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Chapter 15. Baptism: Becoming a Christian • 185
Readings from Scripture
Proclaiming the Word of God in the midst of the community sheds
divine light on the celebration and is meant to build the faith of all the
participants. One of the traditional names for Baptism is “Illumination.”
The Holy Spirit fills the heart and mind with the light of revealed truth
and enables the response of faith.
Exorcism and Anointing
Baptism liberates us from sin. An exorcism prayer is recited over the one
being baptized, preparing the person to renounce sin and be released
from evil. The celebrant anoints the person to be baptized with the Oil
of Catechumens (an oil that has been blessed by the bishop for the can-
didates for Baptism) or imposes hands on the person. In this way, the
person is being called to renounce sin and to leave behind the domina-
tion of the power of evil.
Blessing the Baptismal Water
Baptismal water is blessed at the Easter Vigil. Outside the Easter Season,
the water used for Baptism can also be blessed at each celebration of the
Sacrament. The blessing prayer asks the Father “that through his Son the
power of the Holy Spirit may be sent upon the water, so that those who
will be baptized may be ‘born of water and the Spirit’” (CCC, no. 1238).
Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith
Those being baptized are asked to reject sin and Satan, and to profess
their faith in the Triune God. In the case of infants, parents, godparents,
and the entire community present for the liturgy do this on behalf of
those who cannot yet speak for themselves.