The History Of Baptism

By Author: Bro. Michael Dimond
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There are different steps that different people must take regarding baptism. If you are not Catholic, and wish to join the true (Traditional) Catholic Church through conversion, the steps are as follows:

1. First, you must both know and hold to the basic catechism, or teachings, of the true Catholic Faith. It is recommended that you also begin praying the Rosary daily so if you are not familiar with this practice, consult a Traditional Catholic source.

2. You must believe in traditional Church dogmas, as well as the true Catholic positions on post-Vatican II practices. This includes the dogma that, without exception, there is no salvation outside the Church, in addition to the truths of the Trinity, Papacy, Incarnation and water baptism, among others.

3. When you know your basic catechism and confidently assent to the true teachings of the Church, you should receive baptism. This being the age of apostasy, there are few Traditional Catholic priests to be found. However, the Council of Florence declared that a layperson ("anyone") may administer a valid baptism if it is done correctly.

4. You must ...
... make the convert's profession of faith, given at the Council of Trent and which is widely available to read. If you belonged to a specific irreligious sect, you must include in the profession of faith your rejection of those heresies.

Improperly baptized or unsure?
If you received an improper baptism, the steps are somewhat different:

1. Again, you must learn and believe the basic teachings of the Catholic Church which can be found in the Penny Catechism and pray the rosary daily.

2. As with the unbaptized, you must hold to the traditional Church dogmas, as well as the Catholic positions on the post-Vatican II sect (see #2 above).

3. You have to make the profession of faith for converts, as above, adding that you now fully reject your heretical beliefs.

4. Now, you must also make a general confession to a priest, one who has been ordained with the traditional ordination rite. Eastern Rite priests at Eastern Rite churches (not the same as “Orthodox”) might possibly be an option for this. You will find these churches referred to as "Byzantine" or "Ukrainian" Catholic churches in most phone listings.

If you are not certain as to whether you were baptized, the steps to take are slightly different. Steps 1 through 3 are the same as above, then:

4. You must get someone to do a conditional baptism, using the conditional form of baptism as follows: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." This should be done if there is any question about your baptism.

5. Finally, following a conditional baptism, you must make a general confession that includes all the mortal sins you may have committed after your first (possibly valid) baptism.

Leaving the New Mass and Vatican II sects
If you have decided to leave the New Mass, and renounce the Vatican II Church, you also must make confession to a properly ordained priest as described above. The confession will include that you attended non-Catholic services, and for how long. When leaving the New Mass and renouncing your Vatican II allegiance, you should also pronounce the Council of Trent's profession of faith.

If there is any doubt about your baptism's validity, your must use the conditional form of baptism as follows: "If you are baptized, I do not baptize you again, but if you are not yet baptized, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Before the baptizer says "I baptize you," they should pour water on your head, ensuring that it touches your skin as it moves.

As there are few true Catholic priests in the world anymore, you can opt to have a staunch, true Catholic friend conduct this conditional baptism. You can then properly administer baptisms to your children, knowing you are in right standing with God and the Holy Church.

In its wisdom, the Church, through the inerrant proclamation of Pope Eugene IV at the Council of Florence ("Exultate Deo," 1439), tells you the following: "In case of necessity, however, not only a priest or a deacon, but even a layman or woman, yes even a pagan and a heretic can baptize, so long as he preserves the form of the Church and has the intention of doing what the Church does" (Denz. 696). If you have any questions about baptism, make sure you consult a Traditional Catholic source for the answers, and beware the wolves in sheeps clothing.
About Author:
Every wanted to know about the baptism? The Most Holy Family Monestery is dedicated to defending and spreading the teachings of the Catholic Faith. Brother Michael Dimond has many years of experience with the churches, as taught and defined by the authoritative teachings of the popes throughout history. It is also dedicated to exposing in great detail the post-Vatican II pseudo-"Church" and the New Mass. Visit us online today.