Entering the Church Through Baptism
There are special liturgies and preparations for adults who convert and are baptized in the Catholic faith (see Chapter 18). However, the majority of Catholics are baptized as infants, a tradition that dates back to the early days of the Church. Since Baptism washes away sin, and the Church taught that it was necessary for salvation, both parents and Church ministers were reluctant to wait for children to grow up. On the positive side, there seemed no reason to wait to give the baby the gift of purity and grace. Thus the practice of infant baptism took hold.
Catholic parents today make the decision to have the baby baptized a few days after birth. They choose a name or names for the child. It's customary to give the child a first or middle name that belongs to a saint, with the hope that the child will be under the saint's protection and will grow up to emulate the saint's virtues.
Godparents have an important role. For every infant who is baptized, the parents choose godparents, who must be Catholic. The understanding is that godparents are there to help the parents in acting as spiritual guides and as role models. They are also expected to make sure the child gets a Christian education if the parents are lax about it.
Babies are too young to have faith because they lack perception. However, the Church teaches that they can receive grace because the sacrament works
Baptism is usually a day of celebration for the infant's family. Extended family and friends gather for the ceremony, which is usually held in conjunction with Mass. First the priest pronounces prayers of exorcism over the baby. Then he anoints the child with the oil of the catechumens. Next, on the baby's behalf, the parents and godparents renounce Satan and all his pomp and works (the sins and vanities of the world). Then, the adults say the Creed, pronouncing their own faith and faith on behalf of the infant, whom they promise to raise in the Church.
Next, the priest carries out the actual baptism by pouring water over the head of the infant and saying, “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Through the pouring of the water the infant is reborn again with and in Christ.
The final actions include the anointing with chrism (the sign of Christianity, in which the anointed shares in the essential powers of Christ) and adornment in a snowy white garment (a symbol of purity of the infant's soul, full of grace and free from sin). Finally, the priest passes a lit candle to the godparent and says a prayer that the newly baptized may be faithful to Christ unto his last day.
Initiates into religious groups typically wear white clothing; the baptized child is being initiated into the Catholic faith. Also, the white garment identifies each baptized infant with the shining garment in which Christ appeared during the Transfiguration.
