Feedback. (sounding board).Q. If you were the pastor in this story, what would you have said to the couple? Welcome! I'm so glad you want me to baptize bap·tize v. bap·tized, bap·tiz·ing, bap·tiz·es v.tr. 1. To admit into Christianity by means of baptism. 2. a. To cleanse or purify. b. To initiate. 3. your beautiful baby. If you're not already members of this parish, I hope you'll join us. We'd love to have you. Marie-Therese Poisson Worcester, Mass. I have to agree with the pastor's approach. So many young parents seem to see the sacraments as "scout badges Scout Badges are worn on the uniforms of members of Scouting organisations across the world in order to signify membership and achievements. There is a great variety of badges, not only between the different national Scouting organisations, but within the programme sections, too. " but are unwilling to make a commitment to the community. Mary Anne Biernbaum Egg Harbor Township, N.J. Try to think about growing in your faith as something that you can do as a parent to help your child throughout his life. You will make sure that his physical, medical, and educational needs are met. Don't leave out spiritual needs. M. Hartford San Angelo, Texas I would have invited them in and not spoken policy over the phone. Anne Queenan Bronx, N.Y. Thank you for your love of this child. As we baptize your son, may you both also receive the grace needed to guide your family in the peace and love of Christ. Jay Antaya Ashaway, R.I. Our public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most policy should be more attractive. If the couple felt welcomed, when life's problems hit them--and they will--they will search for God and go to the place they felt most welcome. Bernard Labbe Akron, Ohio I would invite them to a get-together with other parents of children to be baptized bap·tize v. bap·tized, bap·tiz·ing, bap·tiz·es v.tr. 1. To admit into Christianity by means of baptism. 2. a. To cleanse or purify. b. To initiate. 3. . Karen Hawkins Euclid, Ohio It's better to have a lay baptism (Eccl.) baptism administered by a lay person. See also: Lay coordinator handle these inquiries. Daniel Donnelly Murrieta, Calif. Q. When does a priest have legitimate grounds for withholding or delaying Baptism? If parents refuse to even go to preparation classes. Margaret Rooney Crystal Lake, Ill. When parents live in a different parish and are only shopping around for a church that doesn't require registration or classes. Pat McMillin Houston, Texas When the parents are a known scandal in the community. Joseph Marovich Tenafly, N.J. It is reasonable to delay the Baptism until some inroads inroads Noun, pl make inroads into to start affecting or reducing: my gambling has made great inroads into my savings inroads npl to make inroads into [+ can be made; but in the final analysis it is my feeling that withholding Baptism is wrong. Dick Surrusco Roanoke, Va. When parents indicate they are not going to live their faith. Father William Mooney Poway, Calif. When grandparents grandparents npl → abuelos mpl grandparents grand npl → grands-parents mpl grandparents grand npl are forcing the issue. Gail Kenner Frostburg, Md. Q: The most pastoral way I've seen situations like this handled is ... The infant of a nonpracticing, single parent was joyfully welcomed and applauded by our entire community during Sunday liturgy. The parent later became our most enthusiastic parish worker. Helen Bieda Ocean Springs, Miss. By taking time to listen first, then gently inform, invite, and encourage. I find it is often the parents themselves who decide they need to delay the Baptism. Ruth Maier Rochester, N.Y. Our priest asked our daughter and son-in-law the same things. I think it helps to bring people back to church. Gayle Quarles Rosalia, Kan. A deacon deacon: see orders, holy. DEACON - Direct English Access and CONtrol. English-like query system. Sammet 1969, p.668. visited the home of the parents with the godparents godparents npl the godparents → los padrinos godparents npl the godparents → le parrain et la marraine godparents npl present and discussed the great responsibility being imposed upon them. Martha McIntosh Tampa, Fla. At Sunday liturgy once a month, new parishioners sit in the front pews. Each one stands after their name is called and we welcome them to our parish. Margaret O'Laughlin Upper Darby, Pa. A young couple was condemned at one parish for "living in sin." I brought them to my parish priest Parish priest may refer to
