Chapter III. On the Minister of Baptism

I say 1st. § 1. The ordinary minister of solemn baptism is a priest; but its conferral is reserved to the parish priest or to another priest with the permission of the same parish priest or of the Ordinary of the place, which in a case of necessity is legitimately presumed (Can. 738).

This is clear from the Council of Florence in the Decree of Union, from the Roman Ritual, de Baptismo, and from the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore, where at n. 227 it is read thus: "The ordinary Minister of Baptism is the Bishop in his Diocese, the Parish Priest in his Parish. Hence worthy of very grave rebuke are priests who rashly baptize infants offered to them from another parish or diocese, when they could easily have been baptized by their own Pastor. This abuse, already noted by the Sixth Provincial Council of Baltimore, we again condemn and prohibit."

In another's territory it is licit for no one, without due permission, to confer solemn baptism, not even upon inhabitants of his own place (Can. 739).

I say 2nd. Any human being using reason, whether man or woman, whether Catholic or heretic, whether believer or unbeliever, is the extraordinary Minister of Baptism, so that he can always baptize validly and, in necessity, also licitly. The extraordinary minister of solemn baptism is the deacon; yet he is not to use his power without the permission of the local Ordinary or of the parish priest, to be granted for a just cause, which, where necessity urges, is legitimately presumed (Can. 741). The first is drawn from the Council of Florence in the Decree of Union and from the universal practice of the Church. But the other is clear from the Roman Pontifical, or from the Instruction of the Bishop to Deacons while he ordains them. Cf. Second Plenary Council of Baltimore, n. 228.

Where parishes or quasi-parishes have not yet been constituted, account must be taken of particular statutes and received customs, so that it may be clear to which priest, besides the Ordinary, the right of baptizing belongs in the whole territory or in part of it (Can. 740).

You Will Resolve. 1st. Parents sin who, outside the case of necessity, bring their offspring to be baptized by other priests; for by acting thus they violate the right of their own Pastor. Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 114.

2nd. With permission either express or tacit, or even reasonably presumed, outsiders can be baptized, but then the alms, if any is had, must be remitted to the proper Pastor. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 115.

3rd. § 2. Even a traveler is to be solemnly baptized by his proper parish priest in his own parish, if this can easily and without delay be done; otherwise any parish priest in his own territory can solemnly baptize the traveler (Can. 738).

4th. § 1. Non-solemn Baptism, of which in can. 759, § 1, can be ministered by anyone, with due matter, form, and intention being preserved; but insofar as it can be done, two witnesses, or at least one, are to be employed, by whom the conferral of baptism can be proved (Can. 742).

5th. The order to be observed among the different Ministers of Baptism is thus described in the Roman Ritual: "If . . . a Priest is present, let him be preferred to a Deacon, a Deacon to a Subdeacon, a Cleric to a layman, and a man to a woman, unless for the sake of modesty it is fitting that a woman rather than a man baptize, or unless the woman knows better the form and manner of baptizing." Tit. II, c. 1, n. 16. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 117. - Lehmkuhl, n. 67.

§ 3. It is not licit for a father or mother to baptize his or her own offspring except in danger of death, when another who may baptize is not at hand (Can. 742).

Let the parish priest take care that the faithful, especially midwives, physicians, and surgeons, thoroughly learn the right manner of baptizing for a case of necessity (Can. 743).

The baptism of adults, where it can conveniently be done, is to be referred to the local Ordinary, so that, if he wills, it may be conferred more solemnly by him or by his delegate (Can. 744).