Catechumen wants to join but parish wont allow it? Any advice!

[JER7177]

I am a sponsor for the RCIA program in my parish and I am sponsoring a truly honorable and upstanding man. He has always had a great desire to join and has had to really shift his life around to join. He is a police officer and works a 12 hour shift and come right from his shift to RCIA for 2-3 hours a Sunday. His wife and he were married outside the Church, obviously, although she was born and baptized a catholic. No prior marriages. She stopped practicing early on became a Jehova’s Wotness and now attends a local Baptist parish and has for years. They have a son who is a true prodigy intellectually and is thoroughly loving his catechism classes.

The problem: the validation of the marriage. He has been working diligently to get the paperwork done and all documents accounted for, but every turn is a hassle. Example: they received the baptismal certificate from the poor little parish his wife was baptized in in Mexico 32 years ago - it took 2 months! They say they can’t take it because it didn’t have a current stamp verifying it for modern times???

He was told that until the marriage is validated he cannot enter the Church and recieve his sacraments. Don’t we usually let them enter first before we put them through the bureaucratic red tape? Is this correct? Is it true that his marriage, which he is willing to get validated, is an impediment to him recieving baptism?

 

[1ke]

Yes, he does need to take care of the marriage situation prior to receiving the sacraments.

He may be able to pursue a radical sanation rather than convalidation.

The parish should make contact directly with the baptismal parish to get what they need.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

He was told that until the marriage is validated he cannot enter the Church and recieve his sacraments. Don’t we usually let them enter first before we put them through the bureaucratic red tape? Is this correct? Is it true that his marriage, which he is willing to get validated, is an impediment to him recieving baptism?

Yes, the marriage is an impediment. A person can’t receive the sacraments while living in an invalid marriage. This applies to both Catholics and those who want to enter the Church.

He can continue with classes and preparation while he resolves the marriage issue. The parish should be supporting him and working with him to get needed documents. People who are dealing with marriage issues in RCIA need a great deal of support from the RCIA team, the parish as a whole, and their sponsors.

 

[JER7177]

Thank you for your responses. I basically consulted with him and told him these things. I do think the parish is being obedient to diocesan norms and protocol, but I do believe that he may not be getting the support as you said. I am trying to do my best by praying for he and his wife and so forth. Another question: This issue is only an impediment to him, not his son though? Am I correct in saying this? God bless and thank you!

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

Thank you for your responses. I basically consulted with him and told him these things. I do think the parish is being obedient to diocesan norms and protocol, but I do believe that he may not be getting the support as you said. I am trying to do my best by praying for he and his wife and so forth. Another question: This issue is only an impediment to him, not his son though? Am I correct in saying this? God bless and thank you!

correct it should not effect the child in anyway.

 

[BettyBoop416]

The parish should make contact directly with the baptismal parish to get what they need.

As one who contacts other parishes regarding sacramental records, this is sometimes easier said than done…especially when the records are located outside the U.S. When I first started doing this I was very surprised at how often sacramental records are lost, destroyed, or simply never recorded in the first place. I recently had a minor “dust up” with one of our young priests who, like in the OP’s case, wasn’t satisfied with the document we received from a rural south american church. I (much to my embarrassment) ended up yelling at him, “We’re lucky they responded at all, and we’re doubly lucky they actually sent a copy of a document. It’s not going to get any better than this!”

I wish the OP luck.

 

[puzzleannie]

I He was told that until the marriage is validated he cannot enter the Church and recieve his sacraments. Don’t we usually let them enter first before we put them through the bureaucratic red tape? Is this correct? Is it true that his marriage, which he is willing to get validated, is an impediment to him recieving baptism?

this is true. He cannot receive sacraments and then immediately enter into an objective state of sin, which he would be doing in an invalid marriage.

This is not red tape it is canon law and a matter of saving souls.

 

[puzzleannie]

sorry got time out

It is very unfortunate the gentleman’s situation was not thoroughly explained before he was accepted into the catechumenate, as he should not have celebrated Rite of Acceptance until the marriage issue was resolved. You might want to assist by doing what you can to facilitate getting records. Usually if the parish secretary calls the parish in Mexico and asks for a recent baptismal certificate sent to the pastor, it is faster, easier and cheaper than relying on a relative, or an old certificate, because it will definitely have the official seal which is required. The law is very specific on the record keeping because these matters are so grave, and have a civil law impact as well in most places.

No the child’s status is not affected and he can be received into the Church now if parents agree. Another thing you can do as sponsor is offer support to your candidate who is going to face a rocky road given his wife’s history, in his own new faith and in bringing the child up in the faith.

What often proves necessary in dealing with Latin American parishes is having a Spanish speaking employee from the bishop’s office make the contact if nothing else is happening.

 

[Vico]

I am a sponsor for the RCIA program in my parish and I am sponsoring a truly honorable and upstanding man. He has always had a great desire to join and has had to really shift his life around to join. He is a police officer and works a 12 hour shift and come right from his shift to RCIA for 2-3 hours a Sunday. His wife and he were married outside the Church, obviously, although she was born and baptized a catholic. No prior marriages. She stopped practicing early on became a Jehova’s Wotness and now attends a local Baptist parish and has for years. They have a son who is a true prodigy intellectually and is thoroughly loving his catechism classes.

The problem: the validation of the marriage. He has been working diligently to get the paperwork done and all documents accounted for, but every turn is a hassle. Example: they received the baptismal certificate from the poor little parish his wife was baptized in in Mexico 32 years ago - it took 2 months! They say they can’t take it because it didn’t have a current stamp verifying it for modern times???

He was told that until the marriage is validated he cannot enter the Church and recieve his sacraments. Don’t we usually let them enter first before we put them through the bureaucratic red tape? Is this correct? Is it true that his marriage, which he is willing to get validated, is an impediment to him recieving baptism?

It does seem like bureaucratic red tape, but really it is true charity, because it is necessary to be certain that the couple is validly married. In this way they may receive the strengthening of the Holy Spirit with the proper disposition, where both have been baptised. This requires verification of a few things, such as a lack of impediments that cannot be dispensed, permissions, affadavits of ability to marry (not married before), correct understanding of the divine laws of marriage, existence of a proper willing covenent, and agreement to raise any children that result in the Catholic faith.

The only other way I know of is to live apart (and with no sexual contact) so there is no scandal.