Pope Benedict XVI baptized 21
infants and told their parents and godparents that educating them in the
faith will not be easy in today's society.
The liturgy Jan. 9 in the Sistine Chapel, enlivened by the cries of the
newly baptized and their siblings, marked the feast of the Baptism of
the Lord -- an event depicted in one of the splendid Renaissance
frescoes that adorn the walls of the chapel.
In his homily, the pope said the church encourages the baptism of
newborns as the "beginning of a path of holiness and conformity to
Christ."
He compared it to the planting of a seed that will one day turn
into a magnificent tree.
Naturally, he added, at a later age each of the baptized will need to
give their free and conscious assent to the faith.
That presupposes
that, as children, they will receive formation in Scripture and in
church teachings, he said.
This educational path is something the church, the parents and the godparents need to work together to provide, he said.
"Cooperation between the Christian community and the family is more
necessary than ever in the current social context, in which the
institution of the family is threatened on many sides, and must face
many problems in its mission of educating in the faith," he said.
He said rapid social changes and the weakening of cultural stability
make religious education a real challenge today. For that reason, he
said, the parish should make every effort to aid families in this task
of transmitting the faith to younger generations.
The infants baptized by the pope, 13 boys and eight girls, are children of Vatican employees.
Speaking at his noon blessing the same day, the pope underlined the
importance of baptism in the lives of all Christians, as well as the
"great responsibility" assumed by parents and godparents in the
sacrament.
SIC: CNS/EU-INT'L