August 23, 2013 - To emphasis that the sacrament of baptism formally brings a person
into the church of God and not just into a local Christian community, the Vatican
has brought about a slight change of wording in the baptismal rite. At the beginning
of the rite, instead of saying, "the Christian community welcomes you with great joy,"
the officiating minister will say, "the church of God welcomes you with great joy.
Baptism is the sacrament of faith in which people are incorporated into the one church
of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter
and the bishops in communion with him," said the decree from the Congregation for
Divine Worship and the Sacraments. The decree is dated Feb. 22 and was published in
the latest issue of "Notitiae," the congregation's newsletter. Signed by Cardinal
Antonio Canizares Llovera, congregation prefect, and Archbishop Arthur Roche, congregation
secretary, the decree said the change to the wording in Latin and all local languages
was approved Jan. 28 by Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned a month later. The new
wording, the decree said, better emphasizes Catholic doctrine that through baptism
a person is incorporated into the universal church and not just into a parish. Although
the rest of the formula remains the same, by beginning with an affirmation of the
entire church welcoming the one about to be baptized, the minister also makes clear
that the sacrament is being administered in the name of the church and not just in
the name of the local community. Before the change, the approved English text read:
"The Christian community welcomes you with great joy. In its name I claim you for
Christ our savior by the sign of his cross." The decree said the change was to have
gone into effect in the Latin text March 31. (Source: CNS)