Cathal Barry
Fr Martin Whelan tells Cathal Barry about the key role priests play in the sacrament
“Even if this is the only time we will ever engage with the family, we have been invited into the sanctuary of their private lives. There is no greater lectern from which to preach the Gospel.”
These are the words Fr Martin Whelan choses to articulate the “golden opportunity” presented to the Church by the Sacrament of Baptism.
Galway’s diocesan secretary is adamant that simplicity should be the golden rule for clergy during the ceremony.
“It’s our job to make ourselves and our message understood,” he told The Irish Catholic, adding that “while some commentary is helpful there is a need to strike a balance”.
Significance
“If you assume that people need everything explained to them you can actually drown the significance of the little rituals in over explanation and it becomes more about the explanation than the ritual itself,” he says.
Acknowledging in a recent edition of The Furrow that “there are times when we really do wonder what it is that has brought a couple to request Baptism for their child”, Fr Whelan insists that regardless of the reasons for coming to the Sacrament of Baptism, “the moment when parents present their child for a public ceremony is precious to them”.
“This is a sacred moment in the life of their family. It provides a golden opportunity to speak about the mystery of our faith to people who are most attentive to life as a miracle,” he says.
Fr Whelan notes that “there are some people who only want us for rites of passage”. However, he warns, “there are others who want more and there are others still who want neither”.
“The point is that the couple or single parent who is presenting their child for Baptism is doing so because they want to. The reasons for their choice may not be clear or theologically correct but the parents are still choosing to be part of something in our Church.
“Regardless of their reasons for being in the church for the Baptism, there is an opportunity to preach the Gospel. When will you ever see these people again? Never, might you reply. Exactly; make this moment count. Make them feel welcome,” he urges.
All Baptisms, according to Fr Whelan, provide a “profound opportunity” to preach whether by homily or simple commentary throughout the ceremony.
“In these circumstances I find it helpful to start with the fact that this is a naming ceremony. There are unplanned and accidental pregnancies but there are no unplanned or accidental names.
“Whether it’s the name of a grandparent or a soccer player, the name is always precious to the parents. They have chosen it because it means something to them,” he says, adding “the choosing of a name is the most sacred thing a human being can do for another human being”.
“For all eternity this child will be known by this name. Parents, regardless of their level of faith, really respond to the acknowledgment of this. When this is pointed out and appreciation given to them on behalf of the child for the gift of a name together with the gift of life I find that it really draws the parents into the celebration.”
Baptism, according to Fr Whelan, may be a “once-off in the sense that it cannot be repeated but it is not a once-off if we think about how being made in the image of Jesus is a lifelong process”.
“Our whole life is Baptism. Baptism as a sacrament is a momentary expression of this lifelong miracle,” he says.
The Galway Cathedral curate doesn’t play down the role of the minister in “drawing people into or putting them off the mystery of the liturgy”.
“Clearly liturgy is not a performance, but people have an appreciation for a priest who is putting his heart into what he is doing. It is not good enough to simply carry out the ritual as described in the text.
“This does not mean that we treat the ritual as plastic, to be bent and twisted to our fancy,” he warns, adding, however, that “the ritual is greatly enhanced with a simple explanation at each of its significant moments”.
Challenging
While parents certainly understand the significances of naming, passing on values and setting example, Fr Whelan warns that it can be “challenging” to explain the most important aspect of Baptism; the fact that the child is being brought into the mystery of Jesus Christ.
“I find it helpful to compare the natural image of the child with obtaining the image of Jesus. As the child grows people will look for the parent’ image. Sometimes it will be obvious and other times it won’t. Baptism, and the life that follows Baptism, is about taking on the image of Jesus,” he says.
Acknowledging that it depends on the parish as to whether the ceremony can take place within the context of Mass or on its own, Fr Whelan indicates his preference for being able to celebrate the sacrament with one child for Baptism.
“This is not possible in all parishes,” he admits, adding, however, that “when it is it gives the priest a chance to refer to everybody involved by name which makes the whole experience personal.
Returning to the beginning, Fr Whelan makes the point that in the request for Baptism, priests, on behalf of the Church, are asked by parents to have a significant part in the life of their child.
That’s a golden opportunity that cannot be missed.