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A priest from the Diocese of Phoenix, Fr. Andres Arango, has resigned from his pastorship after he was found to have botched baptisms for over 20 years. Now Bishop Thomas J. Olmstead has declared that all baptisms performed by Arango are invalid, which would further invalidate some of the subsequently received sacraments by the unbaptized.
Ordained in 1995
After attending seminary in Salvador, Brazil, Fr. Arango was ordained in 1995. Over the next 27 years the Eudist priest held various positions as a cleric in Brazil and the United States. These include pastor, teacher, parochial administrator and director of the San Diego State University Newman Center.
The problems arose when it was found that Fr. Arango was using the incorrect formula for baptism. He would say “We baptize you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The Diocese explained:
Invalid sacraments
One of the most troubling aspects of this scenario is the way an invalid baptism affects the other sacraments. Aleteia spoke with Fr. Pius Pietrzyk, OP, a canon and civil lawyer as well as professor of canon law at the Dominican House of Studies, who explained:
First Communion
On the Diocese of Phoenix website, where they have set up a FAQ page for information on the situation, they note that First Communion is not technically invalid without a baptism. There can only be one “First Communion,” so if you have received the Eucharist, even when unbaptized, you have received Holy Communion. They do, however, warn the faithful not to continue to receive Holy Communion until they are baptized.
Confirmation and marriage
On the confirmation side, things are not so simple. The sacrament of confirmation requires a valid baptism. Therefore, anyone whose baptism was found to be invalid must remake the sacrament. This could also be true for marriages, but the diocese admits that “there are many variables when it comes to valid marriages.” They have stated that questions of marriages performed after an invalid baptism will be analyzed on a case-by-case basis.
The diocese also instructs that those whose baptisms have been invalidated do not necessarily need to go to confession. As the fault does not fall anywhere near the faithful for this mistake, there is nothing to absolve. Furthermore, the diocese noted that once they receive a valid baptism, their sins are wiped clean.
Fr. Arango’s new mission
While Fr. Arango has resigned as the pastor of his parish, he is still considered a priest in good standing with the church. He is working closely with the diocese to identify all those for whom he performed invalid baptisms.
In a letter of apology, provided by the Diocese of Phoenix, he wrote:
