Why do Catholics baptise infants?

Since the New Testament era, the Catholic Church has always understood baptism as a sacrament which accomplishes several things, the first of which is the remission of sin, both original sin and actual sin. Peter explained what happens at baptism when he said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sin may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). While saying this he did not restrict this teaching to adults alone. He goes on to add, “For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him” (2:39). Regarding baptism we also read: “Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16). These commands, as one can see, are universal and not restricted to adults. Further, these commands make clear the necessary connection between baptism and salvation, a connection explicitly stated in 1 Peter 3:21 – “Baptism . . . now saves you..”. 

In John 3:5 Jesus says that no one can enter heaven unless he has been born again of water and the Holy Spirit. His words can be taken to apply to anyone capable of belonging to his kingdom.  And are children capable of belonging to his kingdom? Christ himself answers this by saying: “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14). The same event is mentioned in Luke’s gospel. Here we read that the – “People were bringing even infants to him…” – children who are quite unable to approach Christ on their own and who could not possibly make a conscious decision to “accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.” If Jesus does not bar them from coming to him –  by saying “let  them come unto me,” – who are we to say “no,” and withhold baptism from them?

There are several references to baptisms being given by the apostles in the Scripture (Acts 11:14, Acts 16:15, 33 and 1 Corinthians 1:16). In all of these cases we read that entire households were baptised. It would mean that not just the adults but the children too were baptised. For all we know these families could be having infants or at the least children under the age of reason. Nowhere in these verses do we find that children below the age of reason were excluded from receiving baptism or that they received baptism after reaching a certain age. 

We also find Paul referring to baptism as “the circumcision of Christ” (Collosians 2:11). Now circumcision was generally done to infants who were eight days old (Genesis 17:12). If baptism was something that an infant could not receive, it would be highly unlikely that Paul would use this comparison. 

Moreover, in Scripture we find that many times the faith of one person was enough for God to save another (Job 1:4-5, Matthew 8:5-13, Mark 2:5). The Catholic Church has always modeled after these examples. In infant baptism, the faith of the parents and godparents/sponsors is all that is required for accepting the child into the body of Christ. Just the way circumcision was given to a child born into a Jewish family in the anticipation that he would receive the Jewish faith, a child born into a Christian family is baptised with the anticipation that he will receive a Christian faith.

The following quotes from the Church Fathers shed light on what their view on the topic was:

“Baptize first the children, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them” – St. Hippolytus of Rome; The Apostolic Tradition 21:16; A.D. 215.

“You see how many are the benefits of baptism, and some think its heavenly grace consists only in the remission of sins, but we have enumerated ten honors [it bestows]! For this reason we baptize even infants, though they are not defiled by [personal] sins, so that there may be given to them holiness, righteousness, adoption, inheritance, brotherhood with Christ, and that they may be his [Christ‘s] members” – St.John Chrysostom; Baptismal Catechesis in Augustine, Against Julian 1:6:21;A.D. 388.

“The custom of Mother Church in baptizing infants is certainly not to be scorned, nor is it to be regarded in any way as superfluous, nor is it to be believed that its tradition is anything except apostolic” – St. Augustine; The Literal Interpretation of Genesis 10:23:39; A.D.408.