New Diocese and Sacrament records

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Love_Divine

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I just moved to a new diocese in a different province. I know normally if I switch parishes I don’t have to have my records transferred to the parish unless I’m in need of some sacrament and proof is needed that I completed the other sacraments. However, I’m wondering if because I’m in a completely different diocese and area if I have to have my records transferred over just so the diocese has a record of them?
 
Generally, there is no need unless asked.

Some parishes ask for baptismal records when a new parishioner registeres, but most do not.
 
Love_Divine said:
I just moved to a new diocese in a different province. I know normally if I switch parishes I don’t have to have my records transferred to the parish unless I’m in need of some sacrament and proof is needed that I completed the other sacraments. However, I’m wondering if because I’m in a completely different diocese and area if I have to have my records transferred over just so the diocese has a record of them?
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I’m sure different parishes/dioceses do things differently, but my parish registration form had a place to list the place and date where I received my Sacraments of Initiation. I assume if they need any confirmation, the parish office probably takes it upon themselves to contact those places to obtain copies of any records. Perhaps they seek copies for all new parishioners or perhaps they would only do it when needed (e.g., if you were going to be a godparent, were presenting your children for Baptism, getting married, etc.).

I’m sure if you talk to your new parish, they’ll let you know what (if anything) you need to do.
 
Love_Divine said:
I just moved to a new diocese in a different province. I know normally if I switch parishes I don’t have to have my records transferred to the parish unless I’m in need of some sacrament and proof is needed that I completed the other sacraments. However, I’m wondering if because I’m in a completely different diocese and area if I have to have my records transferred over just so the diocese has a record of them?
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nobody has to have “records switched” for any move. YOur sacramental record is kept at your baptismal parish, and every subsequent sacrament is reported to that pastor so a memo can be made in that book. There is no switching. If you need a copy of the record, say for marriage, contact your baptismal parish.
 
Different question from the OP, but thread title still applies:

What happens when a new diocese B is erected out of territory formerly in diocese A? Do dioceses in general keep any duplicate sacramental records of current parishes? Do they get moved to the new diocese, or does diocese B start de novo, and all previous records stay at diocese A?

Similar question: when a parish is shuttered, do its records go to the diocese, or to the new territorial parish the old church is within, or to the parish that takes over the greatest part of the old parish, even if that does not include the church itself? If they go to the diocese, do these sacramental records from the shuttered church within diocese B go to this new diocese upon its erection, or do they stay in diocese A?
 
Digitonomy said:
Different question from the OP, but thread title still applies:

What happens when a new diocese B is erected out of territory formerly in diocese A? Do dioceses in general keep any duplicate sacramental records of current parishes? Do they get moved to the new diocese, or does diocese B start de novo, and all previous records stay at diocese A?

Similar question: when a parish is shuttered, do its records go to the diocese, or to the new territorial parish the old church is within, or to the parish that takes over the greatest part of the old parish, even if that does not include the church itself? If they go to the diocese, do these sacramental records from the shuttered church within diocese B go to this new diocese upon its erection, or do they stay in diocese A?
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Each January we photocopy the register entries of the previous year and forward them to the diocese.

Our diocese had parishes in two provinces. When it was suppressed, the parishes became part of the dioceses in whose provincial boundaries they were located. Our bishop was already bishop of another diocese so our territory was annexed to that diocese, the diocese renamed and all archives transferred there. What I don’t know is whether all copies of the parish registers were retained in our new diocese or whether each parish’s were forwarded to the diocese that was welcoming it.
 
Every Diocese that I have ever lived in (in California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Idaho, Kentucky, Germany and the Military Ordinate) ALL reported any events (such as confirmation, marriage, ordinations, etc) back to the Parish where your first received the Sacraments.

I have not lived in the Parish of St. Vincent de Paul in San Diego, California since 1959, but my my marriage IS recorded on the back of my baptismal certificate. My marriage was in the Goleta, CA, which is in Santa Barbara County, part of the ArchDiocese of Los Angeles.

