Baptism Certificate?

[sdub]

My parents left the Catholic Church before I was born. Both of my grandmothers lived nearby and I received what I imagine to be a pretty common “field” baptism. It is my understanding that this is still a valid ceremony. If so, how can I go about documenting it, 30 years later? The grandmother is still living. Should I contact the parish where this was performed or my local parish now? Who at a church generally deals with these things? I have some interest in RCIA, etc. and I have noticed that a baptismal certificate is required for many different things.

thanks - sam

 

[JimR-OCDS]

My parents left the Catholic Church before I was born. Both of my grandmothers lived nearby and I received what I imagine to be a pretty common “field” baptism. It is my understanding that this is still a valid ceremony. If so, how can I go about documenting it, 30 years later? The grandmother is still living. Should I contact the parish where this was performed or my local parish now? Who at a church generally deals with these things? I have some interest in RCIA, etc. and I have noticed that a baptismal certificate is required for many different things.

thanks - sam

I’m not following. Were you Baptized in a Catholic Church?

If so, you can contact the parish where you were Baptized and request a Baptismal Certificate, which they’ll gladly send you.

Jim

 

[jamannor]

I’m not exactly sure what is meant by a common field baptism, the catholic church tells us for a baptism to be valid the words ‘I baptize you in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit,’ must be said. I was baptized as an adult in a Methodist church, and when I went through RCIA a few years ago I had trouble getting the church to send me a copy of my baptismal certificate. Why? I’m not really sure, I wrote and called and no one would respond to me. The priest told me that since I was an adult and remembered the words, and also since my mother, although not a practicing catholic anymore, was present a letter from her stating that she also witnessed my baptism was enough proof for the church. Go talk to your parish RCIA director or priest about it. They will give you the right direction to go in. I wish you peace on your journey.

~Jerry

My parents left the Catholic Church before I was born. Both of my grandmothers lived nearby and I received what I imagine to be a pretty common “field” baptism. It is my understanding that this is still a valid ceremony. If so, how can I go about documenting it, 30 years later? The grandmother is still living. Should I contact the parish where this was performed or my local parish now? Who at a church generally deals with these things? I have some interest in RCIA, etc. and I have noticed that a baptismal certificate is required for many different things.

thanks - sam

 

[BlyssfulDreamer]

When my daughter was baptized, I asked and received her certificate and also asked for mine, which I received. The priest who was not the one who baptized me, looked at the baptismal register and gave me a certificate which he signed and it has the seal on it. I cannot understand why it would be such a hassle to receive one.

:heart:Blyss

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

My parents left the Catholic Church before I was born. Both of my grandmothers lived nearby and I received what I imagine to be a pretty common “field” baptism. It is my understanding that this is still a valid ceremony. If so, how can I go about documenting it, 30 years later? The grandmother is still living. Should I contact the parish where this was performed or my local parish now? Who at a church generally deals with these things? I have some interest in RCIA, etc. and I have noticed that a baptismal certificate is required for many different things.

thanks - sam

It’s not so much the Certificate that is required, but Valid Baptism. Yes, speak with your Grandmother and see if she can provide any details of where and when, and by who. If it was reported to the local Catholic Church. If there was any other witnesses or pictures, etc.

 

[Evan]

This is really a bit of a problem for the church and for candidates who were baptized in other faiths.

Since we do not baptize them
AND since all the sacraments you recieve are recorded on your baptizmal certificate:

what to do with sacraments recieved by those who have no Catholic Baptizmal Certificate.

To marry you need a certificate that is less than 6 months old showing:

1. you were baptized, confirmed and have recieved eucarist
2. you were never ordained in the Church

But if you entered via RCIA 20 years ago and did not need to be baptized, there is no certificate and you have to struggle to get someone to confirm you were confirmed, recieved, etc.

If your wife died and you plan to remarry, you go through it again.

There is no procedure set up, world wide, that covers this situation.

 

[maherite1977]

I cannot understand why it would be such a hassle to receive one.

:heart:Blyss

I found out - when I was a Parish Secretary at my old Parish - that the procedure for getting a Baptismal Certificate has changed over the past few years.

If I recall correctly, if you need a Baptismal Certificate, it will be sent to your Parish or wherever you need it sent. If you yourself need a Baptismal Certificate, only a basic record of Baptism (Name, Parish baptized at, Pastor’s signature and Parish seal) will be given out. It seems that people who are going thru a divorce or a bad family situation, whatever the case may be, have been using Baptismal Certificates not the pupose they were intended to be used for.

Yes, it is a hassle, but I think it is more in protection of the Sacrament and the baptized instead of having a Baptism held against someone by another family member.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I found out - when I was a Parish Secretary at my old Parish - that the procedure for getting a Baptismal Certificate has changed over the past few years.

