Baptism

Through Baptism, all sins are forgiven, both original sin and every personal sin, along with all punishment due for sin. Nothing remains to prevent the baptised from entering God's Kingdom.

While certain temporal consequences of sin remain, such as suffering and an inclination to sin that the Church calls concupiscence, these cannot harm those who resist them with the grace of Christ.

Baptism does far more than purify from sin. It makes the newly baptised a new creation, an adopted child of God, a sharer in the divine nature, a member of Christ, and a co-heir with him.

Through this sacrament, the baptised become temples of the Holy Spirit, receiving a dignity that no earthly honour can surpass.

The Most Holy Trinity grants the baptised sanctifying grace, the grace of justification, which enables them to believe in God, to hope in him, and to love him through the theological virtues.

It gives them the power to live and act under the prompting of the Holy Spirit through his gifts, and to grow in goodness through the moral virtues. Baptism is the root of the entire supernatural life.

The baptised are incorporated into the Body of Christ and become part of the People of God, a new covenant people that transcends all boundaries of nation, culture, race, and gender.

As members of the Church, the baptised share in the priesthood of Christ and in his prophetic and royal mission, becoming living stones built into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood.

Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church.

This sacramental bond of unity transcends the divisions between Christian communities, uniting all the baptised in a shared dignity and a common call to faith in Christ.

Baptism imprints an indelible spiritual seal on the soul, configuring the baptised to Christ. This mark of belonging can never be erased, and Baptism can never be repeated.

The baptismal character consecrates the faithful for Christian worship, enabling and calling them to serve God through active participation in the liturgy and through the witness of a holy life and practical charity.