But it was OFICIALLY recorded back at St. Vincent de Paul.
 
Digitonomy said:
Different question from the OP, but thread title still applies:

What happens when a new diocese B is erected out of territory formerly in diocese A? Do dioceses in general keep any duplicate sacramental records of current parishes? Do they get moved to the new diocese, or does diocese B start de novo, and all previous records stay at diocese A?

Similar question: when a parish is shuttered, do its records go to the diocese, or to the new territorial parish the old church is within, or to the parish that takes over the greatest part of the old parish, even if that does not include the church itself? If they go to the diocese, do these sacramental records from the shuttered church within diocese B go to this new diocese upon its erection, or do they stay in diocese A?
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there are canon law procedures for all these cases
for instance, the Diocese of Brownsville was form out of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, and later the diocese of Laredo carved off the Brownsville Diocese. So the records of Sacred Heart Church here, which predate the new diocese, stay with that parish.

If the territory of Sacred Heart is split to form a new parish down the road, if you were baptized there before the split, say it was 1975, your records are at Sacred Heart. If you were baptized at the new parish, we will call it St. Joseph the Worker, they are at your new baptismal parish.

Dioceses periodically contract to have sacramental records of all parishes microfilmed for preservation as well. Even in dioceses that have approved electronic record keeping the hard copy “books” are still maintained.

If as happened in this town, the old parish was closed, and a new parish formed, the new parish has the old records, so if you were baptized at “old” St Mary your record is maintained at Assumption Parish which now incorporates that territory. When St. Mary’s was closed their records were photocopied or microfilmed and are also on file i the diocesan archives. Each diocese has particular law and a designated archivist who takes care of all this.
 
Digitonomy said:
Similar question: when a parish is shuttered, do its records go to the diocese, or to the new territorial parish the old church is within, or to the parish that takes over the greatest part of the old parish, even if that does not include the church itself? If they go to the diocese, do these sacramental records from the shuttered church within diocese B go to this new diocese upon its erection, or do they stay in diocese A?
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When a parish is suppressed, the Sacramental Registers or metrical books may either be sent to the chancery or may be transferred to the custody of another parish. That decision rests with the chancery.

In modern times, the Official Catholic Directory entry for a suppressed parish generally (unless the diocese fails to provide the information) indicates which. Some canonical jurisdictions (Latin Archdiocese of Chicago comes to mind as one such) also indicate on their website where the records of each such parish are retained.

In the case of parish mergers, the records should always be given into the custody of the parish that resulted from the merger. In the event of a parish that is suppressed and the territory of which is divided between two or more other parishes, the records may be retained at the chancery or given over to one of the successor parishes - the registry is never ‘divided’ between/among them. It is impractical and virtually impossible to do so.

In the event that a new diocese is canonically erected, the Sacramental Registers or metrical books in the possession of the earlier jurisdiction most commonly remain there, as most dioceses don’t have the rather considerable staff resources that would be required to separate and forward these.
 
puzzleannie said:
there are canon law procedures for all these cases.
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Actually, the Code is essentially silent on such matters as to transferral of records betwen jurisdictions or parishes, effectively deferring to particular law.

Canon 535
§5 Older parochial registers are also to be carefully safeguarded, in accordance with the provisions of particular law.
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Out of curiosity, I was baptized United Methodist. I assume that my records would be maintained at the parish where I was received into the Church?
 
Diakonia said:
Actually, the Code is essentially silent on such matters as to transferral of records betwen jurisdictions or parishes, effectively deferring to particular law.

Canon 535
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actually it is not silent, and provides that each diocese have a system, procedure and particular law about archives including sacramental records

and yes when a baptized non-Catholic is received into full communion with the Catholic Church an entry is made not only in the confirmation and communion register, but either in the baptismal register, or another book kept just for this purpose, which lists the facts of the baptism and the source of that information, plust the notation of the other sacraments, including marriage
 
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