Why We Think Baby Brian’s Story offers Benefit to the People of God
The loss of a child between conception and early childhood personally impacts approximately 25-30% of the population—that’s more than 350 million Catholics worldwide who have personally experienced this painful life experience.
The times surrounding the loss of a child is a very vulnerable season for parents, physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
The spiritual support, consolation, and pastoral care that these families receive can have life-long impact on their journey with God and the Church.
The grace revealed in Baby Brian’s seemingly incorrupt body may also serve to affirm the humanity, dignity, and sanctity of children from the moment of conception.
In a cultural climate where the humanity of pre-born children is often questioned, Baby Brian’s story offers a powerful witness to the Church’s pro-life message: that life begins at conception and every soul has eternal worth and destiny.
His story can also renew our collective appreciation for the gift of children—at a time when they are too often viewed as burdens rather than blessings from God.
Broad Impact
One of the deepest sources of pain for parents who have lost a child is the question: Where is my child now?
The Church teaches with certainty that a baptized infant enters heaven. But for grieving parents, even with this assurance many still wonder: Are they really there? How can we know? For those who have lost babies or young children after baptism, Baby Brian’s story may evoke an awe similar to that of a Eucharistic miracle—a visible sign of invisible grace, offering a tangible witness to a truth the Church has always held.
For families who have lost babies before they could be baptized, the Church entrusts these little ones to God's boundless mercy but refrains from declaring their eternal destiny with certainty. While the concept of Limbo was never an official Church doctrine and has been set aside in more recent theology, its shadow still lingers in the hearts of many, leaving parents to quietly wonder whether their unbaptized children share in the fullness of the beatific vision.
In Baby Brian’s case, his parents firmly desired baptism for him, though it remains uncertain whether the sacrament was actually administered.
His seemingly incorrupt body, however, offers a powerful and consoling sign of hope—not only for parents of baptized children but also for those who have lost children before they could be baptized. His story suggests that God's grace is not bound by sacramental limits when there is deep desire and faith. It becomes a symbol of hope that these beloved children, too, are enjoying the fullness of heaven.
Finally, if these children are indeed in heaven, then they are not only at peace—they are saints. And if they are saints, then they are intercessors. Baby Brian’s story invites grieving parents to dare to hope, rest confidently in knowing their child’s place in heaven, and to ask for their intercession, trusting that they now have personal, powerful advocates in heaven.
Profound Hope
Baptism by desire refers to the principal effect of the sacrament—the grace that remits original and personal sin. The Church currently defines this only in the context of adult catechumens: those who explicitly desire baptism, show repentance and charity, but die before receiving the sacrament.
The application of baptism by desire for infants is more complex and remains undefined by the Church. As it stands, baptism of desire requires a personal, free, and reasoned act—something infants, lacking the use of reason, cannot yet make.
However, from the earliest days of the Church, infant baptism has been administered based on the parent’s faith and desire for their child’s. The Church baptizes infants believing that denying their baptism would deprive them of the invaluable grace of becoming children of God and free of original sin.
When we consider these long-standing precedents together—the accepted theology of baptism of desire and the Church’s practice of baptizing infants based on parental faith and desire—we propose that Baby Brian’s story may serve as a providential sign. It could be an invitation for the Church to discern and consider more deeply the possibility of defining a form of baptism of desire for infants whose parents ardently wish for their baptism, but who die before the sacrament can be administered.
Baptism by Desire
The pastoral care a family receives after the loss of a child can shape their relationship with God and the Church for the rest of their lives.
Elevating Baby Brian’s story could serve as a powerful catalyst for improving pastoral awareness and care for families facing this deeply painful and spiritually vulnerable experience.
In the wake of infant or child loss, the Church has a sacred opportunity to draw grieving families closer to Christ—by responding with clarity, compassion, and truth. Guiding them toward prayer and reflection on the suffering of Jesus and the pierced heart of Mary can help them invite God into their grief and find meaning and divine consolation in their sorrow.
Some dioceses offer exceptional, tender care to families in these moments. Others, sadly, do not.
When the Church’s response feels cold, absent, or unclear—as it too often does—it can unintentionally drive families away from both the Church and God. The response of a priest, parish, or diocese in these vulnerable moments can leave a lasting imprint on a family’s spiritual journey. Getting it right matters.
We hope Baby Brian’s story will inspire Church leaders to grow in awareness and compassion, to seek out or create resources for spiritual support, and to feel more confident in accompanying these families with sensitivity and love—recognizing that this is often a decisive moment in their walk toward (or away from) the Lord.
Pastoral Care
In the Beginning
Growing Reputation of Holiness and Intercessory Power.
This case is unique because Brian lived for a brief 43 minutes and the finding of what appears to be an incorrupt state has been relatively unknown until now. He was not known by the world in life, but in the gift of preservation of his body after death he stands as a beacon of light pointing us to trust, hope, and awe in God’s design for the most vulnerable among us.
Before deciding to initiate the cause, the Bishop must verify if, among a significant portion of the people of God, the individual enjoys an authentic and widespread reputation of holiness as well as an authentic and widespread reputation of intercessory power.
This reputation must be spontaneous and not artificially produced. It must be stable, continuous, widespread among trustworthy people and existing among a significant portion of the People of God.
The first step is to make Baby Brian’s story known to the world, to see if the Lord fosters the growth of a reputation for sanctity, spiritual impact, and intercessory power!
Steps to a Canonization
Phase 1
At least five years after a person’s death (unless a special exception is made by the pope), a formal request is made to consider him or her for sainthood. The people making the request are usually from the candidate’s church or religious community. They submit their request to the bishop of the diocese where the person died. The request tells how the person lived a life of holiness and lists reasons for considering the candidate for sainthood. If the bishop believes there is enough evidence to consider the person for sainthood, he asks the Vatican for permission to open a special tribunal. Witnesses are then called to attest to the candidate’s goodness, holiness, devotion to God, and other virtues. If a person passes this step, he or she is named a “Servant of God.”
Phase 2
The bishop sends a formal report and request to Rome where it is reviewed by the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints. Nine theologians read the material and determine whether there is enough cause to pass it to the entire Congregation. If so, the candidate’s writings and other aspects of his or her life are studied to make sure there is nothing that goes against the teachings and practices of the Church. As part of this investigation a person called a “devil’s advocate” raises questions and objections to the candidate’s sainthood. This is to make sure the final decision is complete and fair, and all evidence of the candidate’s saintliness is assured. Once a candidate has been determined to be virtuous and heroic in his or her faith, he or she is declared “Venerable.”
Phase 3
The next step is beatification. If the candidate was a martyr, someone who died for their faith, he or she may be beatified and named “Blessed.” Otherwise, a miracle brought about by the intercession of the saint must occur and be verified by the Congregation. Once the person is beatified and named “Blessed,” he or she can be venerated, or officially honored, in his or her city, diocese, region, or religious community.
Phase 4
After being beatified, another miracle is required for the person to be canonized and officially declared a saint. Once again, the miracle must have occurred as a result of the person’s intercession. The Prefect of the Congregation then sends the cause for canonization to the pope who makes the final decision. Once a person is canonized, he or she is officially declared a “Saint.” The pope declares this in an official way at a special Mass in honor of the new Saint.