A Catholic priest resigned after getting one word wrong at thousands of baptisms. What's the big deal?
Rev. Andres Arango, a Roman Catholic priest, resigned from his Arizona parish at the beginning of February after it was discovered that he had incorrectly performed thousands of baptisms, using the phrase "we baptize" instead of "I baptize," The New York Times reports.
The consequences don't stop with Arango's resignation. If any children he baptized become priests, they will have to be re-baptized and re-ordained. And since those priests were never truly ordained, they never had the authority to celebrate the Eucharist, forgive sins, or perform confirmations.
That exact situation arose in 2020 when a priest discovered he had been baptized with the same improper phrasing, according to Religion News Service.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This may sound like legalistic quibbling, but the Vatican insists it makes a difference. According to a document approved by Pope Francis, the use of "we" implies that the community of worshippers is doing the baptizing, when actually there is no "we" with that authority. Church teaching holds that when a person baptizes, "it is really Christ Himself" — working through that person — "who baptizes."
Laypeople, non-Catholics, and even non-Christians can perform valid baptisms if they follow the proper formula. The only essential elements are intent to baptize, water, and the words "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
It is also important to note that the Catechism of the Catholic Church says God is "is not bound by his sacraments." It would not be unreasonable for a Catholic to assume that God might look into the heart of someone improperly baptized or given Communion by an invalidly ordained priest and honor that person's desire to receive those sacraments.
But this is not an assumption the Church is free to make. God might not be bound by the sacraments, but the Church is. To paraphrase John Goodman's character in The Big Lebowski, this is not evangelicalism; there are rules.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Senegal's Bassirou Diomaye Faye: from prison to Africa's youngest elected leader
Why everyone's talking about The 44-year-old has resonated with young people by promising to shake up the establishment and enact economic reforms
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
How social media is limiting political content
The Explainer Critics say Meta's 'extraordinary move' to have less politics in users' feeds could be 'actively muzzling civic action'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'Unthinkable tragedy'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
The potential consequences of Pope Francis' call for a ban on surrogacy
Talking Point Francis called the practice 'despicable' and a 'commercialization' of pregnancy
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The Vatican's same-sex blessing approval: What is Pope Francis doing?
Today's Big Question The pope rocked the Catholic world by giving the green light to blessing same-sex couples, with plenty of caveats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Vatican half-embraces transgender Catholic godparents, wedding witnesses
Under the Radar Pope Francis signed off on a series of clarifications about the roles LGBTQ Catholics can play in the church, with ample theological fine print
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Pope, the ‘false prophet’, and the battle for Argentina
feature Opinion has been split on whether the pontiff's intervention into politics in his home nation is appropriate
By Rebekah Evans Published
-
The United Methodist Church has lost 20% of U.S. congregations in schism over LGBTQ rules
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Pope Francis investigates Texas bishop, accepts early resignation of embattled Tennessee prelate
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Southern Baptists expel Saddleback, 2nd church over female pastors, approve further clampdown
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Thousands flock to Missouri to see body of nun who died in 2019
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published