Madeleine's Baptism

Part 2 of Madeleine's Baptism Day

Here follows a commentary of Madeleine's Baptism using the text I produced in the booklets (which you can clearly see being used in the pictures!)

I will also put posts up on the Votive Mass to Our Lady which preceded the Baptism, and Madeleine's consecration to Our Lady which followed the Baptism, both at the Oratory's magnificent Lady Altar (complete with the most wonderful photos of course!)

Enjoy!

PART I: OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

THE QUESTIONING

The Priest addresses Madeleine directly and asks:

PRIEST: What do you ask of the Church of God?

GODPARENTS: Faith.

PRIEST: What does Faith offer you?

GODPARENTS: Life everlasting.

PRIEST: If then you desire to enter into life, keep the commandments. ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.’

THE EXSUFFLATION

The priest blows gently with his breath onto the face of Madeleine three times in the form of a cross, saying:

Exi ab ea, immúnde spíritus, et da locum Spirítui Sancto Paráclito.

Go forth from her, unclean spirit, and give place to the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

Then he traces the sign of the cross with his thumb upon Madeleine’s forehead and upon her chest, saying:

Receive the sign of the cross upon your fore + head and upon your + heart. Know that you are bound now by a heavenly rule of life, and let your conduct henceforth prove you fit to be a living temple of God.

Let us pray.

Hear our prayer, Lord God, and guard this chosen servant Madeleine. May thy strength never fail her now, for we have traced upon her the sign of Christ’s cross. May she always remember what she learns of thy greatness and thy glory. May she keep thy commandments and be worthy, she too, to have glory, the glory of new life in thee.

Through Christ our Lord.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

IMPOSITION OF HANDS

Then he places his hand on the child’s head saying:

Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, look upon this thy servant Madeleine, whom thou hast called to the first lessons of the Faith. Drive out of her all blindness of heart; break the bonds of Satan which have bound her. Open to her, O Lord, the door of thy mercy. Steeped in this symbol of thy wisdom may she no longer be tainted with evil desires, but rather spread about her the fragrance of thy commandments, as she serves thee happily in thy Church and grows holier with each passing day.

Through Christ our Lord.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

IMPOSITION OF SALT

Then he blesses some salt, which may be kept for use on future occasions. Salt is the symbol of that wisdom which gives a relish for the sweetness of divine nourishment; preserves, by the teaching of the Gospel, from the corruption of sin, and prevents evil passions from growing in men's souls.

Exorcízo te, creatúra salis, in nomine Dei + Patris omnipoténtis, et in caritáte Dómini nostri Iesu + Christi, et in virtúte Spíritus + Sancti. Exorcízo te per Deum + vivum, per Deum + verum, per Deum + sanctum, per Deum +, qui te ad tutélam humáni generis procreávit, et pópulo veniénti ad credulitátem per servos suos consecrári præcépit, ut in nomine sanctæ Trinitátis efficiáris salutáre sacraméntum ad effugándum inimícum. Proínde rogámus te, Dómine Deus noster, ut hanc creatúram salis sanctificándo sanctí+fices, et benedicéndo bene+dícas, ut fiat omnibus accipiéntibus perfécta medicína, pérmanens in viscéribus eórum, in nomine eiúsdem Dómini nostri Iesu Christi, qui ventúrus est iudicáre vivos et mórtuos, et sǽculum per ignem.

Amen.

I adjure thee in the name of God the Father + almighty, in the love of Jesus Christ + our Lord, in the power of the Holy + Spirit. I adjure thee through the living, + true + and holy + God, the God + who made thee for the well-being of the human race, and commanded thee to be hallowed by his servants for the use of those who come to the knowledge of him by faith. In the name of the Holy Trinity, through thee may Satan be put to flight. Wherefore, O Lord our God, we beseech thee, sanctify + this salt and bless + it; and make of it a sovereign remedy to linger within the inmost being of all who partake of it. In the name of that same Lord Jesus Christ, who is to come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire.

Amen.

He then puts a little of the blessed salt in Madeleine’s mouth, and says:

Receive this salt, learning from it how to relish what is right and good. May it make your way easy to eternal life.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

PRIEST: Peace be with you.

