Q: I had a question about baptism. Can two unbaptized non-Catholics have their child baptized in the Catholic faith?  

This is the case of my neighbors who want to send their children (ages 5 and 1) to our local Catholic school and are hoping to start RCIA next fall. I told them to talk with the pastor there about it. But as I understand it, if they are committed to joining RCIA and sending their child to a Catholic school, that’s a pretty well-founded hope that the child will be raised in the faith. That said, it’s up to the pastor to discern that. 

However, if it is allowed, then I’m not sure what the ritual would look like. Would the Godparents play a more important role? Does the ritual make provisions for this? Can the parents participate in the profession of faith and the renunciation of sin?  

I found a couple of answers on your blog, but nothing directly linked to the liturgy.

Thanks for sharing your expertise. 

==

A: I’d quote the same canon I cited on the question of baptizing a child adopted by same-sex parents, Canon 868 §1. 2, which says that for a baptism to take place “there must be a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic religion; if such hope is altogether lacking, the baptism is to be delayed according to the prescripts of particular law after the parents have been advised about the reason.

The situation you describe could potentially qualify for a baptism. If I were the pastor, I’d probably advise waiting until the parents were accepted into the order of catechumens. At that point they have some canonical privileges such as getting married in the church or—God forbid—have a Catholic funeral. That ceremony can be conducted at any time, even after a few conversations that may then convince that the individuals are intending to learn more about Christ and the Church.

As far as I know, there is no rule against baptizing this child, even if the parents are not even catechumens, but the pastor would have to weigh this case quite carefully.

Regarding the rite, the closest part that addresses this situation is in the Introduction, paragraph 5, section 4, which allows a non-Catholic parent to remain silent for the profession of faith.

In this case, though, both parents believe. The only difficulty is that the celebrant’s introduction to the renunciation of sin and profession of faith asks the parents and godparents to make these declarations “mindful of your own baptism” (e.g. 93). Although the celebrant does not have the option of “these or similar words” here, he would logically make an adjustment. Some unbaptized people present at the Liturgy of the Eucharist of a typical Sunday Mass may wholeheartedly profess the creed with the rest of the assembly; this is effectively no different.

It makes a little more sense for the godparent to light the candle than for the parent to do this, but that often happens anyway.

The part of this situation that raises an eyebrow is the parents’ desire to send the children to a Catholic school. Are the parents doing all of this primarily for school choice, or for their own personal faith? That will require careful pastoral assessment.