Priest’s new assignment: Helping those he invalidly baptized

By JACQUES BILLEAUD and LUIS ANDRES HENAO
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — A Catholic priest in Arizona whose baptisms up until last summer are presumed to be invalid has a new assignment in the church: Healing and helping those he invalidly baptized. On Thursday, the Rev. Andrés Arango again conducted baptismal rites — this time with church-approved phrasing — for a dozen people in the Phoenix church where he previously served. He resigned as pastor after news broke that he had repeatedly flubbed the phrasing on the sacrament. Church officials estimate that Arango performed thousands of baptisms that are now presumed invalid and say those affected need valid baptisms. Many parishioners say they don’t hold his mistake against him and regret that he resigned.