The Sacraments, Relationships and Meaning

The Secretariat of Australian Reforming Catholics is astounded at some of the responses to the controversy concerning the words used during Baptism at the Catholic Church at South Brisbane.

By all accounts, it appears that the priests at this Church have been endeavouring to provide the sacraments and liturgical celebrations in a manner that engages their people in a meaningful way. To be accused of not performing valid Baptisms into the Catholic Church must be particularly disheartening.

There are two major issues that arise from this controversy. The first is in relation to the images and concepts by which we seek to engage in an understanding of God through the person of Jesus Christ. Our Church was helped in its understanding by the doctrine of the Trinity and the titles of Father, Son and Spirit. However, we do not claim to know everything about the mystery of God and words are also inadequate in many ways in leading us through this mystery, just as they were for the writers of the Old Testament. In an age now where many people feel less included, for example, through images and words that imply a God who has male characteristics only, our Church should be more open to using language and practices that enable more people to come towards that mystery. If the words “Creator, Liberator and Sustainer” enable some people to come closer to the meaning of the Trinity, then why should there be such a problem if people have a choice about the way it is expressed? Our understanding is that not all people are baptised at the South Brisbane Church with these words and if some are assisted in faith through their usage, then there should be concentration on what is most important.

The second issue arising from this controversy is most crucial. To state that the sacrament is invalid because alternative words have been used to convey the same fundamental meaning and intent is to reduce the sacrament to the realm of magic.

The sacraments are about relationships with God through Jesus Christ. If I say “Good morning to you” when it is past midday, is my greeting less acceptable? Or if I genuinely attempt to greet a person in their language and get it all wrong, are they likely to refuse to accept my greeting? Those who wish to claim that the Baptisms are invalid when the intent was to perform a valid baptism appear to have ignored the Church’s fundamental teaching about the efficacy of the sacraments. This states that the sacraments derive their efficacy from the saving act of Jesus (ex opere operato) and need no extra human intervention to make them effective. As long as a person responds to the invitation to a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the sacrament takes effect. In the case of infant Baptism, this occurs through the response of those seeking that relationship for the child.

It appears to Australian Reforming Catholics that more attention should be given to ways of helping people to respond to that invitation rather than causing needless heartache and concern to those who have come to our Church seeking to understand and respond to the mystery of God through Jesus Christ.