Infant Baptism

Infant Baptism is the practice of baptizing newborn children and infants — present in the Church since the earliest centuries — rooted in the conviction that the grace of Baptism is necessary for salvation, that Original Sin affects all human beings from conception, and that God's grace precedes and enables all human response (CCC 1250–1252).

The Scriptural and Traditional Basis

The New Testament records several "household" baptisms (Acts 16:15, 33; 1 Corinthians 1:16) that presumably included children. Jesus said "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5), and "Let the little children come to me" (Mark 10:14). The ancient Church practiced infant Baptism from its earliest centuries — Origen (c. 185–254) states that "the Church received from the Apostles the tradition of giving Baptism even to infants" (CCC 1252).

Why Baptize Infants?

The Catechism gives several reasons: infants are born with Original Sin and need the grace of Baptism; God's grace and call always precede human response (even the faith of adults is a gift, not a purely autonomous act); and children are members of families and communities, not isolated individuals — the Church has always understood that children share in the covenant life of their parents (CCC 1250–1252).

The Responsibility of Parents and Godparents

Since the infant cannot make a personal act of faith, the parents and godparents make the promises on their behalf, undertaking to raise the child in the faith. This is why choosing serious, practicing Catholic godparents is an important moral responsibility (CCC 1253–1255).

Frequently Asked Questions

What about "adult decision" for faith — shouldn't children choose for themselves? Children are baptized into the Church the same way they are born into a family — before they can choose. As they grow, they must personally appropriate the faith given to them. Confirmation is the sacrament by which they personally affirm what was given in Baptism (CCC 1306–1308).