Baptizing Grandchildren Secretly

Pat McCloskey, OFM, addressed the dilemma of grandparents considering the secret baptism of grandchildren who live far away and cannot be raised in the Catholic faith. McCloskey stated that a grandparent made the right decision by not baptizing their grandchildren in such circumstances.

While McCloskey noted that the lack of baptism does not jeopardize a child's eternal salvation, he explained that the decision not to baptize is appropriate when the child is not in a position to be raised as a Catholic. He observed that while many parents baptize infants to share their faith, the specific circumstances of the family must be considered.