Lefebvre, M. Denise

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The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 7 | Number 1 Article 7January 1939The Unborn ChildM. Denise LefebvreFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqRecommended CitationLefebvre, M. Denise (1939) "The Unborn Child," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 7 : No. 1 , Article 7.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol7/iss1/7THE LINACRE QU ARTER L Y THE UNBORN CHILD By SISTER M. D ENISE LEFEBVRE, R.N., B.S.* The unb_orn or partially born infants a re suitable subj ects fo1· Baptism because a human foetus is informed by a 1·ation a l soul at the first moment of concep-tion, and hence is capable of attaining regeneration through Baptism. In the case of a mis-carriage, even if it happens very early, the embryo should be bap-tized because it has an immortal soul. Canon 747. Abortive foetuses, no mat-ter at what stage of pregnancy they are born, shall be baptized absolutely if they are certainly alive and conditionally if life is doubtful.' The following quotation gives the practical way of baptizing a foetus: If the embryo can be recognized, take it in your fingers, break the membranes, and dip it under the water and lift it out again while you pronounce the words of Baptism. In case you cannot recognize the embryo at all, pour water on the blood clot in the miscarriage, and pro-nounce the words of Baptism. In either case, you would confer the Baptism con-ditionally! The difficult cases of abnormal birth are treated in some of the Canons of the Code of Canon Law. It might be well to quote the Canons so as to make this expla n -ation clearer. Canon 746. 1. No child shall be bap-tized in the womb if there is a probable hope that it may be born alive and then baptized.• • Reprinted by courtesy of the Catho-lic Hospital Association, from an address delivered at the Convention. The validity of Baptism re-quires that the water come in con-tact with the child, therefore, it is clear that it cannot be per-formed on a foetus which is not viable unless the membranes have mptured of themselves. To rup-ture the membranes deliberately in such case . would obviously be direct abortion which of course is never justifi a ble. It should be understood that no one can bring about the death of the child or endanger the life of the mother in order to baptize the child. If the child is viable the membranes may be ruptured and Baptism per-formed by using an aseptic syringe filled with boiled water or a weak antiseptic solution ( a solu-tion of 2 to 3 per cent would not render the Baptism invalid). If the uterine Baptism is performed it should be repeated conditionally a fter the child is born.' Canon 746. 5. A foetus baptized in the womb shall be again baptized condi-tionally after birth. • Other difficult cases a1·e also given a solution in the following canons: Canon 746. 2. If the head of the child is born and there is danger of death, it shall be baptized on the head; nor shall it be again baptized conditionally if it is born alive.• 3. If another member is born first and there is the same danger, the child shall be baptized on that member; but if the child is then born alive, it shall be bap-tized again conditionally. [ 15 ] THE LINAORE QUARTERLY Canon 748. All mong,trous and remark-able foetuses shall be baptized at least conditionally; · if there is doubt as to whether there is more than one human being in the birth, one shall be baptized absolutely and the others conditionally. Canon 746. 4-. If a mother dies during pregnancy the foetus shall be extracted by those whose duty it is and, if it is certainly alive, it shall be baptized abso-lutely; if there is doubt as to whether it is alive, it shall be baptized conditionally.' In this last case it is ordinarily agreed that there is no obligation of performing the operation be-fore the sixteenth week of preg-nancy, and it is evident that be-fore the operation is performed there must be certainty of the mother's death. For such opera-tion the consent of the husband should be had, and if he refuses it may not be done. However, he should be made to understand that if the operation is performed, it will procure for the child an eter-nity of happiness. "The faith-ful," says the Sacred Congrega-tion of the Holy Office, "will not take it amiss that the body of the deceased mother be operated upon to administer Baptism, thus to save the eternal and perchance the temporal life of the child, when they call to mind that our Saviour permitted His Sacred Side to be opened with a lance for our sal-vation." To conclude we may say that for an infant the only personal condition required for the valid reception of the Sacrament is that he be alive. But if we cannot dis-cern whether or not he is alive, Baptism should be given because if there is probability of life there is also a possibility of salvation by the reception of the Sacrament. However, since there is doubt, out of respect for the Sacrament, it should be administered condition-ally. As for the extent of a prob-able continuation of life in a foetus when death is apparent, it is impossible to verify, but we know that the only sure signs of death are decomposition and putrefaction. Consequently, we should baptize the child condi-tionally if those signs have not appeared." How many souls by this means might be raised to Heaven who otherwise must remain forever de-prived of the sight of God. REFERENCES I. Canon 747, quoted by Rev. A. Bonnar, O.F.M., The Catholic Doctor, p. 94. 2. Rev. Bowdern, S.J., op. cit., p. 11. 3. Canon 746, par. I, quoted by Bonnar, op. cit., p. 94. 4-. Rev. Bonnar, op." cit., pp. 95, 96. 5. Canon 746, par. 5, quoted by Rev. Bonnar, op. cit., p. 95. 6. "If the head of the child is born," this should be understood, I think, of the complete birth of the head. If the head is completely born and the child is then baptized before complete de-livery, the Baptism is not to be re-peated after birth. Reverend A. Bonnar, O.F.M., The Catholic Doctor. 7. Canons 746, par. S and 4-, and Canon 748, quoted by Rev. Bonnar, op. cit., pp. 94 and 95. 8. Rev. Ferreres, S.J., op. cit., p. 22. [ 16 1 

The Unborn Child

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The Unborn Child

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