BAPTISM, THE SACRAMENT OF, (Gr. dipping in water). A sacrament of the New Law instituted by Jesus Christ, in which, as a result of washing with water accompanied by the words "I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost," a human being is spiritually regenerated, and made capable receiving the other sacraments. It imprints an unremovable "character" on the soul and admits the recipient to membership in the Catholic Church of Christ. The matter of baptism is natural water (remote) and its application so as to flow on the head (proximate); the form is the above or similar words (e.g., in the Byzantine rite "The servant of God N., is baptized in," etc.). The ordinary minister is a priest but baptism by a lay person is valid (see BAPTISM, LAY).

By baptism, a child or adult is united to the visible body of the Church (by whomsoever the baptism was administered) and so remains until he performs any act (e.g., adherence to a non-Catholic body) which involves his exclusion there from. Baptism by water is necessary to salvation.

The Church has made infallible dogmatic statements about the necessity of Baptism for Salvation. The Church made these infallible statements through various Councils. Also, Popes (speaking from the Chair of Peter or what we would call "ex cathedra") made infallible proclamations on this subject. In both cases, these statements are infallible dogmatic proclamations that, as Catholics, we must believe. Here are a few of them:

A. Council of Florence, Decree for the Armenians:

Holy Baptism holds the first place among all the sacraments because it is the gateway to the spiritual life.... And since death entered the universe through the first man. "unless we are reborn of water and the Spirit, we cannot" as the Truth says, "enter the kingdom of heaven" [John 3:5].

B. Council of Trent, Canons on Baptism (Canon 5):

If anyone says that baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for salvation, let him be anathema. (Denz. 861)

Also Trent: Canons on the Sacraments (Canon 4):

If anyone says that the Sacraments of the New Law are not necessary for salvation, but that they are superfluous: let him be anathema. (Denz. 847).

C. Benedict XIV (1740-58), Bull Nuper ad Nos (Solemn Profession of Faith Prescribed for Maronites; 1743):

Likewise, I profess that Baptism is necessary for salvation. (Denz. 1470)

D. Pope St. Zosimus, Apostolic Letter to the Oriental Churches (418):

Not one of our children is held not guilty until he is freed through Baptism. (Denz. 109a)

E. Council of Lyons E (1274) it was solemnly defined that:

The souls of those who die in mortal sin or with original sin only, however, immediately descend to Hell, yet to be punished with different punishments (Denz. 464).

F. Council of Florence, Decree for the Greeks (1439):

It is likewise defined that ... the souls of those who depart in actual mortal sin or in original sin only, descend immediately into Hell but to undergo punishments of different kinds. (Denz. 693)

Although not infallible, Vatican Council II said, "For there is one Mediator between God and men, ...Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:45) Neither is there salvation in any other" (Acts 4:12). Everyone, therefore must be converted to Christ, and everyone must become incorporated into Him by Baptism and into the Church which is His Body. In explicit terms Christ affirmed the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirms also the necessity of the Church; for through Baptism as though a door, men enter the Church.

BAPTISM OF CHILDREN OF NON-CATHOLICS may be lawfully performed, even the parents object, provided the child is in danger of death and it can be prudently foreseen that it will die before attaining the use reason. Outside of this danger, children may be baptized if their Catholic upbringing be guaranteed, and then only with the consent of at least one of the parents or guardians, if any, unless they have forfeited or cannot exercise their rights over the child.

BAPTISM OF THE UNBORN. If there is not a probable hope that a child can be baptized after birth, Baptism may be administered in the womb: in the case of a head presentation, on the head; in other presentations, on the part presented, but then it has to be again baptized conditionally if it is living on complete delivery. Should the mother die in labor, the child is to be extracted from the womb and, if certainly living, baptized absolutely; if life is doubtful, conditionally. An aborted foetus must also be baptized, unconditionally or conditionally according to circumstances.

BAPTISMAL GARMENT. The white robe, formerly worn by the newly baptized (cf., Dominica in Albis, Low Sunday). Its place is now taken by a linen cloth, laid on the child's head with the words, "Receive this white garment, which thou shalt carry stainless before the judgment seat of our Lord Jesus Christ that thou mayest have everlasting life.” This cloth was sometimes termed a chrismal, and the expression "chrisom child " for one newly baptized is still occasionally used.

BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. One of the effects of Baptism is our birth to the supernatural order (q.v.): "Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost" (John iii, 5). Baptismal regeneration means that owing to the removal of sin by the sacrament and the infusion of first grace, the subject who has begun to live to nature now begins to live supernaturally. St. Paul speaks of Baptism as "the laver of regeneration" (Titus iii, 5).