DOZENS - even hundreds - of Catholics in Brisbane may have been illicitly baptised in a bungle the church is now trying to correct.The Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane says the blunder may affect anyone baptised at the St Marys Catholic Church before 2004.
The notice has been issued after a fresh directive this week from the Catholic Church in Vatican City.
The baptisms used two illicit formulas: "I baptise you in the name of the Creator and of the Redeemer and of the Sanctifier and "I baptise you in the in the name of the Creator and of the Liberator and of the Sustainer.
The legitimate formula is "I baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.''
The chancellor of the diocese, Father Jim Spence, said the priests at the parish were ordered to revert to the traditional formula in 2004 but that some people may still be unaware their baptisms were wrongly administered.
He said he was unaware how many people it may affect.
The church is currently considering whether there will be a need for those illicitly baptised to have the ritual legitimately.
"It doesn't mean it's invalid, it just means it's illicit, he said.
"It doesn't mean that it didn't happen, it means that it shouldn't have happened."
"I guess (those affected) would have all sorts of reactions. I would hope that anybody whos troubled by it would get in touch.''
Baptism, the first of seven sacraments in the church, is the rite of initiation into the church and is usually administered shortly after birth.
Fr Spence said the illicit baptisms did not invalidate subsequent sacraments, including confirmation, penance and marriage.
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