Hoosoyo for Babies

Absolution from sins

The last time I saw a priest laying hands on a baby and giving the traditional "Hoosoyo" (It is a silent prayer by the priest touching the forehead of the faithful), prompted me to write this. What is the achen praying while laying hands on the baby?

In the case of an adult, I do understand he is praying for the forgiveness of the sins committed by the adult, and using the authority bestowed on him by Christ to forgive his sins. Also, I understand Hoosoyo to be a convenience vehicle in place of the Holy Confession.

But in the case of the baby, what sins are being forgiven? The baby who has not even begun to walk or talk - is he\she capable of sinning or being maligned by the sins of this world? In my mind, the Hoosoyo seems rather surreal in the case of a baby.

Will it make sense for the baby to be spared of the Hoosoyo and be given Holy  Qurbana directly? Or is it a separate prayer being prayed for babies (or for children who are not old enough to confess)?

Have we given enough thought on this? Are we just having the ritual of Hoosoyo for the baby out of habit or to just to conform to the popular sequence in our minds?

Wanted to know what others think about this.

Src: ICON