I need some answers please

[alanswife30]

I need to find out what I need to do and any info will be appreciated.

When I decided to join the RCIA last year, I had to find my husband’s baptism record. When I called my mother-in-law about it, she could not remember when or even if she had him baptised Catholic (weird, I know). I called his grandmother (who is Catholic) and found out what church she attended back then, then called that church and they had no record of him being baptized there. His mother and grandmother were both pretty sure at the time that he was not baptized, even though his mother said that she had pictures of him from his baptism. Seeing as no info could be found, we just assumed that he wasn’t baptized and that’s what I told my Priest.

I was still curious as to the photos my MIL told me about, and I asked her about them last weekend. She called me yesterday and told me that she found them and sure enough in the pictures is the Priest that baptized him along with his godparents! She’s still looking for his baptism certificate. We know that it was at a church in Chicopee, MA and I’ve called most of them and they have found nothing.

As comedian Ron White would say, “I told you that to tell you this”, I was received into the church at Easter Vigil last week, and since we didn’t know that he was in fact Catholic, we didn’t have a convalidation. Am I in a state of mortal sin? Can I still receive communion? And what should I do if we can’t find his baptism record? How do I prove that to my church that he is Catholic? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I need to find out what I need to do and any info will be appreciated.

When I decided to join the RCIA last year, I had to find my husband’s baptism record. When I called my mother-in-law about it, she could not remember when or even if she had him baptised Catholic (weird, I know). I called his grandmother (who is Catholic) and found out what church she attended back then, then called that church and they had no record of him being baptized there. His mother and grandmother were both pretty sure at the time that he was not baptized, even though his mother said that she had pictures of him from his baptism. Seeing as no info could be found, we just assumed that he wasn’t baptized and that’s what I told my Priest.

I was still curious as to the photos my MIL told me about, and I asked her about them last weekend. She called me yesterday and told me that she found them and sure enough in the pictures is the Priest that baptized him along with his godparents! She’s still looking for his baptism certificate. We know that it was at a church in Chicopee, MA and I’ve called most of them and they have found nothing.

As comedian Ron White would say, “I told you that to tell you this”, I was received into the church at Easter Vigil last week, and since we didn’t know that he was in fact Catholic, we didn’t have a convalidation. Am I in a state of mortal sin? Can I still receive communion? And what should I do if we can’t find his baptism record? How do I prove that to my church that he is Catholic? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Has he taken the photo to the churches and asked if anyone recognizes the priest? Has he called the diocese? Old photos usually have a date stamp on them?

What should you do? Call your pastor and tell him, and ask him.

 

[alanswife30]

We haven’t taken the photos to any churches because he was baptised in Chicopee, MA and we live in Panama City, FL. I called the diocese first and they told me that I would have to call each church individually. One church that his father went to as a little boy told me to email the photos to her and she may be able to tell me what church it was. And I do have the month and year he was baptised, Sept. 1970

 

[THurifer2]

I called the diocese first and they told me that I would have to call each church individually.

I thought that baptismal records were at the Chancery?

 

[IrishAm]

I thought that baptismal records were at the Chancery?

No, your baptismal records (and all other sacrmental records following that) are kept at your “mother church,” where you were originally baptized. If that church has merged with another parish since your baptism, the record are at the new parish; if the church has closed, your records are at the Chancery.

OP, please talk to the priest. They run into these kinds of things weekly and know how to handle the situation.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I thought that baptismal records were at the Chancery?

I know that pariahes are required to copy their Baptismal, Marriage, Funeral, and Mass registers each year and send then to the diocese for archive.

 

[sheila0405]

You are not in mortal sin. You can always have your marriage blessed after the records are retrieved. If there is no way to obtain them, your husband can receive a provisional Baptism. That’s what I had to do when I converted in 2004. No proof of Baptism, so I was given a provisional.

Hopefully you have tracked down the records by the time you read this. I will pray for you.

 

[alanswife30]

Thanks Sheila! I have called every church in Chicopee, MA and no one has a record of him, they remember his father, but, nothing on my husband. The diocese says that they don’t keep those kinds of records there. I’m stumped!

 

[benedictgal]

No, your baptismal records (and all other sacrmental records following that) are kept at your “mother church,” where you were originally baptized. If that church has merged with another parish since your baptism, the record are at the new parish; if the church has closed, your records are at the Chancery.

OP, please talk to the priest. They run into these kinds of things weekly and know how to handle the situation.

Actually, there are church records at the diocesan archives. A friend of mine used to work there and he got calls all of the time from people in the OP’s situation who were looking for their records. It might be worth a shot.

 

[alanswife30]

To update you all who took the time to offer me help, I have my hubby’s Baptism Certificate and found out why none of the churchs had any record of him, he was baptized at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts! And to top it off, it doesn’t clarify what religion, it just states that he “Received Christian Baptism” so I still don’t know for sure if he was baptized Catholic! I know that he has Godparents, and that his father’s family (who they were living with at the time) are all Catholic. Now I have to call the base to see if they would know.

