Grace Thompson
Emergency baptism is a practice that has been observed since early Christianity. It is a baptism administered to a person in immediate danger of death, often a newborn infant. In the Catholic Church, a priest is the ordinary minister of baptism, but in an emergency, a layperson may perform the baptism if a member of the clergy is unavailable. The layperson must later inform the minister who would have been responsible for the ceremony. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that in case of necessity, anyone, even a non-baptized person, with the required intention, can baptize by using the Trinitarian baptismal formula. The steps for administering an emergency baptism involve pouring water three times over the candidate's head or daubing their forehead with water three times, while saying, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If the person recovers, a public celebration of the Sacrament is held, and the person is anointed with chrism.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can administer emergency baptism? | Parish priest, deacon, another cleric, a member of an institute of consecrated life, any other Christian faithful, a layperson, a doctor or nurse, a parent, or a midwife. |
| When can a layperson administer emergency baptism? | When a priest or deacon is unavailable or cannot be found in time. |
| What should be done after administering emergency baptism? | If the person recovers, they should present themselves to the nearest parish and explain their situation. |
| What should be said during the baptism? | "Name, I baptize you in the name of the Father (pour water or immerse), and of the Son (pour water or immerse a second time), and of the Holy Spirit (a third time)." |
| What type of water should be used? | Any water, it does not need to be holy water. |
| What should be done if there is doubt about a previous baptism? | Pour the water three times, use the candidate's name and say, "If you are not already baptized, I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." |
| When is emergency baptism appropriate? | When a person is in immediate danger of death and requests baptism. |
| What is the priority in an emergency situation? | Summoning professional medical help and administering first aid. |
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What You'll Learn
Who can administer emergency baptism
In the Catholic Church, the ordinary minister of baptism is a bishop, priest, or deacon. In normal circumstances, only the parish priest of the person being baptised or someone authorised by the parish priest may perform the baptism. However, in an emergency, when a person is in "imminent danger of death", and no priest or deacon is available, a common layperson can conduct an emergency baptism. This is permitted by the Rite of Baptism, which states that:
> In imminent danger of death and especially at the moment of death, when no priest or deacon is available, any member of the faithful, indeed anyone with the right intention, may and sometimes must administer baptism.
The layperson must have the intention to do what the Church does when baptising. It is also preferable to have one or two witnesses to the baptism. After the baptism, the minister of the baptism must inform the priest of the appropriate parish, so that the baptism can be recorded. If the person who received the emergency baptism recovers, they should present themselves to the church for a proper baptismal ceremony.
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What to say during the baptism
In the Catholic Church, only ordained ministers are permitted to perform a baptism. However, in emergency situations, a layperson may step in and perform the baptism if a priest or deacon is unavailable or cannot be reached in time. It is important to note that the person being baptised must request it, and it should not be performed if they are unconscious, unless they are dying and their caregiver requests it.
During the emergency baptism, the following words should be said:
> [Name], I baptise you in the name of the Father (pour water), and of the Son (pour water a second time), and of the Holy Spirit (pour water a third time).
If there is any doubt about a previous baptism, you can say:
> [Name], if you are not already baptised, I baptise you in the name of the Father (pour water), and of the Son (pour water a second time), and of the Holy Spirit (pour water a third time).
If the person being baptised recovers, the baptism should be recognised at a public celebration of the Sacrament, with a bishop or priest presiding. The person being baptised, along with their sponsors or godparents, should take part in everything except the administration of the water.
It is important to note that the validity of a baptism performed by a layperson may be questioned, and a priest may be asked to perform a conditional baptism afterwards.
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What to do if the person recovers
If the person who received an emergency baptism recovers, they should present themselves to the nearest parish or church. There, they should explain their situation so that they can be fully welcomed into the Catholic Church. This is also an opportunity for everyone involved to learn the symbolism of the Sacrament of Baptism. This includes the reception of the child, the symbol of water, the prayer of exorcism, the oil of catechumens, the oil of chrism, the white garment, and the candle.
The person who received the emergency baptism should take part in a public celebration of the Sacrament with a bishop or priest presiding. They should be joined by their sponsors or godparents, but they should not take part in the administration of the water. This is because a person cannot be baptised twice. If the person who has recovered is an infant, a name can be provided for the ceremony, but it is not necessary.
In the case of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, the 1979 Book of Common Prayer states that "Holy Baptism is especially appropriate at the Easter Vigil, on the day of Pentecost, on All Saints' Day or the Sunday after All Saints' day, and on the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord."
For Methodists and some High Church Protestant denominations, the ordinary minister of baptism is a duly ordained or appointed minister of religion.
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When to perform an emergency baptism
An emergency baptism is typically performed when a person is in immediate danger of death. This can be a person of any age, but is often used in reference to newborn infants. In the case of an infant baptism, the parents must request it be performed. If a name cannot be provided, the baptism can be performed without using one.
In the Catholic Church, a priest is the ordinary minister of baptism, but in an emergency, anyone can perform the baptism, even a non-Christian. This is supported by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states that "in case of necessity, anyone, even a non-baptised person, with the required intention, can baptize, by using the Trinitarian baptismal formula". The intention required is to will to do what the Church does when it baptizes. If a member of the clergy is available, however, a layperson should not take it upon themselves to perform the baptism.
If the person who received the emergency baptism recovers, the baptism should be recognized at a public celebration of the Sacrament, with a bishop or priest presiding. The person who was baptized, along with their sponsors or godparents, takes part in everything except the administration of the water. The person should then be fully welcomed into the Catholic Church.
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What to do if a priest is unavailable
In the Catholic Church, if a priest or deacon is unavailable, a layperson can administer an emergency baptism. This type of baptism should only be administered in an emergency situation, such as when a person is in danger of death. In such cases, any baptised person may perform the baptism, even a non-Christian, as long as they have the required intention to do what the Church does when she baptizes. The person who baptises should pour water three times over the candidate's head or immerse them in water three times while simultaneously pronouncing the baptismal formula: "I baptise you in the name of the Father (the minister pours water or immerses the first time), and of the Son (the minister pours water or immerses a second time), and of the Holy Spirit (the minister pours water or immerses a third time)".
If the person who received the emergency baptism recovers, they should present themselves to the nearest parish and explain their situation so that they can be fully welcomed into the Catholic Church. The priest will perform additional rites surrounding the sacrament of baptism, as it is not possible to be baptised twice.
In the case of infant baptism, the parents must request it to be performed. If a name cannot be provided, the baptism can still go ahead. If the baptised infant survives, they should present themselves to the church for a proper baptismal ceremony, where they will be anointed with chrism, specifically consecrated by the bishop, after receiving the blessing.
If you are in a hospital, there may be a Catholic priest associated with the hospital, such as a chaplain, or a priest in a nearby parish. It is recommended to discuss this with your pastor, who can advise on the next steps.
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