Folia Canonica 11. (2008)

PROCEEDINGS OF TENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. "Questioni attuali intorno al Battesimo" Budapest, 4th February 2008 - Michael Carragher: Intention of the Minister as Substantive Element of Baptism

INTENTION OF THE MINISTER AND BAPTISM

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4. May a pagan baptize?26

He who is not baptized, though he belongs not to the Church cither in reality or sacramentally, can nevertheless belong to her in intention and by similarity of action, namely, in so far as he intends to do what the Church does, and in baptizing observes the Church’s form, and thus acts as the minister of Christ, Who did not confine His power to those that are baptized, as neither did He to the sacraments,

5. May a heretic baptize?22

But if his faith be defective in regard to the very sacrament that he confers, although he believe that no inward effect is by the thing done outwardly, yet he does know that the Catholic Church intends to confer a sacrament by that which is outwardly done. Wherefore, his unbelief notwithstanding, he can intend to do what the Church does, albeit he esteem it to be nothing. And such an intention suffices for a sacrament: the minister of a sacrament acts in the person of the Church by whose faith any defect in the minister’s faith is made good.

6. Whether several ministers can baptize the same person simultaneously?28

The point to be observed, however, is this, that by this form, “We baptize thee,” the intention expressed is that several concur in conferring one Baptism: and this seems contrary

26 Summa Theologiae, 111, q. 67, a. 5 ad 2. Ad secundum dicendum quod ille qui non est bapti- zatus, quamvis non pertineat ad ecclesiam re vel sacramento, potest tamen ad eam pertinere intentione et similitudine actus, inquantum scilicet intendit facere quod facit ecclesia, et formam ecclesiae servat in baptizando, et sic operatur ut minister christi, qui virtutem suam non alligavit baptizatis, sicut nec etiam sacramentis.

27 Summa Theologiae 111, q.64, a.9 ad l.Ad primum ergo dicendum quod potest contingere quod aliquis patiatur defectum fidei circa aliquid aliud, et non circa veritatem sacramenti quod exhibet, puta si aliquis credat iuramentum esse in omni casu illicitum, et tamen credat baptismum efficaciam habere ad salutem. Et sic talis infidelitas non impedit intentionem conferendi sacramentum. Si vero patiatur fidei defectum circa ipsum sacramentum quod exhibet, licet credat per id quod agitur exterius nullum sequi interiorem effectum, non tamen ignorat quod ecclesia catholica intendit per huiusmodi quae exterius aguntur, sacramentum praebere. Unde, non obstante infidelitate, potest intendere facere id quod facit ecclesia, licet existimet id nihil esse. Et talis intentio sufficit ad sacramentum, quia, sicut supra dictum est, minister sacramenti agit in persona totius ecclesiae, ex cuius fide suppletur id quod deest fidei ministro.

28 Summa theologiae 111, q. 67, a.6. Sed considerandum est quod ex tali forma, nos te baptizamus, exprimitur talis intentio quod plures conveniunt ad unum baptismum conferendum. Quod quidem videtur esse contra rationem ministerii, homo enim non baptizat nisi ut minister christi et vicem eius gerens; unde, sicut unus est christus, ita oportet esse unum ministrum qui christum repraesentet. Propter quod signanter apostolus dicit, Ephes. IV, unus dominus, una fides, unum baptisma. Et ideo contraria intentio videtur excludere baptismi sacramentum. Si vero uterque diceret, ego te baptizo in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti, uterque exprimeret suam intentionem quasi ipse singulariter baptismum conferret. Quod posset contingere in eo casu in quo contentiose uterque aliquem baptizare conaretur. Et tunc manifestum est quod ille qui prius verba proferret, daret baptismi sacramentum. Alius vero, quantumcumque ius baptizandi haberet, etsi verba pronuntiare praesumeret, esset puniendus tanquam rebaptizator. Si autem omnino simul verba proferrent et hominem immergerent aut aspergerent, essent puniendi de inordinato modo baptizandi, et non de iteratione baptismi, quia uterque intenderet nonbaptizatum baptizare, et uterque, quantum est in se, baptizaret. Nec traderent aliud et aliud sacramentum, sed christus, qui est unus interius baptizans, unum sacramentum per utrumque conferret.