Can you baptize your grandchild

Answer 1

Surely, for a grandparent to go through a form of baptism of a child, without the parent's consent, would be an abuse of trust. The parents would be entitled to consider the baptism as being of no effect, and have the child baptised properly or enrolled in the denomination or religion of their choice. Regardless of a purported baptism, the parents have the discretion of bringing the child up as a Christian in their own way, or in another religion with which they are affiliated, or even without religion affiliation.

Answer 2

It is the responsibility of the mother and father to have the child baptized.

Roman Catholic AnswerOnly in danger of dying, there must be a reasonable hope that the child will be brought up in the faith and, as noted above, that is the parents' responsibility. I would suggest that you talk to your parish priest about this.

Answer 3

The decision to baptize a child typically belongs solely to the parents. A thoughtful and respectful grandparent will leave this for the parents to decide, just as was the right of the grandparent concerning their own children. I doubt a respectful minister or priest would perform a religious ceremony involving a minor without the consent, acknowledgment, and full support of the child's parents. Even though it is a religious ceremony, any activity with a minor child without parental consent could lead to legal action by the parents. In short, grandparents do not have the right to interfere with the religious, or other, upbringing of a child in the care, custody, and control of the child's parents. Best bet, ASK the parents if you may be involved in whatever baptism of their child they so choose. Then respect their answer.