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 227 1) First, on account of the stain and the debt of punishment incurred in the past: and on sinners in this sense the sacrament of Baptism should be conferred, since it is instituted specially for this purpose, that by it the of may be washed away, according to Ephesians 5:26: “Cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life.” 2) Secondly, a man may be called a sinner because he wills to sin and purposes to remain in sin: and on sinners in this sense the sacrament of Baptism should not be conferred. (a) First, indeed, because by Baptism men are incorporated in Christ, according to Galatians 3:27: “As many of you as have been in Christ, have put on Christ.” Now so long as a man wills to sin, he cannot be united to Christ, according to 2 Corinthians 6:14: “What participation hath with injustice?” Wherefore Augustine says in his book on Penance (Serm. cccli) that “no who has the use of free-will can begin the new life, except he repent of his former life.” (b) Secondly, because there should be nothing useless in the works of Christ and of the Church. Now that is useless which docs not reach the end to which it is ordained; and, on the other hand, no one having the will to sin can, at the same time, be cleansed from sin, which is the purpose of Baptism; for this would be to combine two contradictory things. (c) Thirdly, because there should be no falsehood in the sacramental signs. Now a sign is if it does not correspond with the thing signified. But the very fact that a man presents himself to be cleansed by Baptism, signifies that he prepares himself for the inward cleansing: while this cannot be the case with one who purposes to remain in sin. Therefore it is manifest that on such a man the sacrament of Baptism is not to be conferred. Í8. May a minister baptize injest?i9 A playful intention destroys a sacrament: for instance, if someone were to baptize anybody not seriously but in fun. The minister’s intention may be perverted in two ways. 1) First in regard to the sacrament: for instance, when a man docs not intend to confer a sacrament, but to make a mockery of it. Such a perverse intention takes away the truth of the sacrament, especially ifit be manifested outwardly. 2) Secondly, the minister’s intention may be perverted as to something that follows the sacrament: for instance, a priest may intend to baptize a so as to be able to abuse her; or to consecrate the Body of Christ, so as to use it for sorcery. And because that which comes first does not depend on that which follows, consequently such a perverse intention docs not annul the sacrament; but the minister himself sins grievously in having such an intention. Nullus autem habens voluntatem peccandi simul potest a peccato mundari, ad quod ordinatur baptismus, quia hoc esset ponere contradictoria esse simul. Tertio, quia in sacramcntalibus signis non debet esse aliqua falsitas. Est autem signum falsum cui res significata non respondet. Ex hoc autem quod aliquis lavandum se praebet per baptismum, significatur quod se disponat ad interiorem ablutionem. Quod non contingit de eo qui habet propositum persistendi in peccato. Unde manifestum est quod talibus sacramentum baptismi non est conferendum. 39 Summa Theologiae 111, q. 64, a. 10 Respondeo dicendum quod intentio ministri potest perverti dupliciter. Uno modo, respectu ipsius sacramenti, puta cum aliquis non intendit sacramentum conferre, sed delusorie aliquid agere. Et talis perversitas tollit veritatem sacramenti, praecipue quando suam intentionem exterius manifestat. Alio modo potest perverti intentio ministri quantum ad id quod sequitur sacramentum, puta si sacerdos intendat aliquam feminam baptizare ut abutatur ea; vel si intendat conficere corpus christi ut eo ad veneficia utatur. Et quia prius non dependet a posteriori, inde est quod talis intentionis perversitas veritatem sacramenti non tollit, sed ipse minister ex tali intentione graviter peccat.
