ARTICLE II: ON THE FORM OF BAPTISM

1255. - The form of Baptism is: I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Council of Trent defined, according to that saying of Matthew:¹ Go therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But among the Greeks it is said: Let the servant of Christ be baptized in the name of the Father, etc.; or: The servant of Christ is baptized, etc. This form is valid from the instruction of Eugene IV to the Armenians; but it is licit only in the Greek Church.

Several theologians, among whom is St. Alphonsus (who nevertheless in the little work Instr. al popolo, P. II. C. II. n. 6, does not mention that word), judge that the omission of the word Amen at the end of the form of Baptism is venial; yet that word is not found in the Roman Ritual. Therefore it is asked whether it is to be used or omitted? Resp. S. C. Rit.: Let the Roman Ritual be strictly observed in the case (9 June 1853, Cochinchina, n. 5188).

This form can be vitiated in many ways, either accidentally or substantially, as was said above, n. 1212.

The omission of the word I in the form uttered in Latin, Italian, Spanish, but not in English, German, or French (since it would have the sense of the imperative), does not vitiate the essence of the form, nor would it exceed venial sin.² - The same seems to be said, at least probably, concerning the omission of the conjunction and, especially if it is omitted only once, and is placed before the third person. - The same also probably concerning the word in, although several grave theologians contradict this. Nevertheless the S. C. C. declared valid the form: "I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son, Holy Spirit." Likewise it has often declared valid the form: "I baptize thee with the name, etc.," uttered in good faith and with right intention.³ But the other words are altogether required for validity. - But it would be valid even if, in the plural number, the English you, the German Sie or Euch, the French vous, the Italian vi, were used, since by usage they also have the force of the singular number.

1256. Questions. - Query 1° Is the form of Baptism valid if it is said: I baptize thee in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, or in the name of Christ?

Resp. to the first: Negatively, at least probably, because in such a form the individual persons of the Holy Trinity are not expressed sufficiently distinctly; since the word Trinity signifies the persons only confusedly and implicitly; but Christ willed that they be expressed distinctly, as is clear from Matthew, the last chapter.⁴ - Thus commonly.⁵

Resp. to the second: Negatively, at least a fortiori, because the Trinity is in no way expressed by the words in the name of Christ. - Thus all, at least now after St. Thomas,⁶ and it is clear from Canon Law.⁷ St. Alphonsus proves this from Acts 19. 2.⁸

Query 2° Is Baptism valid if to the customary form there is added: and in the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

Resp. A distinction must be made. It is not valid if someone doing this intends to confer Baptism in the name of the Blessed Virgin, namely by attributing to such names true efficacy for the value of Baptism. - But otherwise, if he does it from importunate devotion.⁹