How Well Do You Know Baptism? Here Are a Few Interesting Facts about It

There’s a reason why baptism is called “the door to the Church.” In the Catholic faith, it is the first of the seven sacraments a person receives, one that officially welcomes him or her as a member of the congregation, aside from washing away the original sin. Of course, there is still so much more about this ceremony that many people do not know. For example, did you know that:

Words Matter

You’ve probably heard that in a pinch, even laymen can baptize others. However, the Bible has a very strict guideline about which words to use. According to Matthew 28:19-20: “Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Hence, the Catholic Church considers non-members baptized as long as “the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” are uttered during their baptism. If not, the Church deems it invalid.
 

You Can Only be Baptized Once

Many people convert to Catholicism each day, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they get baptized in the process. That’s because an individual can only receive the sacrament of baptism once in their life—whether in the Catholic Church or in another religion, provided the proper words were used (see above). However, if there are grave doubts about the validity of the original baptism, a priest can perform what’s called a conditional baptism instead.

Being a Godparent is a Big Responsibility

If you think being a godparent is just ceremonial, you might want to think again. According to the sacrament, if parents cannot bring up their child in the Catholic faith, the godparents must fully assume this responsibility.