Validity Of Infant "but-t Baptism"

[Basilisa Marie]

Huel's "The Pastoral Companion: A Canon Law Handbook for Catholic Ministry" says...

 

 

Although three infusions or immersions are prescribed, one suffices for Validity. Sprinkling, although illicit, is a valid form of baptism, provided the water touches the person being baptized while the minister pronounces the Trinitarian formula. The water must touch a principal part of the body (head, chest, or back). If it touches only another part, it is doubtfully valid. A washing of water presumes some flow; it is not valid simply to wet one's thumb and trace a cross on the forehead. In the USA, the use of immersion is encouraged as the fuller and more expressive sign of the sacrament. Also commended is partial immersion, namely, immersion of the candidate's head (National Statues for the Catechumenate, approved by the NCCB and appended to US editions of the RCIA, 17).

 

So if I'm reading this right, I'd say it's either doubtfully valid (if none touches the back) or valid (if water touches the back).  The head is still the main part which *should* be washed in baptism, though. 

[Aloysius]

moved to open mic due to various requests so the whole world can know what we think about babies getting their 'tuchuses' baptized...

[Odilia]

My understanding is that for a baptism to be valid two conditions must be met: "natural" or "flowing" water (matter) and the Trinitarian formula (form). A third condition could possibly be set in that the one administering the sacrament must intend to do what the Church intends.

Let's say I'm in the Sahara desert and I'm about to die from thirst. There's absolutely no water nearby, not a drip. There's a priest with me though (who probably drank the last water, because he's doing way better then I am). I want to be baptized. Can't I be baptized the regular (i.e. being not the baptism of desire) just because there's no water around? Wow, I never thought of that!

[Basilisa Marie]

Let's say I'm in the Sahara desert and I'm about to die from thirst. There's absolutely no water nearby, not a drip. There's a priest with me though (who probably drank the last water, because he's doing way better then I am). I want to be baptized. Can't I be baptized the regular (i.e. being not the baptism of desire) just because there's no water around? Wow, I never thought of that!

 

It'd be "baptism of desire."  It's a thing that exists, for these hypotheticals and other weird situations. 

 

It doesn't even have to be a priest that does the baptizing in emergency situations, either.  Heck, doesn't even have to be a Christian.  If you were stuck in the desert and you and your Muslim guide were about to die and you had a little water left, all you need is for him to say the words and pour the water on your head.  You just need water "put" on a principal part of your body (head), someone to say the Trinitarian formula, and the desire to be baptized. You can't, however, baptize yourself.