Right intention is necessary but so are matter and form. While those are traditional theological terms, they're not difficult to understand or explain. The "matter" doesn't just mean physical substance (although that's important too -- you have to baptize with water, you can't use orange juice) it's also the gestures, etc. There are a fe…
Right intention is necessary but so are matter and form. While those are traditional theological terms, they're not difficult to understand or explain. The "matter" doesn't just mean physical substance (although that's important too -- you have to baptize with water, you can't use orange juice) it's also the gestures, etc. There are a few things, just a few, that have to be part of each sacrament. So you do them. The "form" refers to the words. You have to say the correct words, you can't make up other ones. Everyone, everywhere, says the same ones. When one language is used for a liturgy, it's easy to see when the priest uses the correct ones. In theory this is the same with the vernacular -- there are approved translations, and you use the words from that translation. What's hard about that? APPARENTLY a lot for some people!!! Seriously. Memorize the words. Read them off a card. Whatever it takes. It's not a five minute speech. In this case, the priest says "I." He's got the water. He's got the person. He (and through him, Christ) is performing the sacrament. There is no "we."
Right intention is necessary but so are matter and form. While those are traditional theological terms, they're not difficult to understand or explain. The "matter" doesn't just mean physical substance (although that's important too -- you have to baptize with water, you can't use orange juice) it's also the gestures, etc. There are a few things, just a few, that have to be part of each sacrament. So you do them. The "form" refers to the words. You have to say the correct words, you can't make up other ones. Everyone, everywhere, says the same ones. When one language is used for a liturgy, it's easy to see when the priest uses the correct ones. In theory this is the same with the vernacular -- there are approved translations, and you use the words from that translation. What's hard about that? APPARENTLY a lot for some people!!! Seriously. Memorize the words. Read them off a card. Whatever it takes. It's not a five minute speech. In this case, the priest says "I." He's got the water. He's got the person. He (and through him, Christ) is performing the sacrament. There is no "we."