A Statement of Hope regarding Salvation through Baptism of Desire for Infants

—“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Jer 31:15)

—“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Mt 19:14)

We, the undersigned members of the faithful, in full fidelity to the Church, proclaim our hope that children who die before receiving Baptism but whose parents ardently desire that they receive the sacrament, have a path to salvation through Baptism of Desire.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that Baptism is necessary for salvation (CCC 1257), and that one must be alive to receive the sacraments—rendering it impossible for infants who die in the womb or unexpectedly in early infancy to receive Baptism sacramentally. The Catechism also affirms that God desires all people to be saved (CCC 74), and the Church has long recognized that those who, through no fault of their own, die without Baptism may be saved through an explicit or implicit desire for the sacrament. However, many theologians historically have understood Baptism of Desire to apply only to adult catechumens, who are capable of expressing that desire for themselves. The final state of infants—who cannot express such desire—remains a theologically undefined area, one that weighs heavily on grieving families. For unbaptized infants, the Church encourages us to entrust them to God’s mercy (CCC 1261) but has not yet defined how their salvation might be grounded in revelation and the Church’s faith and practice.

In 2007, a study of the International Theological Commission, The Hope of Salvation for Infants who Die Without Being Baptized, expressed hope for the salvation of infants who die without Baptism but did not offer anything more theologically concrete to address the specific case of infants whose parents intended to baptize them but were prevented by the child’s untimely death. This is the group for whom the Church has most direct pastoral care and responsibility.

This question is not abstract. Statistically, 25–30% of pregnancies end in miscarriage or early infant death. That means hundreds of millions of faithful Catholics worldwide have faced this loss while desiring Baptism for their babies. Yet, they are left to grieve with theological uncertainty about the eternal destiny of their child’s soul. In these sacred and sorrowful moments, the Church’s voice or silence can either console or compound the pain of such a life-changing loss. Clarity on this issue is both a theological and a pastoral necessity.

Two significant developments lead us to believe that is is now possible to affirm with clarity something that many of us have long held quietly in our hearts:

First:
In 2024, Fr. Anthony Lusvardi, S.J., professor of sacramental theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, published the most comprehensive work to date on the topic of Baptism of Desire. In his book Baptism of Desire and Christian Salvation, he defends the position that the desire of parents may be a legitimate vehicle for salvific grace when Baptism is impossible. While he acknowledges the theological opinions to the contrary, he shows that belief in this hope has been present among the Christian people across the ages. It is precisely this belief which we now affirm. (https://tonylusvardisj.com)

Second:
In a providential sign of hope, the story of an infant found seemingly incorrupt 37 years after his death came to light in 2019. The body of Baby Brian Thomas Gallagher—who died unbaptized but whose parents explicitly desired his baptism—was discovered in a perfect state of preservation when his casket was damaged during the relocation of his remains. This story has touched millions around the world and has reignited urgent questions about the eternal destiny of children such as Brian. (www.babybrian.org)

Moved by love for the Church and faith in the mercy of God, we believe the time is ripe to humbly and faithfully request that the Church’s theologians and pastors give renewed attention to the salvation of infants who die before Baptism but whose faithful families desire the sacrament for them.

We offer our signatures in support of Fr. Lusvardi’s theological conclusion that Baptism of Desire is possible for the infants and unborn children of parents who desire their baptism. We appeal to the whole Church to respond favorably to the hope we here express, as a true mother affirming the dignity of life in the womb and offering healing and hope to millions of grieving families.