Tag Archives: baptism

Why is This Method of Baptizing Illicit?

Q: I have recently discovered that my Presbyterian baptism was invalid (improper matter—baptizing with no flowing water).  No investigation was done at the time of my conversion [to Catholicism], only a request for a baptismal certificate and so it was … Continue reading

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Can a Lapsed Catholic Be a Godparent?

Q1: Is it written anywhere, or in any authoritative text from the Holy See (or Bishops Conference), that being in an irregular marriage bars one from being a godparent?  The canon seems vague.  One could argue that living in a … Continue reading

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What Happens if Catholic Parents Have Their Child Baptized in a Non-Catholic Church?

Q:  My sister-in-law recently baptized her youngest daughter in a Presbyterian church.  She is Catholic, her husband is non-denominational, and he is uneasy with the Catholic Church although they were married in a Catholic ceremony. My father-in-law insists “a baptism … Continue reading

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When Can Catholic Soldiers Receive Sacraments from Non-Catholic Chaplains?

Q: I am [in the U.S. armed forces] and we were discussing the fact that military chaplains come in all denominations.  Can a Jewish, Muslim, or Sikh chaplain baptize someone a Catholic? Can a Jewish, Muslim, or Sikh chaplain give … Continue reading

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Canon Law and Marriage Records

Q: My wife and I have been married for eight years.  We were married in her parish church at that time, but we now live in the same parish where my family lived when I was born, and where I … Continue reading

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