Can Novus Ordo Baptisms be Trusted as Valid? Why Do Not the Clergy of Saint Gertrude the Great Investigate the Validity of Novus Ordo Baptisms? by Most Reverend Donald J. Sanborn
The position of the Roman Catholic Institute regarding Novus Ordo baptisms.
Photo and video evidence of doubtful Novus Ordo baptisms can be found here.
1. What is the SGG policy regarding Novus Ordo Baptisms?
It is to investigate the fact of a Novus Ordo Baptism (i.e., the fact that such a ceremony took place). Once the fact is proved, the Baptism is presumed valid.
2. What is the policy of the Roman Catholic Institute regarding Novus Ordo baptisms?
It is to investigate the fact, and then the validity (i.e., how the ceremony was performed), presuming doubt if valid conferral cannot be proven. In other words, Baptisms performed in the Novus Ordo since 1990 must be investigated in order to establish, by means of reliable eyewitnesses or video, that the sacrament was performed correctly.
3. Why was the year 1990 chosen?
The year 1990 was chosen for the reason that most of the clergy who had been trained in preVatican II seminaries were dead or retired by that time. As well, reports of invalid or doubtful baptisms started at that time to become more common.
4. When is a baptism to be presumed valid?
In normal circumstances in the Church’s life and activity, it is legitimate and even necessary to presume that any sacrament conferred by a properly trained Catholic priest or bishop was done validly. To presume means that you arrive at certitude of the validity of the sacrament because of factors which were certainly present in the performance of the sacrament. This certitude we call moral certitude, which is distinguished from physical certitude.
The position of the Roman Catholic Institute regarding Novus Ordo baptisms.
Photo and video evidence of doubtful Novus Ordo baptisms can be found here.
1. What is the SGG policy regarding Novus Ordo Baptisms?
It is to investigate the fact of a Novus Ordo Baptism (i.e., the fact that such a ceremony took place). Once the fact is proved, the Baptism is presumed valid.
2. What is the policy of the Roman Catholic Institute regarding Novus Ordo baptisms?
It is to investigate the fact, and then the validity (i.e., how the ceremony was performed), presuming doubt if valid conferral cannot be proven. In other words, Baptisms performed in the Novus Ordo since 1990 must be investigated in order to establish, by means of reliable eyewitnesses or video, that the sacrament was performed correctly.
3. Why was the year 1990 chosen?
The year 1990 was chosen for the reason that most of the clergy who had been trained in preVatican II seminaries were dead or retired by that time. As well, reports of invalid or doubtful baptisms started at that time to become more common.
4. When is a baptism to be presumed valid?
In normal circumstances in the Church’s life and activity, it is legitimate and even necessary to presume that any sacrament conferred by a properly trained Catholic priest or bishop was done validly. To presume means that you arrive at certitude of the validity of the sacrament because of factors which were certainly present in the performance of the sacrament. This certitude we call moral certitude, which is distinguished from physical certitude.
The position of the Roman Catholic Institute regarding Novus Ordo baptisms.
Photo and video evidence of doubtful Novus Ordo baptisms can be found here.
1. What is the SGG policy regarding Novus Ordo Baptisms?
It is to investigate the fact of a Novus Ordo Baptism (i.e., the fact that such a ceremony took place). Once the fact is proved, the Baptism is presumed valid.
2. What is the policy of the Roman Catholic Institute regarding Novus Ordo baptisms?
It is to investigate the fact, and then the validity (i.e., how the ceremony was performed), presuming doubt if valid conferral cannot be proven. In other words, Baptisms performed in the Novus Ordo since 1990 must be investigated in order to establish, by means of reliable eyewitnesses or video, that the sacrament was performed correctly.
3. Why was the year 1990 chosen?
The year 1990 was chosen for the reason that most of the clergy who had been trained in preVatican II seminaries were dead or retired by that time. As well, reports of invalid or doubtful baptisms started at that time to become more common.
4. When is a baptism to be presumed valid?
In normal circumstances in the Church’s life and activity, it is legitimate and even necessary to presume that any sacrament conferred by a properly trained Catholic priest or bishop was done validly. To presume means that you arrive at certitude of the validity of the sacrament because of factors which were certainly present in the performance of the sacrament. This certitude we call moral certitude, which is distinguished from physical certitude.