adult candidate for baptism just before the sacrament is conferred. In the case of infant baptism, they are made in the name of the child by the sponsors. It is obvious that these promises have not the theological import of vows properly […]
Baptism – By which we are Born into the New Life in Christ.
The fruits of this sacrament are: Remission of original sin. Birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ, and a temple of the Holy Spirit. Incorporation into the Church, the body of Christ, and participation in the priesthood of Christ. The imprinting, on the […]
Baptismal Regeneration
Victor R. Claveau, MJ For the Protestant fundamentalist being “born anew” means to be “born again.” The term “born again” has come to mean the making of a verbal declaration accepting Jesus as “personal Lord and Savior.” In order to be “born again” one must have a change of heart, a change of conscience. It’s […]