An Arizona priest is in hot water with Sky Daddy and the Catholic Church after incorrectly performing thousands of baptisms over the years.
Fr. Andres Arango was reprimanded by the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix after using the wrong word during the ceremonies over two decades. While performing the spiritual act, which is used to cleanse one’s spirit and represents forgiveness, Arango said, “We baptize you in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” However, instead of saying “we,” he was supposed to say “I” at the beginning of the scripture.
While the use of “we” instead of “I” may appear minuscule, Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted explained that this is offensive to God, who is the only one capable of truly baptizing someone.
“The issue with using ‘We’ is that it is not the community that baptizes a person, rather, it is Christ, and Him alone, who presides at all of the sacraments, and so it is Christ Jesus who baptizes,” Olmsted explained. When the issue was initially escalated to him, an investigation was launched by diocesan officials and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome.
Sadly for worshippers who have received baptism led by Arango through June of 2021, the sacred act is now deemed invalid. Arango began his priesthood in 1995 and is believed to have used the wrong word ever since. All baptisms performed by the priest after that June of last year are considered valid.
Arango resigned on February 1st and says he will now devote his time to helping heal all those he has affected. Despite his wording error, he remains in good standing with the diocese.
Anyone incorrectly baptized under Arango can fill out the re-baptism form on the Diocese of Phoenix website.
