The difference of a two-letter word has invalidated thousands of baptisms, causing a Catholic priest in Arizona to resign.
Rev. Andres Arango performed the ritual saying, “We baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” However, the Vatican instructs priests to say “I” instead of “we”.
“After careful study, it has been determined that the form Fr. Andres used for the sacrament of baptism has been incorrect, and all of the baptisms he has performed until June 17, 2021, are presumed invalid,” the Diocese of Phoenix said. The diocese explained that"ministers must allow Jesus to speak through them and say, 'I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'"“I do not believe Fr. Andres had any intentions to harm the faithful or deprive them of the grace of baptism and the sacraments,” Bishop Thomas Olmsted wrote in a letter to the church. “I too am sincerely sorry that this error has resulted in disruption to the sacramental lives of a number of the faithful.
As a result, Arango resigned from his position at St. Gregory Catholic Church in Phoenix and will focus on “helping and healing those who were invalidly baptized.”Parishioners who believe their baptism may now be invalid can reschedule to have it performed again. All baptisms performed since June 17, 2021, “are presumed valid and do not need to be repeated.”