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Catholic World News News Feature

Martyr's descendant baptized "too late" May 13, 2004

A descendant of the martyr St, John Almond has been barred from his local primary school for being baptized "too late."

Alexander Payne, aged five, has been refused a place at St. Bernadette's Catholic School in Brighton, England, because he was baptized after the age of two.

The rule regarding age was designed to stop children being baptized simply to get into the school. But his parents, Chris and Judith Payne, are planning to take legal action.

Chris Payne told the BBC he was made aware of the baptism rule once they applied to the school for a place, despite regularly attending St. Bernadette's Church for the eight years they have lived in the parish.

He said, "We've tried to persuade the school that that isn't really a good definition of a Catholic given the fact that they weren't communicating any of these rules within the parish."

Judith Payne added, "There's no way they can justify [early baptism] as a measure of Catholicism, yet that's what they've chosen to do."

Alexander, whose ancestor John Almond was canonized in 1970, was baptized just a few weeks after his second birthday.

The Paynes have appealed against the decision by the Catholic school but lost, and their son now attends a school two miles away from their home.