Baptizing infants, Pope speaks of 'adventure of being disciples'
January 11, 2010
Pope Benedict XVI baptized 14 infants in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday, January 10, in a traditional ceremony marking the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The Holy Father said that the 7 boys and 7 girls were beginning “the joyful and exciting adventure of being disciples.”
The Pope noted that St. John the Baptist encouraged a baptism of repentance. Such repentance is certainly an important aspect of Christian life, he said: “Indeed, we cannot aspire to a new world while wallowing in selfishness and in the habits of sin.” But the sacramental Baptism that the Church offers her children is a more profound thing, he said; it makes the baptized children of God.
Baptism also carries responsibilities, the Pope continued. Those who are baptized in Christ have a duty to convey the faith to others. Today, the Pontiff remarked, “the faith is a gift to be rediscovered, cultivated, and witnessed.”
The Sunday baptisms were performed during a Mass in the Sistine Chapel. As in previous years, the Holy Father celebrated the Eucharistic liturgy using the ad orientem posture.
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