baptismal cert

Curious Geroge

Hi, I just wanted to ask the advice of people with regards getting married and requiring the baptismal certificate. I know it is necessary, but are there some cases where they make exceptions ? My OH (who was not baptised in Ireland) can’t get a copy from her catholic church or diocese. The records seem to be gone for the church (no other explaination). There is a rather long process for getting a new one with what seems to be multiple trips abroad (back home) for signing paperwork while she waits (for an undetermined length of time). I’m wondering if she can get re-baptised here again to save all this unnecessary hassle. Thanks

Stephentlig

Curious Geroge wrote: »

Hi, I just wanted to ask the advice of people with regards getting married and requiring the baptismal certificate. I know it is necessary, but are there some cases where they make exceptions ? My OH (who was not baptised in Ireland) can’t get a copy from her catholic church or diocese. The records seem to be gone for the church (no other explaination). There is a rather long process for getting a new one with what seems to be multiple trips abroad (back home) for signing paperwork while she waits (for an undetermined length of time). I’m wondering if she can get re-baptised here again to save all this unnecessary hassle. Thanks

No, she cannot get baptised again, my wifes local diocese just sent her baptismal in the mail on request, how are the records gone? surely they cannot just get up and walk by themselves?

your best bet is to ask an apologist for the faith, or consult a canon lawyer, speak to your local parish priest also.

http://forums.catholic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4 visit this link and ask an apologist, hopefully you'll get an answer quickly, I'll have a look at the canon later and see what exceptions can be made.

yours in Christ
Stephen

Saint Ruth

You could probably get a sworn affidavit (resist urge to make a joke about a certain FFer ).

My misses is a foreigner and while she had a baptismal cert, she couldn't get everything required (in her case, it was proof that she had not been previously married) and so we got a affidavit (it only took 5 mins and yer man, the solicitor thought the whole thing was silly so gave it to us for free).

They should accept that.

Stephentlig

Canon.1068 ''In danger of death, if other proofs are not available, it suffices, unless there are contrary indications, to have the assertion of the parties, sworn if need be, that they are baptised and free of any impediment.''

basically how I read this is, that should your situation be a life or death one in which you cannot provide the neccesary documents, then you'll be ok. Still you should consult a priest as he will be the one who can better direct you.

I hope the above is of help to you, may God bless your marraige, Amen.

Pax Christi
Stephen

ISAW

Curious Geroge wrote: »

Hi, I just wanted to ask the advice of people with regards getting married and requiring the baptismal certificate. I know it is necessary, but are there some cases where they make exceptions ? My OH (who was not baptised in Ireland) can’t get a copy from her catholic church or diocese. The records seem to be gone for the church (no other explaination). There is a rather long process for getting a new one with what seems to be multiple trips abroad (back home) for signing paperwork while she waits (for an undetermined length of time). I’m wondering if she can get re-baptised here again to save all this unnecessary hassle. Thanks

Personally I have problems with bureaucracy. That said the RC Church has quite an efficient one. About 700 people in the Vatican administrate 2 billion Catholics. that would be like taking the Brussles/Luxembourg EU or the Washington DC US administration and reducing it to about 100 people!

But it is not just about following rules. There is a reason for the rules. If someone in your childrens' school went for a job to mind children and they were asked for police clearance
would you think of that as just "unnecessary hassle" ? Marriage and children is a serious committment. If you can't deal with the form filling what will happen when a real problem arises?

Then I might well ask "how do you know"?
How do you know your future wife was baptised? If she was an infant she doesn't know herself. All baptismal records should be kept so if it "disappeared" this is difficult to fathom.
So given she doesn't know wouldn't she want proof anyway even if not getting married?
And if she can say that someone like "well uncle sew-and-sew was a witness" then why can't the uncle say that to a local priest and get a replacement certificate sent to you?

Maybe all the records were destroyed in a fire ( which is odd because AFAIK the Vatican and Diocese keep copies. For future information the Jehovas' witnessess are also very handy for locating records of marriages etc. since they believe they can "save" dead ancestors) so what would you do then?

I hope there might offer a practical solution. Use the system. contact the administrator of the Diocese concerned (The Bishop I assume) and ask him if he is responsible for administration of his records. I sure some one will be told to and will then locate the records. It shouldn't have to come to that though. Some at a parish office level should either have access to the records or to people who were present at the baptism and who knew her all her life and are not aware of her ever being married to someone else.

Let us assume worst case. Suppose all the records were destroyed in a political coup or nuclear weapons test. How would you prove a baptism? I assume there was someone present who is still alive and wasn't an infant ( now all that ceremony and witnessess and sponsors seem to make sense) ? That person could be contacted by the local administration (well really contacted by you and told who in the local administration to go to - I hope this Bishop (or local Priest) isn't in a big city and the Parish up in the middle of the Andes or somewhere like that. I am not a canon lawyer but it appears others here are versed in it. I also assume there is a procedure whereby if all the documents are destroyed a new certificate can be issued in this way.

ISAW

ISAW wrote: »

I am not a canon lawyer but it appears others here are versed in it. I also assume there is a procedure whereby if all the documents are destroyed a new certificate can be issued in this way.

Oops Stephenlig just pointed out a procedure. But if it isn't life or death maybe ther is another one?