If I recall correctly, if you need a Baptismal Certificate, it will be sent to your Parish or wherever you need it sent. If you yourself need a Baptismal Certificate, only a basic record of Baptism (Name, Parish baptized at, Pastor’s signature and Parish seal) will be given out. It seems that people who are going thru a divorce or a bad family situation, whatever the case may be, have been using Baptismal Certificates not the pupose they were intended to be used for.

Yes, it is a hassle, but I think it is more in protection of the Sacrament and the baptized instead of having a Baptism held against someone by another family member.

" …protection of the Sacrament and the baptized instead of having a Baptism held against someone by another family member…" What exactly do you mean by this? How would someone misuse a Baptism certificate?

Any way a Baptism certificate should have the Baptism information on the front and First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders and Religious Profession information on the back.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

This is really a bit of a problem for the church and for candidates who were baptized in other faiths.

Since we do not baptize them
AND since all the sacraments you recieve are recorded on your baptizmal certificate:

what to do with sacraments recieved by those who have no Catholic Baptizmal Certificate.

To marry you need a certificate that is less than 6 months old showing:

1. you were baptized, confirmed and have recieved eucarist
2. you were never ordained in the Church

But if you entered via RCIA 20 years ago and did not need to be baptized, there is no certificate and you have to struggle to get someone to confirm you were confirmed, recieved, etc.

If your wife died and you plan to remarry, you go through it again.

There is no procedure set up, world wide, that covers this situation.

It’s my understanding. If you entered through RCIA 20 years ago (that would have been at the very beginnings of RCIA, the current ritual is 1988). Your Entry into the Church would have been recorded in that parish Baptismal record as a notation (Baptized UMC Nov. 1967) and then your First Holy Communion and Confirmation and Marriage would have been recorded as usual in the parish records. You should be able to go back to the parish you entered the Church through RCIA at and request a record of your Sacraments.

 

[Evan]

It’s my understanding. If you entered through RCIA 20 years ago (that would have been at the very beginnings of RCIA, the current ritual is 1988). Your Entry into the Church would have been recorded in that parish Baptismal record as a notation (Baptized UMC Nov. 1967) and then your First Holy Communion and Confirmation and Marriage would have been recorded as usual in the parish records. You should be able to go back to the parish you entered the Church through RCIA at and request a record of your Sacraments.

I think that is correct for some diocese. The problem that was being discussed was that every diocese had a different way and their was no universal procedure. SO when you went to another diocese they may keep such records at the Chancery (sp). But even with the case you described, there is no place in the note to add marriage, orders, confirmation, etc information. And you cannot get a ‘baptismal certificate’ that is recognized by other diocese.

I think they were considering the difficulty at the USCCB level.

 

[az_4_faith]

My parents left the Catholic Church before I was born. Both of my grandmothers lived nearby and I received what I imagine to be a pretty common “field” baptism. It is my understanding that this is still a valid ceremony. If so, how can I go about documenting it, 30 years later? The grandmother is still living. Should I contact the parish where this was performed or my local parish now? Who at a church generally deals with these things? I have some interest in RCIA, etc. and I have noticed that a baptismal certificate is required for many different things.

thanks - sam

Before anyone here can even begin to help you, you’re going to need to define “common field baptism.”

Do you mean one or even both of your grandmother’s performed a baptismal ceremony themselves, on their own, perhaps in their home or even at their church, or were you actually taken by someone to a priest in a church where you may have been baptized?

If it’s the first, grandma would need to write a testimony as to what happened: was the proper form used: water, baptism in the name of the Trinity. She needs to verify this for you. Then take her to a church so she can tell them what happened. They’ll advise you.

If it’s the second, have her tell you where someone took you specifically so that you can contact that parish. They’ll take it from there.

I’m sure baptismal certificates have been lost through fire or theft or other reasons, so find out with the RCIA folks what they do when you have no baptismal certificate.

 

[puzzleannie]

My parents left the Catholic Church before I was born. Both of my grandmothers lived nearby and I received what I imagine to be a pretty common “field” baptism. It is my understanding that this is still a valid ceremony. If so, how can I go about documenting it, 30 years later? The grandmother is still living.

I presume by this you mean your grandmother baptized you herself. She should have contacted her parish priest immediately and had the baptism recorded, and the priest should have completed the rite, which can be done now. Visit your grandmothers parish priest with her, she can attest to the fact of the baptism before witnesses, with a notarized statement. The priest can guide you on this. If other witnesses are alive, they should attest as well. Then you can proceed with preparation for Confirmation and the other sacraments.

