BOOK IV.

FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH

PART I. THE SACRAMENTS
PTHLC 10: Canon Law II, August 30, 2024

INTRODUCTORY CANONS [cc. 840-848]

Can. 840 - Definition of the Sacraments

 The seven sacraments aim to glorify God and sanctify
the people. The sacraments are the principal means
of salvation and sanctification (See SC, 59). The whole
Christian community celebrates sacraments.

Can. 841 – Requisites for the Validity of the Sacraments

 First, the determination of what is requisite for the
validity of sacraments is reserved to the supreme
authority of the Church (order of bishops together
with the Roman Pontiff as head, in LG, 93).
 Second, the determination of all other matters
relating to the lawful celebration of the sacraments,
ministration, and reception is reserved for the
Church's supreme authority, bishop conferences, and
individual diocesan bishop.

Can. 842 – Sacraments of Christian Initiation

 §1 states that baptism is the entry point to all other
sacraments.
 §2 summarizes the doctrine that the three sacraments
of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist are so closely
related as necessary for full Christian initiation.

Can. 843 – Duties of Ministers and Others

 §1 reechoes can. 213, which prohibits any denial of
the sacraments by the ordained ministers of the
Church without cause. The faithful have the right to
receive spiritual goods.
 The faithful can receive the sacraments at (1) the
appropriate time, (2) with proper disposition,
and (3) are not prohibited by laws from
receiving them.
 The disqualifications for which people may be denied
the sacraments are clear enough when specified in
the law, e.g., irregularities for orders in can. 1041 and
possible denial of the Eucharist in can. 915.
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  §2 states that the evangelizing and catechizing
responsibility is, first, that of those who exercise a
pastoral office and, second, that of all members of the
Church, lay and ordained, depending upon their
ecclesial office or function of whatever kind. The duty
is specifically about preparation for the sacraments.

Can. 844 – Sharing in Sacraments

 It speaks of the sacramental sharing in the reception
of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick in the
following cases:
 First, in the case of Catholics, who may receive the
sacraments from ministers not in full communion with
the Catholic Church.
 Second, in the case of Christians who are not
themselves in full communion with the Catholic
Church but may seek its ministers' sacraments.
 §1 states that only a baptized Christian may receive
any other sacrament validly.
 §2 states an exception to the preceding paragraph
and the conditions clearly:
o (1) either necessity or genuine spiritual
advantage;
o (2) physical or moral impossibility (such as
serious inconvenience) of receiving the
sacrament from a Catholic minister;
o (3) the absence of the danger of error or
indifferentism; and
o (4) provided the sacrament is validly
celebrated in the other church.
 §3 states a norm for the Catholic minister and his
ministration of one of the three sacraments to
persons not in the full communion of the Catholic
Church. The conditions for the exception permitting
the ministration are:
o (1) in favor of members of the Eastern
churches with which the Catholic Church is
not in full communion.
o (2) provided such individuals act voluntarily
(when asking for the sacraments) and
o (3) are properly disposed.
o (4) the Apostolic Roman See must have
judged that such churches are “in the same

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 condition” as the Eastern churches
“regarding the sacraments.”
 §4 states that Christians not within the full Catholic
communion can receive the sacraments provided
that:
o (1) a serious need (whether the danger of death
or, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the
conference of bishops, other grave necessity);
o (2) inability to approach their minister;
o (3) a voluntary request by the recipient;
o (4) manifestation of Catholic faith
concerning the sacrament in question; and
o (5) a proper disposition to receive the
sacrament.

Can. 845 – Repetition of the Sacraments

 Some sacraments can be received only once since
they imprint the spiritual character.
 A repetition of baptism, confirmation, or ordination is
null and sacrilegious.

Can. 846 – Observance of the Liturgical Laws

 Explicit prohibition of conducting one’s liturgy or
alteration.

Can. 847 – Holy Oils

 This canon introduces the possibility of using plant
oils other than olive oil to celebrate the sacraments.
 Holy oils must be obtained by the pastor from the
bishop and preserved diligently.

Can. 847 – Offerings for Sacraments

 It indicates a concern for the reverence due to sacred
things, especially the reverence due to sacraments,
and the need to avoid even the appearance of profit-
seeking from sacramental ministrations. Any request
for payment for the giving of a sacrament over and
above the established offerings is prohibited.

