CHARLOTTE — St. Thomas Aquinas Church is reviewing whether a former deacon may have used the incorrect formula for administering the sacrament of baptism at the parish more than 15 years ago – which would render those baptisms invalid and leave affected parishioners in need of a valid baptism.
St. Thomas Aquinas’ pastor Father Matthew Codd explained the unusual situation to parishioners at Masses Nov. 28-29 and in a Nov. 28 letter posted on the parish’s website, www.stacharlotte.com.
The Diocese of Dallas recently discovered that three of its deacons had used incorrect wording during some of the baptisms they attempted to confer in Dallas. Among them was Deacon Carl J. Macero, who is now deceased and who served at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Charlotte from 1996 to 2004.
Father Codd stressed in his letter that while the parish has received no reports that Deacon Macero incorrectly administered the sacrament during his ministry in Charlotte, “it must be presumed to be a possibility.” As a result, Father Codd said, parish leaders are attempting to contact parishioners who were baptized by Deacon Macero to review their specific circumstances and quickly rectify any issues.
“We are asking that anyone baptized by Deacon Macero review any video or audio recordings of their baptism or that of family members” and to contact the parish, Father Codd’s letter said.
The issue has emerged in recent months in various locations after, as the letter noted, “the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued an important clarification that the sacrament of baptism is not valid if the appropriate prayer for the rite is modified by the celebrant. Specifically, the doctrinal note explained that the modified words ‘We baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’ do not convey the sacrament of baptism. Rather, the proper prayer has always been ‘I baptize you…’ because it reflects the truth that the sacrament is administered by Our Lord acting through the minister, not through the assembly.”
In making this clarification, the Congregation cited the Second Vatican Council, which declared no one “may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.”
Father Codd acknowledged the situation “may be unsettling or perceived as a burdensome technicality,” but explained that a valid baptism brings about adoption into the family of God and places sanctifying grace in the soul, which is necessary in order to spend eternity in heaven.
If a baptism is deemed invalid, the sacrament must be administered correctly. For parishioners who were baptized by Deacon Macero but have no recordings, it may be necessary to pursue a conditional baptism, which is administered when it is impossible to verify whether an individual has been validly baptized.
Father Codd’s letter also explained that an invalid baptism renders subsequent sacraments invalid as well, including confirmation and possibly matrimony – but that these issues can also be quickly rectified.
“Please be assured our parish and diocese are prepared to act swiftly to confer baptism and other sacraments to those affected,” Codd’s letter said, “and that issues related to marriage can be remedied quickly and without an additional ceremony.”
— Catholic News Herald
What should you do?
If you or a family member was baptized by Deacon Carl Macero, please review any video or audiorecordings of the ceremony.
If the incorrect wording was used, please contact the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish office at 704-549-1607.
If you don’t have recordings, also contact the parish in case a conditional baptism may need to be considered.
If you don’t know who administered the baptism, no action is necessary; the parish will contact you if records indicate Deacon Macero administered the sacrament.
This appears to be an isolated issue, and there is no reason for anyone else in the diocese not baptized by Deacon Macero to question the validity of their baptism.
More information is available on the parish’s website, www.stacharlotte.com.