Rita Flynn Spokane, Wash. The priest in a loving way communicated the serious nature of Baptism and the parents' responsibility in raising the child in the faith community. I was not listening very well when I was a young parent and failed. Oh, for a second chance! Dan Lohmeier Omaha, Neb. Q: The least pastoral way I've seen situations like this handled is ... A pastor in North Texas refused to baptize a child born out of wedlock wed·lock n. The state of being married; matrimony. Idiom: out of wedlock Of parents not legally married to each other: born out of wedlock. . This was the grandchild of a regular parishioner. Dennis Novak Fort Worth, Texas Twenty-two years ago a deacon told me "no." My daughters were subsequently baptized in the Lutheran church. Name withheld Bartlett, Ill. The priest refused the sacrament and then wrote a derogatory de·rog·a·to·ry adj. 1. Disparaging; belittling: a derogatory comment. 2. Tending to detract or diminish. letter to the neighboring neigh·bor n. 1. One who lives near or next to another. 2. A person, place, or thing adjacent to or located near another. 3. A fellow human. 4. Used as a form of familiar address. v. parish to try to prevent the Baptism there. Mary L. Scott San Diego, Calif. Bluntly telling an Italian grandmother you will not baptize her grandchild because her daughter doesn't go to church. Clara E. Halvorson Portland, Ore. My godson god·son n. A male godchild. godson Noun a male godchild Noun 1. godson - a male godchild godchild - an infant who is sponsored by an adult (the godparent) at baptism and his Jewish wife encountered insults, criticism, and a list of requirements before Baptism would even be considered. That baby recently made his bar mitzvah Bar Mitzvah (bärmĭts`və) [Aramaic,=son of the Commandment], Jewish ceremony in which the young male is initiated into the religious community, according to tradition at the age of 13 years and a day. because his parents want him to know God. Name withheld Reston, Va. General Comments My second baby was born two weeks ago! My husband does not want our son formally joined to the church given the current scandals and lack of the bishops' commitment to keep our children safe. Colleen Carpenter Cullinan Montevideo, Minn. I have heard of deacons requiring a fee to baptize. I can't imagine why. It is such a privilege and honor to baptize a child. Deacon Clark Goecker Davis, Calif. Children are often the means that bring parents to a deeper spiritual life. It might happen at First Communion The First Communion (First Holy Communion) is a Roman Catholic ceremony. It is the colloquial name for a person's first reception of the sacrament of the Eucharist. Roman Catholics believe this event to be very important, as the Eucharist is one of the central focuses of the Roman , but not if we chased them away. Father Paul Keller, C.M.F. San Antonio, Texas Since religion is often on hospital records, I recommend birth congratulations to all Catholics at local hospitals with an invitation to the faith community. Name withheld Warren, Pa. I would sooner err on the side of compassion than on rules. Deacon Robert Lane Three Forks, Mont. I encourage young parents to consider the work they put into the sacrament of Matrimony MATRIMONY. See Marriage. and relate that into the other sacraments. Hal Leinbach Tustin, Calif. I think we also need to address the underlying question of why these new parents aren't part of the church community. Stephanie Chodera Villa Park, Ill. Initially I'd been pretty adamant about this issue. Then, ironically, I saw the episode of Sex and the City where Miranda's baby was baptized--much to the mother's consternation. The end of the episode saw friends and family surrounding an infant in a beautiful spiritual moment on, of all places, HBO Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) A form of oxygen therapy in which the patient breathes oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Mentioned in: Ozone Therapy . I realized, even if all is not perfect, a Baptism is still always beautiful. Susan Dromey Heeter Dover, N.H. When I was a young priest, I held people to strict scrutiny A standard of Judicial Review for a challenged policy in which the court presumes the policy to be invalid unless the government can demonstrate a compelling interest to justify the policy. . As I age gracefully, I look into each case and the people involved. Name withheld Boston, Mass. Godparents need more advice on how to remain active with their godchildren. Name withheld Topeka, Kan. AND THE SURVEY SAYS ... 1. I believe ifs appropriate for the church to require some level of commitment from parents who wish to have their babies baptized. agree 82% disagree 11% other 7% 2. The baptized child gets special grace from the sacrament whether the parents ever take the child to church or not agree 77% disagree 10% other 13% 3. I agree with the following requirements:
82% Preparation class for
parents.
68% Parish membership
52% Regular Mass
attendance
25% Financial contributions
to the parish
19% No requirements.
7% Other.
4. It's better to risk baptizing infants of nonpracticing Catholics than to risk turning off young families to the Catholic Church. agree 54% disagree 33% other 13% 5. When it comes to baptizing children, parishes should always invite parents to greater participation, but never require it. agree 65% disagree 25% other 11% 6. It does our church no good to have a bunch of baptized people who aren't practicing Catholics; better to have a smaller, more committed church than a large, lukewarm luke·warm adj. 1. Mildly warm; tepid. 2. Lacking conviction or enthusiasm; indifferent: gave only lukewarm support to the incumbent candidate. one. agree 37% disagree 44% other 19% These results are based on survey responses from 256 U.S. CATHOLIC readers and Web site visitors. |
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