Apr
8
Pro Life Corner
April 8, 2008 |
ProLife Corner by Karen
March 15, 2008
The issue of the fate of children who die without the benefit of baptism is one which evokes much emotion (understandably – how many of us have lost children to miscarriage, and were unable to baptize them, through no one’s fault?) And, of course, the issue of abortion, and the fate of these children already cruelly murdered, tends to evoke even stronger feelings over their fate, from a simple sense of justice! Could God refuse these little ones, who already suffered so much in their innocence, to also suffer the loss of the happiness of heaven? It hardly seems so.
Yet, as obedient children of God, we have a duty to understand as clearly and correctly as we can: Just what does God – through His church - say?
I would refer all to the Catechism of the Catholic Church to explore this question. I ask the reader to do two things, however:
1.) Recognize that the truth cannot be changed or denied in any way because we have certain, strong feelings about it, and
2.) Be willing to share the truth as it is, of course with the undeniable knowledge that God is merciful.A very brief summary of what the Church has always taught, and continues to teach, is that children who die without the benefit of baptism are, “left to the mercy of God.” Please note that this teaching does NOT add, ‘therefore they are in heaven.’ So, we have every reason to HOPE they may be, especially as we implore this grace from God on their behalf.
This leads to the reason I chose to focus on this subject at all for this, my first issue:
There is a prayer which, by the grace of God, we became aware of and have been praying daily for about 10 years now, which is a “Spiritual Baptism of the Unborn.” Though written in response to the tragedy of abortion, the actual spiritual baptism asks that “all who are born this day dead may reach everlasting life…” – so I lay that claim for all miscarried babies as well (including two of my own, and three of my grandchildren.) Now, this is purely personal belief on my part, but I see this prayer (and God knows – maybe there have always been prayers like this offered to God for the un-baptised babies) as “the mercy of God!”, that He would accept this humble effort to follow His words concerning the necessity of baptism for salvation as best we can, under these circumstances.
God Bless, Karen
Prayer for Aborted Infants from Radio Rosary PO Box 9608 Pittsburg, PA 15226 USA
Dear little infant Jesus,
in honor of thy Holy Birth, and through thy Holy Mother, I pray that the innocents who will this day be murdered may find refuge and eternal glory before the throne of our Heavenly Father.Spiritual Baptism of the Unborn First recite the Apostles Creed and continue with “That all who were born this day dead may reach everlasting life through Jesus Christ, Mary, Joseph, John and today’s patron St. __________, if it be acceptable to Almighty God, I Baptize you, “ (Sprinkle Holy Water to the North, South East and West of your home or church), “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Amen.
End with Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
As I typed up Karen’s first Pro Life corner article I noticed the date. That was the 20th Anniversary of Jeff and I losing our first child to miscarriage. I had been Blessed to have a Mother who gave me a little book from the Open Window called The Mother’s Manual which included a prayer for a Conditional Baptism. Since my miscarriage happened at a Catholic hospital I was assured that a Conditional Baptism would be said even before the confirming examination of tissue. A conditional Baptism states that ‘if it is possible to receive the graces of baptism then I Baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’ (I highly recommend the book as it contains every imaginable prayer a woman could even need from discernment over marriage, birth, death, widowhood, wayward children etc.)Therefore I ask my Veronica to pray for each of you this month and my Matthias as well. I, like Karen, have prayed for and trusted in God’s mercy toward these innocents and am assured through that HOPE that they enjoy the presence of God.
Peace, Mary
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