Am I at a dead end?

[Delphine]

My husband and I are taking RCIA together. I was baptized a Catholic but need the other sacraments. He was baptized in an emergency as an infant in" rural" Mexico. The pueblo has no permanent priest and the Baptism was never recorded. He received his First Communion at 15 and needs confirmation. We also need our marriage con-validated.
There are no records of his Baptism and his parents and Godparents are deceased. He knows he was baptized because he knew his Godparents and received 1st communion. The church is requiring documentation before we can be married and receive the sacraments. There are no witnesses to the Baptism to write a verification letter. My husband refuses to be “conditionally” baptized stating that he and God know he is baptized.
In these circumstances where for spiritual reasons a person doesn’t have documentation can he receive permission from our priest to continue with the classes and receive the sacraments?
If not where does that leave me on getting our marriage sacramentally blessed and receiving communion and confirmation for myself? I feel I’m at a dead end. I don’t think the process should be this difficult. HELP!!!

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear Delphine,

This is not an uncommon occurrence. Sometimes a church has burned down, taking all its records with it. It’s not a big deal to be baptized conditionally. The priest is acknowledging the possiblity of the first baptism being valid. Otherwise, the baptism he is ssuggesting would not be conditional.

You need your marriage to be blessed in order to receive Holy Communion. If your husband would consent to the conditional baptism, there would be no problem. Try to show him that there is no disgrace in being conditionally baptized.

You are both in my prayers.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.