Case LXXXIV: Can Every Jew Be Baptized?

Israel applied to Titus, the Catholic priest at N., for holy baptism, and began to receive instruction. His motives were not altogether very good, but Titus hoped to improve them and took much pains. Israel had already announced his intention to abandon Judaism, and this was to his credit for the Jewish community at N. publishes the name of every apostate from its ranks in the daily papers.

When the priest applied to the Bishop for leave to baptize Israel, it was noticed from his marriage certificate that his wife had been married before, and there was no indication of her having been a widow. The Bishop asked for particulars, and Israel acknowledged that the woman to whom he was married according to the civil and Mosaic law, had divorced her first husband, who was a Jew. Israel's marriage was therefore invalid in the sight of the Church, propter impedimentum ligaminis, and he has been living in (hitherto material) adultery. Let us call his wife Lydia and her first husband Solomon. The marriage of these two persons was valid. But Israel's baptism would have been possible only if the marriage between Solomon and Lydia had been invalid, or if it had been ratum and not consummatum,—in which case the Pope could separate them,—or if Solomon were dead and Lydia really a widow. One more possibility existed.—Lydia might be baptized and then communicate with Solomon through the Bishop's court. If he answered both the questions asked him in the negative, and said: " I will not be baptized, and I will not live with the Christian Lydia," then Israel could be baptized and married to the already baptized Lydia.

In the case before us Lydia refused at first to be baptized, but afterwards she consented, although she would not announce her abandonment of Judaism publicly. She was afraid that her mother would disinherit her, although she could not have been totally disinherited, but would have received the share of her mother's property to which she was legally entitled. After considering the matter, the Bishop did not allow her to be baptized without making any public announcement; for after her baptism it would have been necessary to communicate with Solomon, who would certainly have revenged himself by informing Lydia's mother that her daughter had become a Christian. Consequently Israel could not be baptized. He and Lydia already had children, and so they could not be advised to separate from bed and board, or to apply to a civil court for a separation. If he and Lydia had been willing to renounce what they hoped to inherit from her mother, his baptism would have been possible, for in that case Lydia would have published her renunciation of Judaism, and have been baptized, and, after Solomon had been communicated with, she might have been properly married to Israel, who would also have been baptized.

If anyone cares more for an inheritance than for God he is unworthy of God's grace. What advantage is it to Israel if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his own soul? Christianity requires us to love God more than money and worldly possessions.

It behoves us to be careful about baptizing Jews.—Karl Krasa.