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A Phoenix metropolitan area pastor has resigned from his position as minister of St. Gregory Catholic Church after a technicality in baptism rites caused thousands of baptisms performed by the minister to become invalidated.
Father Andres Arango had been faithfully performing the sacraments at his parish in Phoenix for seven years when his error became public knowledge. In performing the sacrament of baptism, the priest is meant to say “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Father Arango had been saying "WE baptize you in the name of..." instead of "I."
The Catholic Diocese of Phoenix ultimately made the call to expose the minister's error and make it public.
“It is not the community that baptizes a person and incorporates them into the Church of Christ; rather, it is Christ, and Christ alone, who presides at all sacraments,” said the diocese.
“Therefore, it is Christ who baptizes. If you were baptized using the wrong words, that means your baptism is invalid, and you are not baptized.”
So I guess all those kids are going to hell, right? \n\n(Nothing could better prove the ludicrousness of dogmatic religion than stupidity like this.)https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/02/15/catholic-priest-wrong-word-baptisms-invalid/\u00a0\u2026— Gerry Conway Got the Shots and Lived (@Gerry Conway Got the Shots and Lived) 1644942786
The Catholic Church has ruled that 20 years of baptisms by priest Andres Arango are invalid b/c he said, \u201cWe baptize you in the name\u2026.etc\u201d instead of \u201cI baptize you\u2026\u201d So, you\u2019re going to Hell b/c he said \u201cWe\u201d instead of \u201cI\u201d. Your marriage is invalid, your kids are bastards\u2026— LiberalNavySeal1 (@LiberalNavySeal1) 1644889144
Another sign of the demise of the Catholic Church. More concern about a minor error, disrupting hundreds of lives, than for sexual molestations. Stupid and disgusting \n\nBaptisms by Phoenix priest Andres Arango are invalid because he used the wrong word.https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/02/15/catholic-priest-wrong-word-baptisms-invalid/\u00a0\u2026— Ray Robidoux (@Ray Robidoux) 1644942384
Why should parishioners be punished for his error? They followed through in good faith which should be recognized as such!— Diane (@Diane) 1644912456
Father Arango was also serving in California prior to his assignment in Arizona for over 13 years. Over two decades worth of baptisms have been rendered invalid by this minute error, at the Church's discretion.
While in daily life not much will change, for those whose communities are within the Catholic church, the invalidation of the sacrament of Baptism also invalidates all sacraments performed thereafter.
That means communions, confirmations, marriages, children's baptisms, reconciliation, and other lifelong sacraments offered by the church would also be taken away from parishioners whose Baptism was commuted over the word "we."
Really?! I do not believe that God is petty. One word...stop it. It was a mistake, give God more credit and respect than that. Those people are covered by the Lord. Stop it.— Latisha Evans- Owner Moira (@Latisha Evans- Owner Moira) 1644912805
Pretty sure God doesn\u2019t care about the wording, but rather the intention of the heart\u2026.— Frank O (@Frank O) 1644913781
Where do these ridiculous rules come from? When I was in parochial school in the 50s the left-handed kids were told they were possessed by the devil. I guess not much has changed.— Jim (@Jim) 1644913757
Back when I was in Catholic high school, our religion teacher, a priest, told us that when people screw up a liturgy. Eg, dont use the right words, etc, "God (or the Church, I'm not 100% sure which) provides". It seems like that would apply here. This is ridiculous.— Annie (@Annie) 1644931602
Community members are upset with the Church and the pastor's resignation.
"He always remembers everyone that he meets by name and just makes you feel special," said Evelyn Ortega, whose infant daughter Luana was baptized by Father Arango last year.
"I don't think ... that it was something that he did on purpose at all....We support him because he is giving us an example of humility and obedience."
RIDICULOUS Feb 15: He used "we" and not "I"? No wonder people stay away from Church and think we Christians are weird #Baptismhttps://twitter.com/CNN/status/1493495576524165120\u00a0\u2026— Cheri DiNovo (@Cheri DiNovo) 1644951546
I think Jesus is a pretty understanding fellow. He\u2019ll probably give you a pass on using one wrong word - it\u2019s the thought and intent that matters. Besides, he\u2019s busy with all the famine and war in this world. This has to be inconsequential to Him.— \u2665 Season \u2665 \ud83e\udde2 (@\u2665 Season \u2665 \ud83e\udde2) 1644918252
If God and His blessings are so easily assigned or invalidated by one single misspoken word, it begs the question of who actually holds the power here...God or man.— Joel Conner (@Joel Conner) 1644953170
In related news, it turns out a priest in Florida might have performed several hundred invalid marriage ceremonies because after saying "I now pronounce you husband and wife" he would commonly add, "How the hell were you able to get her?"— Tomo G (@Tomo G) 1644943218
Father Arango submitted his resignation as pastor of St. Gregory's effective Feb 1.
"It saddens me to learn that I have performed invalid baptisms throughout my ministry as a priest by regularly using an incorrect formula," Arango said in a statement.
"I deeply regret my error and how this has affected numerous people in your parish and elsewhere."
But parishioners do not blame the reverend at all.
"As a faithful person, I believe that she is baptized," Ortega said. "If it has to be done again for it to be on paper and for me to be able to get her sacraments and be able to move forward then I will do it."
Whether or not Father Arango will return to the community is unclear, but the diocese says he will spend his time in the near future helping and healing those who are behind on their sacraments.