There is no age limit on entering the kingdom, and no age limit for being eligible for baptism. . Contact your pastor or other church staff for more information about the preparation and timing for confirmation in your congregation. While the baptism of infants is appropriate for Christian families, the increasingly minority status of the Church in contemporary society demands more attention to evangelizing, nurturing, and baptizing adult converts. By the mid-third century, there was controversy about infant baptism. Perhaps the important thing is recognition on everyone's part that salvation and baptismal living is a lifelong process. Just as parents are solemnly warned to take baptism for infants seriously, those who administer the sacraments also should be reminded that the. allow[s] us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without baptism,” it also points out that “all the more urgent is the Church’s call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy baptism” (CCC 1261). Adult baptism is the norm when the Church is in a missionary situation, reaching out to persons in a culture which is indifferent or hostile to the faith. What if a youth or adult has not been baptized? The Code of Canon Law gives a time frame for when newborns ought to be baptized: Parents are obliged to see that their infants are baptized within the first few weeks. In a culture that is increasingly unfamiliar with Christian experience and practice, the church needs to be ready to befriend, counsel, and encourage adults to become disciples and to be baptized. Today, of course, non-Catholic adults continue to ask to join the Church, and all them have to be instructed in the Catholic faith before their baptism . Since all of us, of whatever age, are on a journey and are beginners, baptism is the ritual beginning of life in Christ and is entry into the church. Christ Calls All to Baptism. It is expected that the child will be enrolled in the parish's Religious Education program or attending Catholic school. The Council of Trent in 1565 stated the “age of reason” as right for Confirmation. That said, the Church’s law on age limits for ordination doesn’t directly address John’s question. Or in the ninth grade? c. 206 , CCC 1247-1248 ). In one way, I feel it’s important to have the child baptized right away, even a small, private baptism by a priest in the hospital soon after it’s born…Yet in another way, I feel it’s nice to do it when the child is old enough to somewhat understand what is going on. Although canon law doesn’t specifically define a time frame beyond “a few weeks,” it seems reasonable to conclude that if the time stretches beyond seven weeks then we start counting the baby’s age in months. I have personally seen a disturbing pattern in many Catholic Hispanic communities, where children are routinely baptized when they are apparently two or three years old, if not older! What if a youth or adult has not been baptized? No one agreed to the course which you thought should be taken. Or at twenty-one? A. Yes, the unbaptized can share in the same experiences. Or in the ninth grade? In. To find out more about this dimension of congregational life, click here. . I was thinking of the fall, but that is cutting it short. , infant baptism should be one of the first things they plan for after the baby’s birth—and that means preparing for baptism, If parents know their obligation but are being thwarted by parish employees in scheduling the sacrament for their newborn, they should persevere, perhaps by calling their diocese for assistance in finding a priest or deacon willing to work with them. Wonderfully Made and Difficult Conversations. The Sacrament of Baptism is often called "The door of the Church," because it is the first of the seven sacraments not only in time (since most Catholics receive it as infants) but in priority since the reception of the other sacraments depends on it. Families seeking baptism for an infant or child, or youth or adults seeking baptism should contact the pastor for consideration of and preparation for baptism. Infant baptism has been practiced by the Catholic Church from the very beginning. There is no age limit, but infants are generally baptized before the age of 7. If a child is born to believing parents, then baptism is clearly indicated. Matt 19:14 – Jesus clearly says the kingdom of heaven also belongs to children. So how does confirmation relate to the question of age? Can he or she be part of the "confirmation preparation"? Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B - Lectionary Planning Notes, Follow Me! Godparents need to be active, practicing and fully initiated Catholics at least 16 years of age. Dear Catholic Exchange: How old can a person be to qualify as godparent? . . This the second part of Steve’s interview with Phil Meadows who is a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary. The parents will be told that they can only have their child baptized after taking a class—for which they aren’t allowed to register until after the baby is born. By Water and the Spirit illuminates this further: So, confirmation preparation aims at leading youth and others to embrace their vocation — the calling of God to live and witness to the reign of God announced in Jesus Christ. Nashville, TN 37212 We have to take into account the fact we have Catholic converts who are choosing to become Catholic therefore if they have children who are not infants, they may chose to baptize their children at whatever age their children are at the time. Or at twenty-one? Rather, we all judge that the mercy and grace of God ought to be denied to no man born. He sits up on his own in the arms of the woman holding him, which would mean that at the time of the baptism he was much older than a few weeks. Used with permission. . The Council of Trent in 1565 stated the “age of reason” as right for Confirmation. Here are some interesting facts about catholic baptism for you: Facts about Catholic Baptism 1: the age. 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