Letters

Church teaching on baptism

C.V. Phillips

Contents - Oct 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The way ahead for the education of Catholics - Michael Gilchrist Generation Y: New survey confirms low belief and practice levels of young Catholics - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around The World Spanish bishops attack false theologies - AD2000 Report Benedict XVI interviewed by German journalists Educating young Catholics: a bold initiative in Wagga Wagga - Michael Gilchrist University: Campion College: a pioneer in Australian higher education - Stephen McInerny Modernism's 'second wave' continues to impact on the Church - Fr Martin Durham Letters: Missal translation - Philip Holberton Letters: Counter Reformation - Alan Barron Letters: Early baptism - Frances McEniery Letters: Pessimistic view - Francis Vrijmoed Letters: Church teaching on baptism - C.V. Phillips Letters: Accuracy needed - Tony Sheehan Letters: Intelligent Design - Michael Griffiths Letters: Evolution hoax - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Abortion and health insurance discounts - Robert Bom Letters: Homosexuality - Daphne Preston Books: ARMS OF LOVE by Carmen Marcoux - Jacinta Cummins (reviewer) Books: Towards A People's Liturgy: The Importance of Language, by Mark Twinham Elvins - Michael E. Daniel (reviewer) Book Launch: Lost! Australian Catholics Today, by Michael Gilchrist Books: Order AD2000 books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Philosophy and theology: avoiding the pitfall of human pride - Fr John O'Neill

Mark Moriarty attacks John Young quite vehemently (September AD2000) for being "callous" in his article on infant baptism.

I, too, read John's article, and found nothing offensive. Challenging, yes! Offensive? No. It was simply presenting information regarding the importance of having children baptised as early as possible.

How was Mr Young to assure parents who have lost children before birth and baptism (as I have, incidentally), that their children are in heaven, when the Church does not teach that?

In Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine, by Archbishop Michael Sheehan, the author states: "The Roman Catechism teaches that it is sinful to delay Baptism unnecessarily, 'since infant children have no other means of salvation except Baptism".

And further: "The Instruction on Infant Baptism says, 'The Church has thus shown by her teaching and practice that she knows no other way apart from Baptism for ensuring children's entry into eternal happiness".

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says only that we are permitted to hope that there may be a way of salvation for such children.

In other words, if there is another way for these little ones to reach heaven, then God has not revealed it. Parents grieving the loss of a child this way should be assured that their child is definitely happy, but not be lied to with assurances that the Church is unable to give, at least at this point in time.

C.V. PHILLIPS (MRS)
Burswood, WA

(Editor: We have received a flood of letters in response to John Young's article. It is not possible to publish all of them.)

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 9 (October 2006), p. 15