Catholic Priest Resigns After Investigation Into "Invalid Baptisms"

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Baptism of an African boy. Legnano. Italy

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A catholic priest has resigned from his post after a church investigation showed that he performed “Invalid Baptisms.” In his baptisms, Father Andres Arango of the Diocese of Phoenix would say “We baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” However, the correct terminology should have been “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

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The emphasis on “I” instead of “We” is the major issue. This mistake happened throughout Father Arango’s 20-year career.

Bishop Thomas Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix spoke on the issue saying on their official website, saying:

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Peace be with you!

I write to you today for the purpose of sharing some information that is as difficult to hear as it is challenging for me to announce. As the chief shepherd of the Diocese of Phoenix and as your spiritual father, I am charged with the responsibility of being vigilant over the celebration of the sacraments. It is my duty to ensure that the sacraments are conferred in a manner that is in keeping with the commands of Jesus Christ in the Gospel and the requirements of sacred tradition.

It is with sincere pastoral concern that I inform the faithful that baptisms performed by Reverend Andres Arango, a priest of the Diocese of Phoenix, are invalid. This determination was made after careful study by diocesan officials and through consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome.

Specifically, it was reported to me that Fr. Andres used the formula, “WE baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The key phrase in question is the use of “We baptize” in place of “I baptize.” The issue with using “We” is that it is not the community that baptizes a person, rather, it is Christ, and Christ alone, who presides at all of the sacraments, and so it is Christ Jesus who baptizes.

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Arango in his own message on the website said “It saddens me to learn that I have performed invalid baptisms throughout my ministry as a priest by regularly using an incorrect formula. I deeply regret my error and how this has affected numerous people in your parish and elsewhere. “

What does this mean for parishioners who received their baptism from Father Arango? According to the church frequently asked questions: https://dphx.org/valid-baptisms/#FAQ

“Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments” (CCC 1213). As the entry point to other sacraments, an invalid baptism therefore invalidates any subsequent sacraments, especially confirmation, marriage, and holy orders (ordination to the priesthood or diaconate).

What this means for you is, if your baptism was invalid and you’ve received other sacraments, you may need to repeat some or all of those sacraments after you are validly baptized as well.

Source | CNN.com

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