Hi Pj, I can only speak for my experience with my father's Irish Catholic family; children were baptised as soon as practical after birth because my Grandmother believed that if they died unbaptised the baby would be stuck in purgatory forever. I was born 12 weeks prematurely 48 years ago & a Priest was sent into to baptise me without even asking my mother what my name was to be! No visitors were allowed, but that didn't stop the baptism. >From Jenny My Family History Website: Subject: [IRL-DUBLIN] COI and RC practices re: when to baptize Hello all, Can anyone give me information about the RC and COI practices related to baptisms. I've been told that the RC practice was to baptize the child as soon after birth as possible. Is that true? Why would parents on occasion wait several months to have a child baptized (e.g., illness, distance from church, lack of money?)? Did the RC and COI practices differ? PJ