Section I. On Infants

Preliminary Note. When Baptism is in question, under the name of little children or infants, according to the norm of canon 88, § 3, come those who have not yet attained the use of reason, and to these are reckoned the insane from infancy, in whatever age they may be constituted¹ (canon 745, § 2, 1).

I. Infants before the use of reason can be baptized validly. This is of faith from the Council of Trent.²

II. Infants must already be baptized before the use of reason. Now:

1. It is clear that this is prescribed under grave obligation and by divine law itself if danger of death is imminent.

2. Outside danger of death, there is the obligation of baptizing them as soon as possible, as is clear from canon 770 in these words: Infants are to be baptized as soon as possible; and pastors and preachers are frequently to remind the faithful of this grave obligation of theirs.

It is disputed how much delay, if the infant is healthy, is to be considered grave. Some say fifteen or more days, others one or another day, others with St. Alphonsus (VI, 118) require a delay which exceeds ten or eleven days; this estimation of the holy Doctor is to some extent confirmed by the Instruction of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation concerning the visitations of bishops.³

¹ Those of seven years are presumed to have the use of reason; those not yet seven are presumed not to have the use of reason (canon 88, § 3).

² Session 5, canon 4.

³ N. 148 (A.A.S., vol. II, p. 39).