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TITLE I: BAPTISM [cc. 849-878]

CHAPTER ONE: THE CELEBRATION OF BAPTISM [cc. 849-

860]

Can. 849 – Essential Theological and Canonical Elements

 This canon summarizes the dogmatic and
theological elements with some juridical elements.

Can. 850 – The Rites of Baptism

 An approved liturgical rite must be followed
appropriately for the candidate's age and the
circumstances of attending the baptism.

Can. 851 – Formation for Baptism

 This is an application of can. 836 and can. 843, §2.
 Preparation means formation and instruction through
pastoral direction and common prayer. Hence,
preparation is necessary for adults seeking baptism.
 Preparation is necessary for parents who have
presented their children for baptism as the
responsibility primarily of the pastor.
 Preparation is necessary for sponsors presenting
infants for the sacraments.

Can. 852 – Clarifications of the Terms “Adult” and

“Infant”
 Infant, according to can. 97, §2, are those who have
not completed their seventh year and are not
responsible for themselves.
 Adult means those who have completed their seventh
year and are presumed to have the use of reason.

Can. 853 – Baptismal Water

 Water used for baptism should be blessed, generally
during the celebration of the baptism itself. Using

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 unblessed water does not affect the validity of the
sacrament since can. 849, which treats the
requirements for validity, does not mention blessing
the water.

Can. 854 – Immersion and Pouring

 Two licit manners in which the water is to be used to
celebrate baptism: (1) immersion of the person
into the water or (2) pouring the water over the
person.

Can. 855 – Baptismal Name

 The preference for a Christian name continues; any
name can be given as long as it is not offensive to
Christian belief.

Can. 856– Time of Celebration

 Baptism can be celebrated on any day. However, the
canon singles out Sundays and the Easter Vigil as
particularly appropriate times for celebrating the
sacrament.

Can. 857– Place of Baptism

 As asserted in can. 827, §2, the general principle that
sacraments should be celebrated in the assembly of
the faithful. Thus, the proper place is a church or
oratory.
 Private chapels are not mentioned in the present
canon.
 §2 determines the specific parish church where a
person’s baptism is to occur. “As a rule,” the baptism
is to be celebrated in the parish church of the adult
candidates or the parish church of the parents of
infants. The canon does not require that the parish
church of baptism be the one proper to a person
because of their domicile.
 Only for a just cause can baptism be celebrated
outside the church or oratory.

Can. 858– The Baptismal Font

 The requirement that every parish church has a
baptismal font is simply a corollary of the previous

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 canon, which designates the parish church as the
normal and preferred place for celebrating baptism.

Can. 859– Other Churches or Distant Places

 If it is gravely inconvenient for an adult candidate to
come to or for parents to bring their infants to their
parish church, there is a “just cause” for allowing
baptism to be celebrated elsewhere
 The “can” indicates that it is not illicit to celebrate
baptism in this other location; the “must” emphasizes
that the fact baptism takes place is more important
than where it is celebrated.

Can. 860– Private Homes and Hospitals

 Apart from cases of necessity, private homes and
hospitals are not considered fitting places for baptism
since celebrating baptism requires the local
ordinary's permission.

CHAPTER TWO: THE MINISTER [cc. 861-863]

Can. 861– Ordinary and Extraordinary Ministers

 It defines the ordinary and extraordinary ministers
and the circumstances in which the latter may
lawfully baptize.

Can. 862– Territorial Restrictions on Ordinary Ministers

 This is an application of can. 857, §2. It prohibits any
ordinary minister, including a bishop, from
administering baptism outside his territory.
 An ordinary minister of baptism can lawfully
celebrate baptism in another territory: (1) when
there is a case of necessity, and (2) when the
minister has received the required, and not
merely implicit, permission of the one in whose
territory he is baptizing.

Can. 863– A Restriction on Presbyter and Deacon

Ministers
 The canon does not require the diocesan bishop to be
the minister of baptism for all adults over fourteen
years of age. Still, the pastor must refer these
candidates to him if the bishop wants to reserve their
baptism to himself.
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  Should the bishop decide not to reserve any adult
baptisms to himself, he can grant the faculty to his
priests to be the minister of baptism for all adults
over fourteen.

