Baptising A Friend.

[Guest]

Ok my friend was raised mormon and baptised in their church. I found out how the Catholic Church used to accept their baptisms but now doesn't. I understand why because of their understanding of the Trinity. My friend nolonger practices as a mormon yet she still says she would go to that church if she ever went back to church. She has a bad taste in her moth for religion all together and doesn't believe she needs to go to a building to worship God. I've shown her some of the big stuff that is wrong with mormonism and sticks out. She has sorta been receptive to it but at the same time it would take a miracle for me to ever convice her that the Catholic Church is the true Church of Christ. Its all religion to her and she's not a fan of it. I don't really blame her either and its sad she was raised in a false religion and a church that perverts Gods truth so bad to the point of her baptism not even being valid. Ok so my question is why does it have to be an emergency for me to baptise her ? She believes in God and Christ. She is a great person and she needs to be baptised and receive the grace that comes from that. She won't become catholic though and sit in classes for a year to get baptised. I'm hoping I can convice her to just go to a non denominational church and have them do it and also her baby when its born. I just don't get why I can't do it ? Its obviouslly really important and something that needs to be done. Why do I have to wait for an emergency to do it ? I mean even someone who doesn't believe in God could baptise her if they did it right. So why as a catholic can't I ? I don't get this at all. Thanks . Godbless.

[cappie]

The Code of Canon Law states:
Can. 849 Baptism, the gateway to the sacraments, is necessary for salvation, either by actual reception or at least by desire. By it people are freed from sins, are born again as children of God and, made like to Christ by an indelible character, are incorporated into the Church. It is validly conferred only by a washing in real water with the proper form of words.

Can. 850 Baptism is administered according to the rite prescribed in the approved liturgical books, except in a case of urgent necessity when only those elements which are required for the validity of the sacrament must be observed.
Can. 851 The celebration of baptism should be properly prepared. Accordingly:
1° an adult who intends to receive baptism is to be admitted to the catechumenate and, as far as possible, brought through the various stages to sacramental initiation, in accordance with the rite of initiation as adapted by the Episcopal Conference and with the particular norms issued by it;

2° the parents of a child who is to be baptised, and those who are to undertake the office of sponsers, are to be suitably instructed on the meaning of this sacrament and the obligations attaching to it. The parish priest is to see to it that either he or others duly prepare the parents, by means of pastoral advice and indeed by prayer together; a number of families might be brought together for this purpose and, where possible, each family visited.

Can. 857 §1 Apart from a case of necessity, the proper place for baptism is a church or an oratory.
§2 As a rule and unless a just reason suggests otherwise, an adult is to be baptised in his or her proper parish church, and an infant in the proper parish church of the parents.

Can. 860 §1 Apart from a case of necessity, baptism is not to be conferred in private houses, unless the local Ordinary should for a grave reason permit it.

CHAPTER II : THE MINISTER OF BAPTISM
Can. 861 §1 The ordinary minister of baptism is a Bishop, a priest or a deacon, without prejudice to the provision of can. 530, n. 1.
§2 If the ordinary minister is absent or impeded, a catechist or some other person deputed to this office by the local Ordinary, may lawfully confer baptism; indeed, in a case of necessity, any person who has the requisite intention may do so. Pastors of souls, especially parish priests, are to be diligent in ensuring that Christ's faithful are taught the correct way to baptise.

Can. 862 Except in a case of necessity, it is unlawful for anyone without due permission to confer baptism outside his own territory, not even upon his own subjects.

So I hope you can see from the above canons that the Sacrament of Baptism in the ordinary form is seen as a sacrament of the Church and regulated accordingly. A person if they are an adult be carefully prepared and should accept and profess the Faith of the Church.

Finally Canon 862 reminds even the ordinary minister that, with the exception of an emergency, he requires due permission.

All this is designed to underline that of Canon 857 #2 " As a rule and unless a just reason suggests otherwise, an adult is to be baptised in his or her proper parish church, and an infant in the proper parish church of the parents." and to safeguard the registration of the baptism as required by canon law