📖Overview

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church, and are made sharers in her mission. Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water and the Word. The essential rite of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water or pouring water on his head, while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." The effects of Baptism are manifold: the forgiveness of all sins (original and personal), birth into the new life of grace making the person an adoptive child of the Father, a member of Christ, a temple of the Holy Spirit, and incorporation into the Church, the Body of Christ. Baptism imprints an indelible spiritual mark (character) on the soul, which consecrates the baptized person for Christian worship. This character cannot be removed, and Baptism cannot be repeated. The ordinary ministers of Baptism are bishops, priests, and deacons, but in case of necessity, any person, even a non-baptized person, can baptize provided they have the required intention and use the Trinitarian formula. Infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church.

💡Key Points