Argentinean cardinal insists on baptism for children of single mothers

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires called on priests to baptized the children of single mothers and not be “the hypocrites” of today who end up keeping the people of God from salvation.

During the closing of a conference on inner city ministry in Buenos Aires on Sept. 2, Cardinal Bergoglio said “special tenderness” should be shown to “sinners” and those estranged from the faith because “God abides in the midst of them.” 

He criticized those who “fill the Church with precepts.” “If this sounds critical or offensive, forgive me, but in our ecclesiastic region there are some priests who will not baptize the children of single mothers because they were not conceived in the sanctity of marriage.”

“These are the hypocrites of today, the ones who clericalize the Church, who keep the people of God from salvation.  And that poor woman, who could have sent her child back to his maker, had the courage to bring him into the world, and she goes from parish to parish asking for baptism,” the cardinal said.