CHAPTER THREE: THOSE TO BE BAPTIZED [cc. 864-871]

Can. 864 – Universal Capacity for Baptism

Can. 865 – Prerequisites for Adult Candidates

 It distinguishes between the prerequisites for adult
baptism in normal situations and danger-of-death
situations.
 §1 lists four requirements which differ in their
importance for the validity of the baptism. These
requirements touch the faculties constitutive of the
human person: the will, the intellect, the
capacity to act, and the human heart.
 §2 treats the requirements for adult baptism in
danger-of-death situations. Apart from sorrow for sin,
which is not mentioned in this paragraph, the
prerequisites are relaxations of the requirements
listed in paragraph one. The will to be baptized may
manifest “in any way at all,” even implicitly. The
adult is required to have only “some” knowledge of
the “principal truths” of the faith, not the “sufficient”
knowledge called for in normal situations. Nor does
the canon mention the obligations flowing from that
faith as did paragraph one; instead, the adult is to
promise “to observe the commandments.

Can. 866 – Completion of the Sacraments of Initiation

 The seriousness of the requirement that the other
sacraments of initiation follow immediately upon an
adult’s reception of baptism, even in danger-of-death
situations, is indicated by the fact that the code
requires “a grave reason” to defer these other
sacraments (Corollary to can. 842, §2).

Can. 867 – The Time for Celebrating Infant Baptism

 This treats the appropriate length of time between an
infant’s birth and their baptism.

Can. 868 – Parental Prerequisites for Infant Baptism

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  This states what is required of parents for the licit
celebration of their children’s baptism. It
distinguishes between prerequisites for parents in
ordinary situations and danger-of-death situations.

Can. 869 – Conditional Baptism

 The canon is an application to the baptism of the
principle stated in canon 845, §1 regarding (1) the
non-repeatability of baptism, confirmation, and
sacred orders, the sacraments which impose a
character, and (2) the conditions under which
these sacraments may be conferred
conditionally when there is serious doubt as to
whether they were conferred at all or whether
they were conferred validly.
 The general norm for conditional baptism is based on
two underlying principles: the unrepeatability of
baptism and the necessity of baptism for the
valid reception of any other sacrament.

Can. 870 – Baptism of an Abandoned Child

 Abandoned children are presumed not to have been
baptized until the contrary is proven.

Can. 871 – Baptism of an Aborted Fetus

 Abandoned children are presumed not to have been
baptized until the contrary is proven.

CHAPTER IV: SPONSORS [cc. 872-874]

Can. 872 – Responsibilities of Sponsors

 The canon defines the sponsor as one who assists an
adult in Christian initiation or who, together with the
parents, presents an infant at baptism.

Can. 873 – Number of Sponsors

 The canon designates the number of sponsors
permitted at the celebration of both adult and infant
baptism. It allows for either one sponsor, male or
female, or two, one male and one female.

Can. 874 – Prerequisites of Sponsors

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  The first paragraph lists five prerequisites for
exercising the office of a sponsor:
o The sponsor must be appropriately designated.
o The sponsor must be at least sixteen years old.
However, the diocesan bishop may determine a
different age.
o The sponsor must be a fully initiated Catholic.
o Those who labor under a declared or imposed
canonical penalty are barred from serving as
sponsors.
o Parents are prohibited from being sponsors of
their children.
 The second paragraph permits a non-Catholic
Christian to exercise the role of a Christian witness in
celebrating baptism.

CHAPTER V: THE PROOF AND REGISTRATION OF THE

CONFERRAL OF BAPTISM [cc. 875-878]

Can. 875 and Can. 876 – Establishing Proof of Baptism

 The canons are concerned that there will be living
witnesses of the baptism who can verify that it
occurred.

Can. 877 and Can. 878 – Recording the Baptism

 The canons are concerned with the person charged
with recording the facts of the baptism celebration
and the information to be recorded.

Validity means that the sacrament or any juridical act, for

that matter, produces the juridical effects attributed by law.

Liceity refers not to the matter of whether or not it

produces a juridical effect attributed by law but whether or not the
act was done according to the prescriptions of law.