A friend of mine approached me with a question a few days ago, a
question I took seriously as it regarded the state of his personal
faith. Let's call him Daniel. Daniel was baptized a few years ago
into the Society of St Pius X - a traditionalist Catholic group as
many of you know who consecrates it's own bishops and priests
without the approval of the Vatican. At that time of his baptism,
he was told that the society recognized the Holy Father as the
successor of Peter and as such the head of the church, even though
there continues to be doctrinal differences with the Roman Church
over the Vatican II reforms and the 67 revision of the Roman
Missal. As such, it was alluded that his baptism then meant his
acceptance into the Roman Catholic faith.
However, a friend he met in school to whom he recounted his
experience with told him that his baptism is not legit, as he was
baptized by priests that where consecrated by bishops not anointed
by Rome. In his anxiety, he approached one of the members in his
church who insisted that his baptism was in accordance with the
laws of the church and therefore legitimate, the argument was that
anyone in good faith could baptize a believer into the Catholic
faith (which I thought only applied in time of dire need - like
when the person is dying and in need of immediate
baptism).
So what do you all think of this? Truth be told, when he told me
of his situation, I saw the point made by his friend that the
individuals who baptized him were not sanctioned by Rome as such
deeming his baptism and acceptance into the Church null and void.
But seeing he severe he took the situation to be, I just did not
have the heart to agree with the claim.
Hope I am wrong.