A Catholic priest in Arizona, Father Andres Arango has resigned following the discovery that he has been performing baptisms incorrectly for decades.
Arango’s use of “We” instead of “I” could mean the possible derailing of the rite for thousands of people, according to the Catholic church.
The Catholic Diocese of Phoenix on its website confirmed Fr. Andres Arango used the words “We baptise you in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” instead of the correct phrase “I baptize you in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” in English and Spanish.
The diocese explained that the single incorrect word matters for worshippers because “it is not the community that baptises a person and incorporates them into the Church of Christ; rather, it is Christ, and Christ alone, who presides at all sacraments.”
“Therefore, it is Christ who baptises,” the diocese said.
“If you were baptised using the wrong words, that means your baptism is invalid, and you are not baptised,” the diocese concluded.
