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The resignation of a priest who baptized thousands of believers by false formula

The resignation of a priest who baptized thousands of believers by false formula

An American Catholic priest baptized believers for many years using false words. The clergy submitted his resignation and thousands of baptisms were invalid.

“Father, Son, we baptize you in the name of the Holy Spirit”. It was while uttering these words that the American Catholic priest Andres Arango baptized thousands of believers for 20 years in his church located in the Diocese of Phoenix in the state of Arizona in the southwestern United States. — United.

However, the word is not correct. In all these years, Father Arango must have said, “I baptize you,” instead of using the nickname “We baptize you.” A small discrepancy in the words, but lost the bishop’s title and his life in the Catholic Church, the American Chain reported this Tuesday CNN. The cleric submitted his resignation on February 1.

Aid site placed online by the Diocese

The problem with using “us” is that baptism of a person is not a community, it is Christ, and he alone presides over all the rites, so it is Christ Jesus who baptizes. “

According to the bishop, the Vatican Council for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2020 stated that baptism given with the formula “We baptize” should be invalidated and individuals should be re-baptized. The Diocese of Phoenix has launched a website for help and information for anyone who thinks they have been falsely baptized.

Thousands of baptisms may be affected

“It saddens me to learn that I have been wrongly baptized using the wrong formula all my life as a priest,” the person concerned responded in a public message. “I’m so sorry for my mistake, how it affected so many in your church and elsewhere.”

Bishop Thomas Olmstead added that he did not believe Father Andres Unrango had intended to harm his church by using these words for years. The latter will continue to be a priest, and he is committed to helping thousands of people affected by the mistaken baptism.