Conditional Baptism: What It Is and When It Is Administered

A conditional baptism is a baptism administered when there is doubt as to whether a person has previously received the sacrament or when the validity of a prior baptism is uncertain. The 1983 Code of Canon Law states:

_{Can. 869 §1. If there is a doubt whether a person has been baptized or whether baptism was conferred validly and the doubt remains after a serious investigation, baptism is to be conferred conditionally.}

_{§2. Those baptized in a non-Catholic ecclesial community must not be baptized conditionally unless, after an examination of the matter and the form of the words used in the conferral of baptism and a consideration of the intention of the baptized adult and the minister of the baptism, a serious reason exists to doubt the validity of the baptism.}

The Church teaches that once baptism has been validly received it cannot be repeated. In other words, one cannot be baptized twice. The reason for this is that “Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark…Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated.” Thus, once a person has been baptized using the proper form of words, matter and intention, the baptism is considered valid and is not to be repeated.

However, there are cases in which there is doubt as to whether an individual has validly received the sacrament of baptism. This may be the case with an abandoned infant or foundling in which according to canon law, such an infant is to be baptized unless after diligent investigation the baptism of the infant is established.

There are also instances where an individual has been baptized invalidly that is, when the person administering the sacrament does not use the proper form, matter, and intention. Such baptisms are considered invalid and consequently, are not recognized by the Church, and individuals baptized in such manner are considered unbaptized.

For Baptism to be conferred validly, the proper matter, form, and intention must be used. The matter is water, which is administered by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling. The form used is the Trinitarian formula. Accordingly, the minister administering baptism says: “N., I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Catechumens are baptized using this prescribed matter and form.

While this is the norm in the Latin Church, the Eastern Churches confer baptism in the following way: “The Servant of God, N., is baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The intention required is to will to do what the Church does when she baptizes. If any of these is lacking, then baptism cannot be validly conferred and the individual remains unbaptized.

Conditional baptism is administered when, after a serious investigation, there remains a doubt concerning the proper use of matter, form, and intention required for a valid baptism. While the form for absolute baptism has been stated above, the form for conditional baptism is as follows: “If you are not baptized, N., I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

These words are accompanied by the pouring of water three times on the head of the person being baptized, or by immersing or sprinkling the water three times.

NOTES

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1272.

2. Code of Canon Law, can. 870.

3. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1240.

4. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1240.