By Rev. Fr. Petros Mwale (Mzuzu Diocese – MALAWI)
INTRODUCTION
“Fr. Petros, what happens to the souls of children that are born but die say within hours with no chance for baptism” – Elias Kafinyangwe (St. Peters Cathedral Parish – Mzuzu, MALAWI)
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WHAT IS BAPTISM?
Baptism is the sacrament that gives our souls the new life of sanctifying grace by which we become children of God and heirs of heaven.
“Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5).
WHAT SINS DOES BAPTISM TAKE AWAY?
Baptism takes away original sin; and also actual sin and all the punishment due to them, if the person baptized be guilty of any actual sins and truly sorry for them. “Get up and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16)
WHY BAPTISE CHILDREN?
Baptism is the normal way of entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (John 3:3-5). “Being born of water and Spirit” is Baptism. If Jesus says the Kingdom of God belongs to infants and children, it would make no sense if He then withheld the gift of Baptism that would give them entrance to this very Kingdom.
CAN UNBAPTISED CHILD BE SAVED?
- BAPTISM OF DESIRE & BLOOD
By unbaptized children, we mean those who have not received baptism with water, i.e. the formal Sacrament of Baptism. But it would be the heresy of Feeneyism to say that formal baptism with water is the only type of baptism.
The Church teaches that one may enter the state of sanctifying grace by a baptism of desire or by a baptism of blood (Martyrdom). These non-formal baptisms are not the Sacrament, but they confer the state of grace, which is absolutely necessary for salvation. And so we must consider whether unbaptized little children can obtain a baptism of desire or of blood ( CCC, 1258).
- THE CASE IN QUESTION
If the above two cases of non-formal baptism are out of context, we entrust such souls to the mercy of God (CCC, 1261). Our God is a loving God. Jesus became human for our sake and died for us on the Cross. He will not let one innocent child suffer because they were not baptized.
Jesus loves every one of the children and will take them home to himself. Remember, Baptism is a Sacrament and has the power to forgive our sins and to make us children of God because God wills it. The Sacrament is for us but God can bestow this grace on anyone he desires , “God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments” – CCC 1257.
CONCLUSION
It must be clearly acknowledged that the Church does not have sure knowledge about the salvation of unbaptised children who die.
She knows and celebrates the glory of the Holy Innocents, but the destiny of the generality of infants who die without Baptism has not been revealed to us. In effect, we all rely on the mercy of God. We rely on the saving act of Jesus Christ as he was crucified for our sins.
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SOURCES
International Theological Commission, “The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptised.” April 19, 2007.
USSCB, United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, Washington, DC: USCCB, 2006.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. Washington DC: United States Catholic Conference, 2000
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