Thousands of baptisms invalidated by a false word, a priest steps on it | Abroad

The priest Andres Arango said during the baptisms: “We baptize you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. However, the correct wording is “I baptize you…” the diocese said. “It is not the community that baptizes a person, but Christ himself, and Christ alone. If the wrong words are used during a baptism, it means that the baptism is invalid.

Arango is said to have used the erroneous wording throughout his career, since becoming a priest in 1995. It is unclear how many believers are involved, but according to the diocese there must be thousands.

“Critical Aspect”

Moreover, baptism is the first sacrament, which means that all other subsequent sacraments, such as religious marriages, can also be considered invalid. “If your baptism is invalid and you have received other sacraments since then, you may need to repeat them,” the diocese says.

The situation seems absurd, but the diocese does not agree. “It may sound legalistic, but words and rituals are a crucial aspect of the sacrament.”

The diocese has now placed a form on its website where parents of children baptized by Arango can register. The man has since apologized for his mistake and announced his resignation.