In the last month, two prominent cases were brought to light in which a man, who became a ‘priest,’ had not even been baptized. Thus, without baptism, neither of those individuals had received any of the other sacraments validly, including ordination.
The very real pain for them is exacerbated by all the individuals who received ‘sacraments’ at their hands, for those sacraments too are invalid (except Baptism, if done properly). Penance, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Anointing of the sick or dying, marriage and ordination to both the diaconate and priesthood, are all invalid when received from a ‘priest’ who is not baptized. One priest expressed his own grief that he had given the Last Rites to his grandmother, invalidly.
For more details of the reasons and conclusions in these young men’s cases, see the two links:
https://www.ucanews.com/news/unbaptised-us-catholic-priest-ordained-again/89254
The recent problem
What is more important, it would seem, is to realize it is highly unlikely that these are the only two men who have had this experience, and for the sake of the souls of others, for the sake of justice, the painful realization is essential to bring forward so that it can be corrected, as soon as possible. In one of the cases, the local diocese had explored the situation and decided that reconsecration to the priesthood was not necessary, only to find that the Vatican has a different opinion. There may be cases with a flawed assessment of the need for re-baptism, or of the obligation to receive the other sacraments leading to the priesthood.
Pope Benedict decided
I believe it was soon after Pope Benedict was elected that a situation was brought before him regarding changing part of the prayer said by the priest or deacon at baptism. The case I remember was clearly driven by feminist ego, nibbling around the edges of coveting the male priesthood. The words were different from the two cases mentioned above; it was basically a renunciation first of all of God’s presenting Himself as the male Father, and Jesus as male Son, and the Holy Spirit to whom the bible refers in the male gender. Hence, the revised words presented and being used I was told already, at that time in some Protestant churches, were: “I baptize you in the name of the Creator, the Savior, and the Sanctifier.” Absolutely not, ruled Pope Benedict, saying that any baptism using that formula was invalid and would have to be repeated. Speculations abounded at that time: “Suppose the boy became a priest?” and here we are today.
Reasons for problems
For the sake of souls, I hope anyone, especially priests, with the slightest doubt, will quietly launch an investigation and do whatever is needed, no matter how late it is, no matter how many years have gone by, no matter how great the personal cost. For they haven’t done anything wrong, just been victimized by the smoke of Satan entering the Church, unless guilty of keeping the secret. Before Vatican II, which may not be a clear cut-off, some priests who grew up as Protestants were ‘automatically’ baptized before priestly ordination, usually I think before entering the seminary. But some of the sloppy thinking toward ecumenism that arose post Vatican II can explain a lot of reason for errors. So too can militant feminism, and the desire to change words for the sake of ego. “We wrote our own vows” is one example, cherry-picking and splicing readings and ‘designing’ liturgies are others! The constant rewriting of scripture even within the Church (thinking about the papal changes recently in Italy to the Our Father and Gloria) sometimes happens in order to create more differentiation for the sake of a copyright.
Taking matters into one’s own hands
There is another issue which few people discuss but seems more common than once suspected. I have been told of several situations in which Catholics who want their grandchildren to be baptized take care of the matter with the babies at their own kitchen sink when the parents are away. When the correct words and formula are used, it seems to be a valid baptism which can’t be undone unless being against the parents’ will it might be seen as ‘forced’ against the child’s will. Where this has already been done, those involved should seek out a thoughtful priestly opinion. While it is really an offense against the parents, the children will need to know at some point, maybe through a codicil in the grandparents’ will or a private letter in case they grow up and decide to become Catholic and unknowingly seek a second baptism at some point, and then realize they will have to confess all past sins, rather than have a baptismal cleansing.
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