Sacraments
Baptism, Including Infant Baptism
Baptism is not merely a symbol but truly washes away original sin and incorporates the recipient into Christ, a grace fittingly extended to infants.
Catholic teaching
Jesus taught that one must be born again 'of water and the Spirit' to enter God's kingdom, and the apostles baptized whole households, which in the ancient world naturally included young children. Since all inherit original sin and baptism is the ordinary means of removing it, the Church has always baptized infants rather than withholding this grace.
Biblical foundation
Peter on Pentecost promises that the gift of the Spirit through baptism is 'for you and your children.' Paul compares baptism to circumcision, the covenant sign administered to Jewish infants, calling it 'the circumcision of Christ.'
Scripture references
Historical evidence
Origen, writing around AD 244, states that the Church received the practice of baptizing infants 'from the apostles,' and archaeological evidence of infant burials with baptismal references confirms the practice was ancient and unquestioned in ordinary pastoral life.
The Church Fathers
“The Church received from the apostles the tradition of giving baptism even to infants.”