With one word, a Phoenix priest has made obsolete the baptism of thousands of Americans. This did not escape Sébastien Baer.
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Instead of using the ritual formula “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”Andres Arango said “We Baptize You”. The formula is contrary to the rules of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Baptisms celebrated with the wrong formula have therefore been canceled and parishioners will have to go back to a priest.
It was while rummaging through Andres Arango’s CV that we realized the extent of the scandal. The priest had officiated for more than 25 years, in California, in Brazil, then in Arizona. With these questions: how many baptisms has he celebrated? Did his tongue fork from the start of his ministry? Did he make his mistake only in English or also when speaking Spanish?
The priest apologized in a press release addressed to his flock. But that was not enough and Andres Arango had to resign. The diocese of Phoenix took the matter very seriously to the point of creating a website to respond to the anxieties of the faithful: how do I know if I have been baptized by Father Andres? Should I go to confession? Does this affect my marriage? Note that to this last question the answer is “maybe”… Not very reassuring.
All hope may not be lost: the faithful, not resentful, have launched a petition to demand the return of Father Arango. In the meantime, it is still possible to make an appointment for a new baptism on the website of the Diocese of Phoenix.