Whether It Is Part of a Deacon's Duty to Baptize?
Objection 1: It seems that it is part of a deacon's duty to baptize.
Because the duties of preaching and of baptizing were enjoined by our
Lord at the same time, according to Matt. 28:19: "Going . . . teach
ye all nations, baptizing them," etc. But it is part of a deacon's
duty to preach the gospel. Therefore it seems that it is also part of
a deacon's duty to baptize.
Obj. 2: Further, according to Dionysius (Eccl. Hier. v) to "cleanse"
is part of the deacon's duty. But cleansing from sins is effected
specially by Baptism, according to Eph. 5:26: "Cleansing it by the
laver of water in the word of life." Therefore it seems that it
belongs to a deacon to baptize.
Obj. 3: Further, it is told of Blessed Laurence, who was a deacon,
that he baptized many. Therefore it seems that it belongs to deacons
to baptize.
_On the contrary,_ Pope Gelasius I says (the passage is to be found
in the Decrees, dist. 93): "We order the deacons to keep within their
own province"; and further on: "Without bishop or priest they must
not dare to baptize, except in cases of extreme urgency, when the
aforesaid are a long way off."
_I answer that,_ Just as the properties and duties of the heavenly
orders are gathered from their names, as Dionysius says (Coel. Hier.
vi), so can we gather, from the names of the ecclesiastical orders,
what belongs to each order. Now "deacons" are so called from being
"ministers"; because, to wit, it is not in the deacon's province to
be the chief and official celebrant in conferring a sacrament, but to
minister to others, his elders, in the sacramental dispensations. And
so it does not belong to a deacon to confer the sacrament of Baptism
officially as it were; but to assist and serve his elders in the
bestowal of this and other sacraments. Hence Isidore says (Epist. ad
Ludifred.): "It is a deacon's duty to assist and serve the priests,
in all the rites of Christ's sacraments, viz. those of Baptism, of
the Chrism, of the Paten and Chalice."
Reply Obj. 1: It is the deacon's duty to read the Gospel in church,
and to preach it as one catechizing; hence Dionysius says (Eccl.
Hier. v) that a deacon's office involves power over the unclean among
whom he includes the catechumens. But to teach, i.e. to expound the
Gospel, is the proper office of a bishop, whose action is "to
perfect," as Dionysius teaches (Eccl. Hier. v); and "to perfect" is
the same as "to teach." Consequently, it does not follow that the
office of baptizing belongs to deacons.
Reply Obj. 2: As Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. ii), Baptism has a power
not only of "cleansing" but also of "enlightening." Consequently, it
is outside the province of the deacon whose duty it is to cleanse
only: viz. either by driving away the unclean, or by preparing them
for the reception of a sacrament.
Reply Obj. 3: Because Baptism is a necessary sacrament, deacons are
allowed to baptize in cases of urgency when their elders are not at
hand; as appears from the authority of Gelasius quoted above. And it
was thus that Blessed Laurence, being but a deacon, baptized.
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