Parish registration

[Pug]

However I just learned further that the proper parish for Catholics in my neighborhood will not even baptize a child of members unless the parents are registered and use envelopes for 6 mos.

This leads me to wonder whether when John the Baptist performed Baptisms, or Paul and Silas for instance when they baptized the jailer and all his family, placed the same restrictions onto them before they would baptize?

So are territorial parishes obligated to provide a funeral for those who lived in the parish boundaries without added restrictions but not Baptisms?

Huh, I wonder if that baptism requirement isn’t your parish way of determining who is going to (is prepared to, whatever) raise the child in the faith. Unless the child is in danger of death, the priest can say to them (he is obliged to tell them why) that he doesn’t see any founded hope that the child will be brought up Catholic, and then he can impose some test and delay until it is fulfilled. In other words, perhaps it is a test of sincerity in the faith? It seems a poor test to me, but maybe that is what is in mind here.

A dead person doesn’t have the luxury of demonstrating their sincerity. (funerals)

 

[CMatt25]

Huh, I wonder if that baptism requirement isn’t your parish way of determining who is going to (is prepared to, whatever) raise the child in the faith. Unless the child is in danger of death, the priest can say to them (he is obliged to tell them why) that he doesn’t see any founded hope that the child will be brought up Catholic, and then he can impose some test and delay until it is fulfilled. In other words, perhaps it is a test of sincerity in the faith? It seems a poor test to me, but maybe that is what is in mind here.

A dead person doesn’t have the luxury of demonstrating their sincerity. (funerals)

Pug, that’s the only thing I can reason as well in regards to the requirements. The pastor in his letter regarding Baptism does speak about raising the child in the
practice of the faith. And says nothing is more important than the parents example.
He goes on to talk about how the requirement to register and use envelopes shows stewardship of God’s gifts of talent, time and tithe as participating members.

I understand the hope of wanting the child to be raised in a certain manner. But I am still troubled by the test of a man of the cloth adding these extra requirements for Baptizing. And even more so I think if one is supposedly automatically a member of their proper parish. But I suppose like you said perhaps he would not do so if there was danger of death.

 

[CMatt25]

So if I understand the aspect of the canon law being discussed,

1. my territorial parish is responsible for all sacraments for me–even if I am not registered there.
2. certain sacraments like marriage, baptism, confirmation should not be refused by one’s territorial parish simply because a person doesn’t register. This is not withstanding other requirements and stipulations to receive the sacrament.

Ungern

Well that’s what I understood from the thread. Except from what I’ve learned from my local parish, stipulations for instance requiring parents to register and use envelopes for 6 mos can be imposed before a Baptism is performed even if it is the territorial parish. Otherwise it appears you understand it correctly. God bless and peace.

 

[Pug]

Pug, that’s the only thing I can reason as well in regards to the requirements. The pastor in his letter regarding Baptism does speak about raising the child in the
practice of the faith. And says nothing is more important than the parents example.
He goes on to talk about how the requirement to register and use envelopes shows stewardship of God’s gifts of talent, time and tithe as participating members.

I understand the hope of wanting the child to be raised in a certain manner. But I am still troubled by the test of a man of the cloth adding these extra requirements for Baptizing. And even more so I think if one is supposedly automatically a member of their proper parish. But I suppose like you said perhaps he would not do so if there was danger of death.

That letter that your pastor wrote does sound like perhaps he is thinking of being sure the parents are going to raise the child in the faith. In case if people on this thread have never seen it, I will post canon law below about that the pastor is required to think about formation and founded hope. Counting envelopes is troubling. I suspect it is an indicator of a large parish where the pastor doesn’t know his flock, so odd bureaucratic things are substituted for personal familiarity with the couple’s situation.

Can. 868 §1. For an infant to be baptized licitly:1. the parents or at least one of them or the person who legitimately takes their place must consent;
2. there must be a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic religion; if such hope is altogether lacking, the baptism is to be delayed according to the prescripts of particular law after the parents have been advised about the reason.
§2. An infant of Catholic parents or even of non-Catholic parents is baptized licitly in danger of death even against the will of the parents.

Can. 851 The celebration of baptism must be prepared properly; consequently:1. an adult who intends to receive baptism is to be admitted to the catechumenate and is to be led insofar as possible through the various stages to sacramental initiation, according to the order of initiation adapted by the conference of bishops and the special norms issued by it;
2. the parents of an infant to be baptized and those who are to undertake the function of sponsor are to be instructed properly on the meaning of this sacrament and the obligations attached to it. The pastor personally or through others is to take care that the parents are properly instructed through both pastoral advice and common prayer, bringing several families together and, where possible, visiting them.

 

[CMatt25]

Counting envelopes is troubling. I suspect it is an indicator of a large parish where the pastor doesn’t know his flock, so odd bureaucratic things are substituted for personal familiarity with the couple’s situation.

Indeed Pug it is a very large parish. The pastor and 2 other resident priests. Plus deacons. 8 weekend Masses and over $20,000 in weekly collections is not at all unheard of. Not certain though how much is or is not in envelopes however. The bulletin doesn’t break that down. Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut. Peace.

 

[Lee_Enfield]

If I were to register in a parish other than my territorial parish, should I put my collection money in the parish in which I am registered, or my territorial parish?

 

[on_the_hill]

This is all kind of confusing.

I know it used to be the case that you went to the Church nearest to where you lived. When my family moved, we were on the border between two, and had the luxury of choosing.

When I got married, my wife and I never knew where our geographical parish was. We went to a couple different churches and eventually found our “home.” I’m pretty sure it’s not our geographical parish, but our kids have had their sacraments there and no one ever questioned it. It’s where we’re registered, where our envelopes come from, where my wife taught CCD, etc.

 

[Astritreynolds]

Hi! I have a question, or many! I just moved from Peru, where I was part of my church. It’s been 4 months and I don’t know how to register in my church. Or if u have to pick a church?
I have planned to marry by the church back in Perú but they told me I have to register first where I leave which is here and then finish some paper work and then apply for a transition of marriage to the the church I want to get married in. Can someone pls help me or refer me where I can find that info! Thanks!

 

[EasterJoy]

Hi! I have a question, or many! I just moved from Peru, where I was part of my church. It’s been 4 months and I don’t know how to register in my church. Or if u have to pick a church?
I have planned to marry by the church back in Perú but they told me I have to register first where I leave which is here and then finish some paper work and then apply for a transition of marriage to the the church I want to get married in. Can someone pls help me or refer me where I can find that info! Thanks!

Start a new thread. This one is very old and your question is not really related to it.

Having said that, you can call your local chancery office (the office of the bishop) and they can tell you what parish you live in, what other parish churches are near where you live, and what your bishop’s policies are with regards to registration and preparation for marriage. Those differ from one diocese/bishop to the next. Contact information is usually easy to find with an internet search engine.