RCIA Baptismal Certificate

[Eugen]

Some people attending our RCIA program are not able to produce their baptismal certificate.

The most difficult situation is the following: The person knows indirectly that he was baptized. However, the person who witnessed the baptism (grand mother in this case) is no longer alive and the candidate can not remember at which church the baptism was celebrated.

What would you recommend in this case?

Thank you so much for your help.

 

[1ke]

Some people attending our RCIA program are not able to produce their baptismal certificate.

The most difficult situation is the following: The person knows indirectly that he was baptized. However, the person who witnessed the baptism (grand mother in this case) is no longer alive and the candidate can not remember at which church the baptism was celebrated.

What would you recommend in this case?

Thank you so much for your help.

Are you the RCIA director? It is not a matter of what someone here “recocmmends”, it is a matter of following Church law and the RCIA protocols. The director and the priest should know these protocols and follow them.

If no baptismal certificate and no affidavit of baptism can be obtained then the priest will do a conditional baptism.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Some people attending our RCIA program are not able to produce their baptismal certificate.

The most difficult situation is the following: The person knows indirectly that he was baptized. However, the person who witnessed the baptism (grand mother in this case) is no longer alive and the candidate can not remember at which church the baptism was celebrated.

What would you recommend in this case?

Thank you so much for your help.

To investigate - find out the address when the person was a baby, and contact the nearest parish, and if that’s not the one, the other nearby parishes. Might take a little detective work, but if he was ever baptized, it will be on record SOMEWHERE.

 

[twopekinguys]

To investigate - find out the address when the person was a baby, and contact the nearest parish, and if that’s not the one, the other nearby parishes. Might take a little detective work, but if he was ever baptized, it will be on record SOMEWHERE.

Assuming that it was a Catholic baptism.

If it were a protestant church, many don’t keep records of baptisms, and many of the smaller ones come and go rather quickly.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Assuming that it was a Catholic baptism.

If it were a protestant church, many don’t keep records of baptisms, and many of the smaller ones come and go rather quickly.

Oh, DUH.

:doh2:

It’s hard for me to think like a Protestant! They really don’t keep baptismal records??? Wow, then I suppose the person might have a problem verifying that the baptism happened. Sheesh.

 

[YoungTradCath]

Oh, DUH.

:doh2:

It’s hard for me to think like a Protestant! They really don’t keep baptismal records??? Wow, then I suppose the person might have a problem verifying that the baptism happened. Sheesh.

Probably some do, but many don’t, because many Protestants consider baptism not efficacious in itself and only a sign of what has already happened.

OP: there is such a thing as conditional baptism. That will be what likely occurs.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Oh, DUH.

:doh2:

It’s hard for me to think like a Protestant! They really don’t keep baptismal records??? Wow, then I suppose the person might have a problem verifying that the baptism happened. Sheesh.

My niece, who belongs to some small Protestant church I am not familiar with, has baptized people in a plastic swimming pool in the backyard. No records are kept there.

She posted a picture of her husband baptizing her brother in the pool on FB. I guess if he ever turned Catholic, he could provide the picture as proof.