A friend sends this video with the comment, “‘stylish baptism’ is a combination of words that causes civilizations to crumble.”
Some of the advice (“this is not the time to be boobalicious”) is quite sound, though.
Update: A commenter below writes, “Of course, if this were about a wedding (including a church wedding) nobody would think anything of it. To a believing Christian, which is a more important life event, a baptism, or a wedding? One might argue that modern weddings are overdone, but weddings and wedding feasts in the Gospels seem to have been quite joyous and extravagant affairs.”
November 15th, 2012 | 11:33 am
I believe it was St. John the Baptist who first averred that one should avoid boobalicious outfits in connection with baptism. This shortly before he was beheaded as a party favor to Herod’s wife.
November 15th, 2012 | 11:40 am
I think Baptisms of the Rich and Famous could be a very popular—and inspiring—reality show.
November 15th, 2012 | 12:29 pm
If I may be so bold as to plug my own blog, where I posted commentary on this clip.
“Leslie, with her ‘stylish baptism,’ is an easy target. Her simplistic and ephemeral take on what the Church holds as a soul-changing moment is world-class satire without even trying. Unfortunately, Leslie is only taking her cues from the Church.”
http://discoveringthehope.blogspot.com/2012/11/stylish-adult-baptism.html
November 15th, 2012 | 12:45 pm
Why do the Gospels never mention Jesus’ tasteful post-Baptismal party? Oh yes, because he went immediately into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan for 40 days.
November 15th, 2012 | 12:57 pm
Good point, Jason. Matthew’s friend might well have said that it’s a combination of words gathered up from the gravel lying around a crumbling civilization.
November 15th, 2012 | 1:03 pm
O Wittenburg Door, where art thou?
November 15th, 2012 | 1:23 pm
I liked the response of a commenter at YouTube (I know, right?) who joked “Finally! Some advice on how to have a baptism that is focused on superficial garbage! I hate how God normally gets all the glory at these things.”
November 15th, 2012 | 1:56 pm
Of course, if this were about a wedding (including a church wedding) nobody would think anything of it. To a believing Christian, which is a more important life event, a baptism, or a wedding?
One might argue that modern weddings are overdone, but weddings and wedding feasts in the Gospels seem to have been quite joyous and extravagant affairs.
November 15th, 2012 | 3:16 pm
A friend of mine commented on a Facebook link about this: “The doves symbolize the Holy Spirit fleeing from this event.”
November 15th, 2012 | 3:27 pm
The really sad thing is that we have already allowed this to happen with marriage…
November 15th, 2012 | 6:49 pm
Well, it’s true that marriages do include a big celebration and can totally overdone in a way that detracts from the spiritual meaning of the sacrament.
But there’s a bit more of a rationale for those big celebrations, isn’t there? The party aspect is supposed to help bring two families together into one. So the brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts and cousins from one side can get to know the in-laws, with the idea that they are now joined in some way, along with the couple.
Baptisms do typically have some kind of family party, but not like this — it’s not a stylish event in my family. But there are presents and a brunch, right? Perhaps infant baptisms are a bit of a bulwark against the development of a “stylish event” approach.
November 15th, 2012 | 8:13 pm
Next up… downloadable communion elements for internet churches. No need to inconvenience yourself by going to church. Just click HERE for fresh Eucharist.
November 16th, 2012 | 11:31 am
But there’s a bit more of a rationale for those big celebrations, isn’t there? The party aspect is supposed to help bring two families together into one.
For Catholics, baptism is the initiation of a person into the Church—the Mystical Body of Christ. It seems to me an argument can be made that as many members of the Church should be present as possible. The woman in the video says it is appropriate to have a baptism anywhere, but according to canon law, Catholic baptism is to take place, if at all possible, in church, and in the church of the parish to which the baptized person will belong.
November 16th, 2012 | 7:56 pm
@David Nickol: Excellent point. I think it’s safe to say that the woman in this video belongs to one of those innumerable sects for whom baptism is a mere ordinance, by which an individual declares his or her commitment to the faith.
November 17th, 2012 | 8:50 pm
This does not explain why Houston is the location of the primary church of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. But it may explain how much more pervasive Christianity is in the South than in the tiresomely secular North and East.
As for swimming pools and Canon Law. Given the results of the election just what does that have to do with being Catholic or at least calling oneself a Catholic. I’m only half joking here. Canon Law also requires that a nuptial mass take place on consecrated ground, i.e. a church.
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