Sacramental issues best left to a theologian

I HAVE a dilemma, whether it’s moral, spiritual or social I’m not sure.

My problem is that as a devout Catholic, even though I still have both my communion and confirmation money, I’m not sure if I was baptised properly and I can’t confirm that I was definitely confirmed.

Indeed, God forbid, I may have been living in sin for the past 42 years, as I’m certainly not sure if I am properly married.

The consequences of the former could result in languishing in limbo with untold millions of unfortunate and careless unbaptised babies for eternity, the latter meaning eternal damnation in the fires of hell along with Beelzebub, Satan, Oliver Cromwell and the rest.

The dilemma, of course, comes down to whether or not any of the very eminent and very reverend clergy involved in these sacred sacraments had been paedophiles.

Worse, if his lordship who confirmed me and thousands of others was involved in paedophilia, or in covering up paedophiles within the church to safeguard its reputation and its priests.

If a so-called sacrament is administered by a paedophile, a child abuser or a rapist, is it valid in the eyes of the Vatican or, more importantly, in the eyes of Jesus Christ? Hopefully, some learned theologian might shed light on this.

John Cooney

Wilton Road

Cork