AP Arizona

EXPLAINER: Why are thousands of baptisms deemed invalid?

Published February 16, 2022 2:17 PM

By PETER SMITH and NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

Catholic officials say words matter. So when they learned that a priest in Phoenix had been using the wrong baptismal formula for years, they said those baptisms were invalid. Thousands are affected. The priest had said “We baptize you” instead of “I baptize you.” The Vatican said that it’s not the “we” of the congregation doing the baptizing, but the “I” of Jesus Christ. Church leaders said baptism is crucial to get right because it’s the way to salvation. At the same time, they’re not saying those affected are in danger of hell — that God can save in other ways.

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