 

[Phemie]

To update you all who took the time to offer me help, I have my hubby’s Baptism Certificate and found out why none of the churchs had any record of him, he was baptized at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts! And to top it off, it doesn’t clarify what religion, it just states that he “Received Christian Baptism” so I still don’t know for sure if he was baptized Catholic! I know that he has Godparents, and that his father’s family (who they were living with at the time) are all Catholic. Now I have to call the base to see if they would know.

You might try here

 

[puzzleannie]

To update you all who took the time to offer me help, I have my hubby’s Baptism Certificate and found out why none of the churchs had any record of him, he was baptized at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts! And to top it off, it doesn’t clarify what religion, it just states that he “Received Christian Baptism” so I still don’t know for sure if he was baptized Catholic! I know that he has Godparents, and that his father’s family (who they were living with at the time) are all Catholic. Now I have to call the base to see if they would know.

you can try the Archdiocese for Military in Washington DC, your local parish can give you the phone number, or even call for you. you need parents name, any military ID # if possible, name of base if you have it, child’s name and birth date. the base quite likely does not keep records, or may have closed since then.

 

[thomasf]

If your husband was baptized in a christian baptism then he is good to go. The catholic church sees all valid christian baptisms as baptisms into the catholic church. Did he receive any of the other sacraments?

If neither of you were catholic when you were married your marriage might still be seen as valid. You just might have to sacramentalize it by having it blessed now that you are catholic.

 

[NMJenny]

I know that pariahes are required to copy their Baptismal, Marriage, Funeral, and Mass registers each year and send then to the diocese for archive.

Unless things have changed radically in the last fifteen years or so, I know this is correct. Our former pastor asked me once if I would help him out by copying the baptismal record from the Church onto the diocesan form so he could send it in…

 

[down_under]

I need to find out what I need to do and any info will be appreciated.

When I decided to join the RCIA last year, I had to find my husband’s baptism record. When I called my mother-in-law about it, she could not remember when or even if she had him baptised Catholic (weird, I know). I called his grandmother (who is Catholic) and found out what church she attended back then, then called that church and they had no record of him being baptized there. His mother and grandmother were both pretty sure at the time that he was not baptized, even though his mother said that she had pictures of him from his baptism. Seeing as no info could be found, we just assumed that he wasn’t baptized and that’s what I told my Priest.

I was still curious as to the photos my MIL told me about, and I asked her about them last weekend. She called me yesterday and told me that she found them and sure enough in the pictures is the Priest that baptized him along with his godparents! She’s still looking for his baptism certificate. We know that it was at a church in Chicopee, MA and I’ve called most of them and they have found nothing.

As comedian Ron White would say, “I told you that to tell you this”, I was received into the church at Easter Vigil last week, and since we didn’t know that he was in fact Catholic, we didn’t have a convalidation. Am I in a state of mortal sin? Can I still receive communion? And what should I do if we can’t find his baptism record? How do I prove that to my church that he is Catholic? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am from chichopee MA. what church was he baptisied in. a lot of churches have been consolidated or closed so finding records that old could be a bit tricky, but not totally undoable. my mother still lives there she may be willing to help. right there on montgomery st. pease

 

[alanswife30]

down under, they lived on Montgomery St! All of my in-laws are from Chicopee. Last names are Vick & Lucas.

 

[down_under]

down under, they lived on Montgomery St! All of my in-laws are from Chicopee. Last names are Vick & Lucas.

before she married 30 years ago my mothers name was riley. My family name is Laflamme. sorry lucas does not ring a bell for me and I lived there a long time. we however are not related to the laflamme oil company people. or if we are it is a distant relation. I cannot remember teh name of the church that they go to just now. it is on chicopee st I think. but this end closer to holyoak. In fact it is being consolidated with the catholic school church right there before the bridge. oh but that school has been closed for a little while but the church is still open. maybe you dont know the geography so well sorry. I lived there for 20 years. anyhow hello nice to meet a local. for all we know are relitives go to church together.

 

[alanswife30]

Oh, I’m not from Chicopee, my husband’s family is. His father’s family, The Vick’s, lived on Montgomery St. and they went to St. George and St. Patrick’s I believe. His mother’s family, The Lucas’ were not Catholic, his grandma is a Jehovah’s Witness and his grandpa was a Baptist, and I don’t know what street they lived on. Of course, this was way back in the 60’s. I’m a Southern girl, from the Redneck Rivieria, Panama City, FL.

 

[down_under]

Oh, I’m not from Chicopee, my husband’s family is. His father’s family, The Vick’s, lived on Montgomery St. and they went to St. George and St. Patrick’s I believe. His mother’s family, The Lucas’ were not Catholic, his grandma is a Jehovah’s Witness and his grandpa was a Baptist, and I don’t know what street they lived on. Of course, this was way back in the 60’s. I’m a Southern girl, from the Redneck Rivieria, Panama City, FL.

my mom has been married for 30 years or so. well I was born in 75 and she was married for 2 years longer than that. so she must be going on her 35th anniversery. she has lived in the exact same house the entire time she was married. and she lived within a block or so of that before hand. She never lived anywhere else. I remember st george but we did not go there. of course that was the 60’s anyhow. If I can help let me know.