If there are no witnesses living, you can prepare through the RCIA for the sacraments, have a conditional (private) baptism, and then receive the other sacraments.

 

[puzzleannie]

This is really a bit of a problem for the church and for candidates who were baptized in other faiths.

There is no procedure set up, world wide, that covers this situation.

yes there is a procedure, it is called canon law, and it is worldwide. the starting place is the nearest Catholic priest (not parish secretary or DRE).

When an adult baptized Christian enters into full communion with the Catholic faith through RCIA (or private instruction and confirmation) the fact is entered on the baptismal and other sacramental records of the parish that receives him. The data on his baptism is recorded, and the other sacraments. In the future he asks this parish if he loses the record and needs another official copy of the cerificate.

 

[Evan]

That’s not what the Archdiocese of Seattle says. Just reporting what I heard at the Chanchery (sp).

They said, it is not entered into the baptismal records because it is not a baptism. and when a copy is requested, there MAY be a note, but no certificate is issued.

If canon law covers this, which canon?

 

[Digitonomy]

How would someone misuse a Baptism certificate?

I can’t speak to what the other poster was suggesting, but a baptismal certificate can in some cases be used for government identification purposes, such as obtaining a Social Security card, etc. Although other false documentation would be needed, someone else’s baptismal certificate could be the first step in creating a new, fraudulent identity.

Evan:

Chanchery (sp)

Chancery.

 

[Digitonomy]

Out of curiosity, do churches generally charge for the service of copying and mailing birth certificates?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I can’t speak to what the other poster was suggesting, but a baptismal certificate can in some cases be used for government identification purposes, such as obtaining a Social Security card, etc. Although other false documentation would be needed, someone else’s baptismal certificate could be the first step in creating a new, fraudulent identity.Chancery.

A Baptism Certificate can not be used as for identification in the United States. It’s not recognized as a legal document here.

Jim

 

[maherite1977]

" …protection of the Sacrament and the baptized instead of having a Baptism held against someone by another family member…" What exactly do you mean by this? How would someone misuse a Baptism certificate?

Any way a Baptism certificate should have the Baptism information on the front and First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders and Religious Profession information on the back.

This may vary from Diocese to Diocese…but in the Diocese of Toledo, procedure is as follows…

In issuing Certificates of Baptism: (a) on the occasion of marriage, entrance into a seminary or institute or society of religious or apostolic life, the pastor, parochial vicar or the delegate of the pastor is to copy the complete record on the approved form which provides for the original record with all its added notations. This complete record is to be sent directly to the proper authority concerned. The document is not to be given to the person baptized or any other person.
(b) On all other occasions, the pastor, parochial vicar or the delegate of the pastor is to use the approved form which
states merely that the person was baptized, and give the person’s name, date of baptism and the name of the
minister, omits any mention of parentage or names of sponsors. In a case of adoption the person’s natural name
is to be omitted and only the name given by adoption is to be used.

Sounds like an issue has come up in the past in our Diocese as to possible validity of sacramental documents or abuse of sacramental documents. I may be mistaken, but this was (and still is) our Modus operandi when I was Parish Secretary.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

This may vary from Diocese to Diocese…but in the Diocese of Toledo, procedure is as follows…

In issuing Certificates of Baptism: (a) on the occasion of marriage, entrance into a seminary or institute or society of religious or apostolic life, the pastor, parochial vicar or the delegate of the pastor is to copy the complete record on the approved form which provides for the original record with all its added notations. This complete record is to be sent directly to the proper authority concerned. The document is not to be given to the person baptized or any other person.
(b) On all other occasions, the pastor, parochial vicar or the delegate of the pastor is to use the approved form which
states merely that the person was baptized, and give the person’s name, date of baptism and the name of the
minister, omits any mention of parentage or names of sponsors. In a case of adoption the person’s natural name
is to be omitted and only the name given by adoption is to be used.

Sounds like an issue has come up in the past in our Diocese as to possible validity of sacramental documents or abuse of sacramental documents. I may be mistaken, but this was (and still is) our Modus operandi when I was Parish Secretary.

I can see someone taking a Baptismal certificate modifying it by removing a Marriage so that they can go somewhere else and get Married without needing to go through an Annulment process. I would not have a problem having parishes send the documents directly to another parish. I myself went in person to the parish I was Baptized in and asked for a Baptism certificate last year. After looking at my drivers license and asking for my birth date. The lady found it in the Baptismal book and asked me for the Godparents names. Which matched what was in the book. She told me to come back in about an hour. There was no charge for it and it had all the other information listed on the back.

 

[Mintaka]

Baptismal certificate is one of the suggested forms of documentation for getting your US passport.