RCIA and Proof of Baptism

[cryssygurl90]

Hello,

I am going through my RCIA soon and I had a question about providing proof of baptism. My original baptismal certificate was lost in a flood when I was 5. I was raised in a catholic church and have been a member of my parish for the past 4 years. When we spoke to our Priest about getting married he brought up me taking the RCIA class. He said the church looks forward to me being a parishioner and though he would marry us either way he wanted me to think about it. He told me that I would need to provide proof of baptism since I was baptized as a baby, but the church I was baptized in is 4 states away and I have called them over 5 times and emailed them at least 4 times, they will not return my calls or emails.

My godmother and my mother agreed to sign notarized letters stating that they witnessed my baptism, including the date, and the church.

The only question I have is would this be significant proof for the church?

 

[Phemie]

Hello,

I am going through my RCIA soon and I had a question about providing proof of baptism. My original baptismal certificate was lost in a flood when I was 5. I was raised in a catholic church and have been a member of my parish for the past 4 years. When we spoke to our Priest about getting married he brought up me taking the RCIA class. He said the church looks forward to me being a parishioner and though he would marry us either way he wanted me to think about it. He told me that I would need to provide proof of baptism since I was baptized as a baby, but the church I was baptized in is 4 states away and I have called them over 5 times and emailed them at least 4 times, they will not return my calls or emails.

My godmother and my mother agreed to sign notarized letters stating that they witnessed my baptism, including the date, and the church.

The only question I have is would this be significant proof for the church?

Yes, usually affidavits are accepted as proof of baptism.

You say you were raised in the Catholic Church and have now been a member of your parish for four years so I’m confused as to why you need to go through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Were you baptized in a Church other than the Catholic Church?

 

[cryssygurl90]

I was baptized Methodist by my mom. The church she originally attended when I was born refused to baptize me because my father had abandoned my mother and I. The priest had told her if she paid $600 he would baptize me (he was eventually removed from the priesthood after it was learned that he was doing this to many people who wanted their children baptized and then taking the money) My mother was angry and my aunt (and godmother) suggested her church which was a methodist church. I was baptized the same day and I didnt really know the difference. Mom stopped attending church until we moved to WV and then we became members of a parish in my hometown. I knew I couldnt attend classes because I still had no proof of baptism and the priest said I needed it.

It was only recently that the priest at my new parish had told me there were other ways of providing proof of baptism but he didnt really elaborate. He had said there was a form that my family and godparents could sign but when I called my old church he didnt know what I was talking about and told me he would look into it and call back but he never did.

My daughter is baptized catholic and my fiance is catholic, we attend St Marys and I would really like to complete my RCIA and become a member of the church, I consider myself catholic and I am hopeful that the notarized letters will be enough

 

[Phemie]

OK, I suspect that the form your priest was talking about is the affidavit I mentioned. Signed by your mother and godmother,who were present at your Methodist baptism, it would be enough to prove your baptism since I believe the Methodists practice trinitarian Baptism (in the name lf the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit).

If all else fails, there would be a conditional baptism (where the words spoken are "If you are not baptized, I baptize you in the name of the Father…) but that’s only done, in private, if a Baptism is believed to have occurred but there is absolutely no proof.

 

[powerlinemom]

OK, I suspect that the form your priest was talking about is the affidavit I mentioned. Signed by your mother and godmother,who were present at your Methodist baptism, it would be enough to prove your baptism since I believe the Methodists practice trinitarian Baptism (in the name lf the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit).

Yes, a Methodist baptism is recognized by the Catholic Church. I was baptized Catholic, but was raised Methodist. My oldest two children were baptized in the Methodist Church, but we’ve since returned to the Catholic Church and their baptisms are considered valid.

There should be ways around it if you absolutely cannot get the baptism certificate. My husband is British and was raised in a Catholic Church in England. When we wanted to get our marriage convalidated, we were having a bit of trouble getting in touch with someone from his old parish to get the records, so I asked our priest what we could do if it had turned out that we couldn’t get his records. He indicated that an affidavit from family members, godparents, witnesses, etc would work, but thankfully we were eventually able to get one of my husband’s brothers to get the papers from the church for us.

 

[beth40n2]

I can confirm that United Methodist baptism is trinitarian and is accepted by the Catholic church.

I had been baptized in a Pentecostal church when I was younger, they did not giver certificates or keep records of baptisms. But I had a picture of me coming up out of the water as it was baptism by immersion, and that was accepted. I was told two witnesses statements would have been sufficiant also.