Catholic group asks Bishop Morlino to support baptism for children of gay couples

[rug]

Posted: Jul 31, 2014 7:39 PM EDT
Updated: Jul 31, 2014 7:39 PM EDT
By Craig Czarnecki

MADISON (WKOW) -- Madison Catholics are urging Bishop Robert Morlino to clearly support baptism for children of gay parents.

A small group of Catholics delivered more than 20,000 petition signatures asking to end the scrutiny on Thursday.

They want Bishop Morlino to clarify his position on the issue, and rescind the requirement that local priests flag such baptisms for further scrutiny.

Elizabeth Fixmer from Fort Atkinson says, "The tenet of the catholic church, is baptism is an extremely important sacrament, he is saying you're not welcome because of so-called sins of your parents."

http://www.wkow.com/story/26167736/2014/07/31/catholic-group-asks-bishop-morlino-to-support-baptism-for-children-of-gay-couples

How is this even a question?

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

1. What is the applicable law?

The relevant bit from the Code of Canon Law is:

Can. 867 §1. Parents are obliged to take care that infants are baptized in the first few weeks; as soon as possible after the birth or even before it, they are to go to the pastor to request the sacrament for their child and to be prepared properly for it.

§2. An infant in danger of death is to be baptized without delay.

Can. 868 §1. For an infant to be baptized licitly:

1/ the parents or at least one of them or the person who legitimately takes their place must consent;

2/ there must be a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic religion; if such hope is altogether lacking, the baptism is to be delayed according to the prescripts of particular law after the parents have been advised about the reason.

(The other things in the law about baptism of infants refers to infants in danger of death.)

Nothing about the status of the parents is mentioned. Bishop Morlino is just being homophobic.

[rug]

2. That's how I read it.

It reminds me of the late, unlamented canon law on bastardry.