ALL REPLY: And also with you.

PRIEST: Let us pray.

God of our fathers, O God with whom all truth begins, look upon thy servant Madeleine who now has tasted salt as the first nourishment at thy table. Do not leave her hungry. Give to her soul food in abundance, that she may be eager, hopeful and lighthearted in the service of thy Name. Lead her we pray thee, to the waters of new Life, that, with all who are faithful to thee, she may merit the eternal rewards thou hast promised.

Through Christ our Lord.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

PART II: ENTRANCE TO THE CHURCH

EXORCISM

The priest makes the sign of the cross three times over Madeleine and says

Exorcízo te, immúnde spíritus, in nomine Pa+tris, et Fí+lii, et Spíritus + Sancti, ut éxeas, et recédas ab hac fámula Dei Madeleine. Ipse enim tibi ímperat, maledícte damnáte qui pédibus super mare ambulávit, et Petro mergénti déxteram porréxit. Ergo, maledícte diábole, recognósce senténtiam tuam, et da honórem Deo vivo et vero, da honórem Iesu Christo Fílio eius, et Spirítui Sancto, et recéde ab hac fámula Dei Madeleine, quia istam sibi Deus et Dóminus noster Iesus Christus ad suam sanctam grátiam, et benedictiónem, fontémque Baptísmatis vocáre dignátus est.

I adjure thee, unclean spirit, in the name of the Father + and of the Son + and of the Holy + Ghost to depart and remain far away from this servant of God Madeleine. He commands thee now who walked dry-shod upon the waters, and when Peter would have perished in the sea stretched out to him his saving hand. And do, accursed spirit, give heed to the sentence passed upon thee. Give honour to the living and true God, give honour to Jesus Christ his son, and to the Holy Ghost, and begone from this servant of God Madeleine; for God and our Lord Jesus Christ in his goodness has called her to his holy grace and blessing and to the waters of baptism.

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

The priest again traces the sign of the cross upon Madeleine’s forehead saying:

Et hoc signum santæ Cru+cis, quod nos fronti eius damus, tu, maledícte diábole, numquam áudeas violáre. Per eúmdem Christum Dóminum nostrum.

And this sign of the holy Cross +, which we put upon her forehead, do thou, foul spirit, never dare to violate.

Through Christ our Lord.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

IMPOSITION OF HANDS

For the last time he puts his hand upon Madeleine’s forehead and says:

Let us pray.

Holy Lord and Father, almighty and eternal God, author of light and of truth, we ask thy never-failing and kind fatherly love for this thy servant Madeleine. Enlighten her in thy goodness with the light of thy own understanding. Cleanse her and sanctify her; give her true knowledge; that made worthy by the grace of thy Baptism she may be endowed with unwavering hope, sound judgement and a firm grasp of holy doctrine.

Through Christ our Lord.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

THE ADMISSION INTO THE CHURCH

The priest lays the left-side end of his stole upon Madeleine as a symbol of his priestly authority, and leads her into the church (which is the symbol of the Church of Christ) saying as he does so:

Come into the temple of God, that your lot may be with Christ in life eternal.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

THE CREDO AND PATER

When they have entered the church, the priest leads the way to the font, saying aloud with the godparents in the name of the child, the Credo and Pater:

PRIEST & GODPARENTS: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

PRIEST & GODPARENTS: Pater noster, qui es in cælis, sanctificétur nomen tuum. Advéniat regnum tuum. Fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo, et in terra. Panem nostrum cotidiánum da nobis hódie. Et dimítte nobis débita nostra, sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris. Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem: sed líbera nos a malo. Amen.

PART III: IN THE NAVE OF THE CHURCH

THE SOLEMN EXORCISM

The priest, making the sign of the cross over Madeleine three times, says

Exorcízo te, omnis spíritus immúnde, in nómine Dei + Patris omnipoténtis, et in nómine Iesu + Christi Fílii eius, Dómine et Iúdicis nostri, et in virtúte Spíritus + Sancti, ut discédas ab hoc plásmate Dei Madeleine, quod Dóminus noster ad templum sanctum suum vocáre dignátus est, ut fiat templum Dei vivi, et Spíritus Sanctus hábitet in eo. Per eúmdem Christum Dóminum nostrum, qui ventúrus est iudicáre vivos et mórtuos, et sǽculum per ignem.

