Can a dead baby be christened?
What is the situation?A friend of mine had a child who was stillborn.The priest said that he wouldn't baptize the baby because it was only for living.There are stillborn babies who werebaptized.Why has this changed?(Annapolis, Md.)
A.The church's sacraments are meant for living.They want to put us in touch with the power of Christ in our daily lives.The entrance of a person into the faith community of Christians with the intention of putting that faith into action is what is referred to as Baptism.A priest wouldn't think of giving the host to someone who had died or the start of a lifelong effort to live out the Gospel if they did that.
The grieving parents of a stillborn are dealing with such sadness that a priest may find it difficult to deny their requests.If there is any doubt as to whether the moment of death has occurred, pastoral instincts would lead a priest to baptize a newborn.There are other situations where the child has died and need special care.
When a child is stillborn, parents want to know if they are with God.It is helpful to reference the Catechism of the Catholic Church.It is suggested that we can trust that child to God's mercy and that Jesus said, "Let the children come to me."
In the case of a stillborn child, the "Blessing of Parents After a Miscarriage" can be combined with the parents naming the child.
#supportcatholicphilly has a background with top:0, left:0 and border-radius: 15px.Budgets are tight at the moment, and CatholicPhilly's is no different.We want your donation to go a long way toward continuing our mission to inform, form in the Catholic faith and inspire the thousands of readers who visit every month.A $100 gift will allow us to present award-winning photos of Catholic life in our neighborhoods.A gift of $50 will allow us to cover a news event.Solid faith formation resources can be obtained with a $20 gift.You can support us with a small monthly donation.Would you consider giving a gift today?If you would like to join in the church's vital mission of communications, you can give a gift of any amount, a single gift or a monthly donation.The fabric of the Catholic community will be strengthened by your gift.You can make a donation by credit card here.Checks can be made out to CatholicPhilly.com and sent to 222 N. 17th Street Philadelphia, PA 19103
During the current coronaviruses crisis, you can help CatholicPhilly.com deliver the kind of news people need to know about the Catholic Church, especially in the Philadelphia region, and the world in which we live.
Budgets are tight at the moment, and CatholicPhilly's is no different.We want your donation to go a long way toward continuing our mission to inform, form in the Catholic faith and inspire the thousands of readers who visit every month.
If you would like to join in the church's vital mission of communications, you can give a gift of any amount, a single gift or a monthly donation.The fabric of the Catholic community will be strengthened by your gift.