A Request for Baptism

Beata Shemuga lives in the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility. She goes to Sunday Mass at St. Joseph the Worker because they have one at noon, whereas the latest Sunday Mass at OLPR is at 10:30 a.m. Beata works the late shift Saturday evenings, and does not arrive home until after 3 a.m. (OLPR has no Saturday Mass of anticipation; the pastor, Fr. Keepinline, eliminated it because he thought it encouraged parishioners to work on Sundays and skip their Sunday observance.)

Mrs. Shemuga asked Fr. Keepinline to baptize her new baby, and he refused on the grounds that "you don't go to Sunday Mass." Beata insisted that she does go to Mass every week, but at St. Joe's because they have a later one. Fr. Keepinline said that she would have to go to the pastor of St. Joe's to see if he would baptize her baby.

Analyze this case:

• What are the key facts of the case?
• Are there any other facts you would need or like to know?
• What are the key pastoral issues involved?
• What canons do you see as pertinent to this case?
• What literary, rhetorical & historical aspects of these canons are important for their interpretation?
• What is your position in the parish?
• How would you resolve the case?
• What are the grounds for your decision?
• Briefly, what are the ethical, pastoral, and theological implications of your decision?