Amen.

I adjure you, each and every unclean spirit, in the name of God the Father + almighty, in the name of Jesus Christ + his Son, our Lord and our judge, and by the power of the Holy + Spirit, to be gone from this image of God Madeleine, whom our Lord in his goodness has called to his holy temple that she herself may become a temple of God, and the Holy Ghost may dwell in her. Through the same Christ our Lord, who will come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire.

Amen.

THE EPHPHETA

The priest touches first the ears and then the nostrils of Madeleine. Traditionally this was performed with a little spittle, which reflects our Lord’s actions from Mark 7:33-35, when He healed the deaf-mute: "And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears: and spitting, he touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: “Ephpheta”, which is, “Be thou opened.” And immediately his ears were opened and the string of his tongue was loosed and he spoke right."

PRIEST: Ephpheta, quod est, Adaperíre.

Ephpheta, which is: Be thou open.

(then he touches the nostrils and says:)

In odórem suavitátis. Tu autem effugáre, diábole; appropinquábit enim iudícium Dei.

To the sweet fragrance about you. As for thee, evil spirit, get thee gone; for God’s judgement is upon thee.

RENUNCIATION OF SATAN

The godparents answer in the name of the child.

PRIEST: Do you renounce Satan?

GODPARENTS: I do renounce him.

PRIEST: And all his works?

GODPARENTS: I do renounce them.

PRIEST: And all his pomps?

GODPARENTS: I do renounce them.

THE ANOINTING

The priest anoints Madeleine with the oil of catechumens on the chest and between the shoulders in the form of a cross, saying:

I anoint you with this + saving oil in Christ Jesus our Lord, that you may have eternal life.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

The priest takes his violet stole off and puts on a white one. Then he enters the baptistery, followed by the godparents with Madeleine.

PART IV: AT THE FONT

THE PROFESSION OF FAITH

The priest addresses Madeleine, and the godparents answer on her behalf:

PRIEST: Madeleine, do you believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?

GODPARENTS: I do believe.

PRIEST: Do you believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, who was born into this world and who suffered for us?

GODPARENTS: I do believe.

PRIEST: Do you believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting?

GODPARENTS: I do believe.

PRIEST: Madeleine, are you willing to be baptised?

GODPARENTS: I am.

BAPTISM

While the godparents hold Madeleine (the godmother holds her in her arms, the godfather touches her shoulder with his right hand), the priest pours baptismal water on her head three times in the form of a cross, distinctly saying:

Ego te baptízo in nominee Pa+tris,

et Fí+lii,


et Spíritus + Sancti

ANOINTING WITH CHRISM

Then the priest anoints Madeleine’s head with the oil of sacred chrism in the form of a cross saying:

May almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given you new life through water and the Holy Ghost, and forgiven you all your sins, (Here he anoints Madeleine) himself anoint you with saving + Chrism in the same Christ Jesus our Lord, that you may have eternal life.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

PRIEST: Peace be with you.

ALL REPLY: And also with you.

THE WHITE LINEN CLOTH

Then the priest puts a white knitted shawl (symbolizing the purity of a soul cleansed from all sin, and a relic of the days when the newly baptized wore white albs for 8 days) on the head of the child saying:

Take this white garment, and see that you carry it without stain before the judgement seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you may have eternal life.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

THE LIGHTED CANDLE

The priest gives the godparents, on behalf of Madeleine, a lighted candle saying:

Receive this burning light and see thou guard the grace of thy baptism without blame; keep the commandments of God, so that when the Lord shall come to call thee to the nuptials, thou mayest meet Him with all the saints in the heavenly courts, there to live for ever and ever.

ALL REPLY: Amen.

LAST WORDS OF GOOD WILL

PRIEST: Go in peace Madeleine, and the Lord be with you.

ALL REPLY: Amen.




To read more of my reflections from the Baptism, see my earlier post.

Part 1: The Mass
Part 3: The Consecration

All the colour photos contained in this post are courtesy of Mr. Peter Gosling and are copyrighted to him.