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 215 experience of others, not only those of our own generation but even from people of past generations. Whatever is valuable for human life is preserved and transmitted more effectively and is more widely available than if we depended solely on personal example. Language consists of a number of sounds or written signs which have been invested with conventional meanings to become words. Each word by agreement signifies a particular idea or cluster of ideas, so that by a suitable combination of them we convey to others the thoughts, views, intentions, etc., that we have in our mind. Although the choice of meaning to be attached to words was arbitrary in the beginning, now that their meaning has been agreed upon and become conventional we must adhere to it faithfully in use, otherwise the whole purpose of language as a means of communication between human beings will be defeated. Not only will people be deprived of correct information, they will be misled by being given wrong information. Were the misuse of human speech to become widespread it would have a serious disrupting effect on human society. Amicable relations between persons would be difficult if nobody’s word could be trusted. Lying is therefore one of the faults which in an isolated instance, where nothing further is involved, is distressing to the party concerned, but which if it became widespread would be subversive of human society. The radical fault and malice in a lie consists in diverting human language from its original purpose, which is to communicate faithfully to others what we really know, think or intend. The usual result of that interference with the natural function of speech is that the hearer (being unaware of it) is deceived. But something else is involved here, namely, a juridic act has been thwarted. The juridic act of baptism is foundational for other juridic acts and moreover affects other people in their legal relations with the deceived party, e.g. a spouse, a religious society. Three values are being violated, namely: truth, friendship with another person, one’s relationship with God. In addition, one’s integrity has been compromised.18 18 St Thomas De Veritate 5. 4. obj 10 and ad 10: Praeterea, illud quod est reprehensibile in homine, nullo modo deo attribuendum est. Sed hoc reprehenditur in homine ut faciat mala ad bonum consequendum, ut patet roman. Ill, 8: sicut blasphemamur, et sicut quidam aiunt nos dicere: faciamus mala ut veniant bona. Ergo deo non competit ut sub eius providentia cadant mala, ut bona ex eis eliciantur. Praeterea, illud quod est reprehensibile in homine, nullo modo deo attribuendum est. Sed hoc reprehenditur in homine ut faciat mala ad bonum consequendum, ut patet roman. Ill, 8: sicut blasphemamur, et sicut quidam aiunt nos dicere: faciamus mala ut veniant bona. Ergo deo non competit ut sub cius providentia cadant mala, ut bona ex eis eliciantur. John Finnis notes that St. John Damascene insisting that for “God to will evil per se (i.e. to intend) anything which intelligence would call an evil is inconsistent with his holiness”. John of Damascus De Fide Orthodoxa 11, 29.
