Transcript Sacramental Recordkeeping

Sacramental Recordkeeping
Jay Conzemius, J.C.L.
General Norms
• C. 535 §1 Each parish needs a baptismal, marriage and
death register and any other ones prescribed by USCCB or
the Diocesan Bishop
• Certain events are always recorded/cross referenced in
baptismal register
• Parishes need to have a raised seal and use it (c. 535 §3)
• Parish registers are not public registers (no info should be
given over phone, email, etc.) Certificates are public
ecclesiastical documents (c. 1540 §1) signed by priest or
deacon
• C. 876 the declaration of a single witness may be used to
create missing baptismal records.
Registers
• Only parishes maintain sacramental records and registers / other
entities would need special explicit approval from the Bishop to
maintain sacramental records and registers
• Registers must always be retained as hard copies, (computer
duplications are allowed but cannot be official register)
• Registers may never be destroyed or discarded
• The pages of a register should be made of acid-free paper
• Entries should be printed with indelible (waterproof) ink
• Registers must be stored in a safe place (usually fire-resistant or fireproof) and accessed only by authorized personnel
• The loss or destruction of any sacramental register must be reported to
the Chancery office immediately
• Registers should never leave the parish premises, except in case of
emergency or for microfilming
Confidentiality
• Information collected in registers is private
• Direct access to registers is claimed only by pastor and his
designate (designated persons need proper training on
basic recordkeeping before working with the register)
• Pastor is ultimately responsible for sacramental registers
• Current sacramental registers should never be made
available to genealogical researchers
• Requests for certificates by a diocesan official or parish
representative are no problem. In these instances,
certificates are always mailed directly to the parish or
diocese without any need for a release from the individual
Confidentiality cont’d
•
•
•
The person, the parents, the guardian(s) and a bona fide pastoral minister at
another Catholic parish or diocese have the right to request a certificate.
(When the request is not made by a church official, some proof of identity
should be presented prior to issuing the certificate.)
– If a person is deceased the previous spouse or an adult child also has right
to request the record.
– If the parents are divorced, either parent may request a certificate
– Only the adoptive parents have the right to an adopted child’s certificate.
When a record is requested by a 3rd party not included in the above-mentioned
list, the request is denied
– The reason for denial is the pastor could be held liable for undue
disclosure and we want to protect each person’s privacy
Requests for records should be submitted in writing, although telephone
request from a Catholic parish or agency are acceptable. No information from
sacramental registers should be provided by telephone
Register Entries
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Entries should be made as soon as possible after the event
The proper parish for recording a sacrament and death is (usually) determined
by territory
Entries should be made in chronological order (if not, cross-reference it from
the proper location)
Index entries according to person’s last name (print last name in uppercase)
Enter data in the corresponding title (notations, remarks column will have
many different references throughout the register)
If space is inadequate in register line, use another line but cross reference to it
Entries to the register should only be made with neat printing (no cursive) and
fade-proof and water-proof (indelible) ink
Confidential data - not to be included on certificates is to be marked as such
when entered in register in notations section (i.e. confidential – do not include
on certificate)
The actual minister of a sacrament does not need to sign the register if the
person making entry personally witnessed the event or has a document signed
by minister certifying the conferral of the sacrament. (In these cases the name
of the minister is printed in the register)
Certificates
•
•
•
•
•
•
A certificate is an official document that a particular individual has received a
sacrament—it is an exact duplicate of data in the register (except adoption)
A certificate’s purpose is for internal church use
Only a parish or new location holding the original record may issue a
certificate. The actual register should be used when producing certificates.
The person, the parents, the guardian(s) and a bona fide pastoral minister at
another Catholic parish or diocese have the right to request a certificate. (See
confidentiality section for more information)
Requests for records should be submitted in writing, although telephone
requests from a Catholic parish or agency are acceptable. No information
from sacramental registers should be provided by telephone.
Certificates should have an official appearance and should be issued in a
consistent format. Parishes may obtain blank certificates from commercial
vendors or may have them printed locally. All certificates must bear the name
and address of the parish.
Certificates cont’d
• Certificates must be typed, printed by computer or hand-printed ink.
• They are to be signed by the “parish priest” or his delegate and
impressed with the parish seal.
• Certificates are to include all data contained in the sacramental register,
except that which is marked confidential (i.e. adoption) or which is
extraneous to a person’s canonical status.
• Data in the Notations/Remarks column is included on certificate. If
there is no data in the notations column, the words “No notations”
should be printed on certificate.
Changing Entries
• Once data is entered into a sacrament register, data is considered
official and permanent.
- it should never be modified, except under special conditions
- Data is never scratched out, erased, whited out or otherwise
destroyed or obliterated.
• Minor changes (i.e. misspellings) may be made directly to the original
entry. Such entries are to be made by drawing a straight, simple line
through the word, number or letter to be changed and printing the
change immediately above or below the entry.
• Major changes (i.e. to record an adoption after baptism) may require a
new entry to be created. The original information should be
reproduced (except the relevant change) with a cross-reference to the
original entry. The words “Do Not Issue Certificate from This Record”
should be printed carefully across the face of the original entry.
Changes to Entries Cont’d
• Those persons authorized to request a certificate are also allowed to
request a minor change due to error.
• More significant errors or other changes require authentic supporting
documentation. Such documentation will ordinarily consist of civil or
ecclesiastical certificates. When the error involves data pertaining
directly to the celebration of a sacrament or rite of Christian burial (i.e.
date, identity of godparent), but cannot be verified with
documentation, written or oral testimony by a reputable witness will
suffice.
• Once specific data has been changed in the register, the original data is
not transcribed onto the certificates (i.e. biological parent’s name after
adoption)
Extraordinary additions
• When a record is missing and there is no possibility the sacrament took
place elsewhere—Canon 876 may be applied to add an entry into the
register book.
- Only the data which can be vouched for with certainty should be
added (even if entry is incomplete) (See affidavit form)
- The name of the witness, the date of his/her testimony and the words
“Based on the testimony of…” should be printed in the
notations/remarks column of the register.
Baptismal Register
• Entries
– Source of data: Sacristy record taken by baptism
preparation team verified by parent, guardian or adult
candidate—have a clear procedure to transfer this
information from record to baptismal register (birth
certificate is ideal)
– When persons from several parishes are baptized or
received into full communion at a single ceremony, the
event should be recorded only at the parish where the
actual rite was celebrated
– Emergency baptisms outside of parish church
• Inform local parish in writing so this may be included in
baptismal register (Good idea: bulletin announcement)
• Celebrate rite of Bringing a Baptized Child to the Church and
create a record of this event
Baptismal Register Cont’d
• Conditional baptism – indicate in notations
• RCIA – even though baptized in another church
need to make entry in confirmation and baptismal
register.
- original baptism data placed in baptismal space
- data from Rite of Reception placed in notations
- if married, record name, date and place
-use special care to follow this procedure when
bringing in young children
Baptismal Register Cont’d
• Unmarried parents (follow Canon 877)
-Unjust to place unauthorized name of parent in
Baptism Register. (If unmarried father declares he
is the father (and accepted by mother) or some
other proof of paternity, his name should be added
to register
-have him make this declaration in writing:
signed, dated, witnessed by pastor, one other
witness and sealed with parish seal.
Note: keep proof of paternity in
the“Sacramental records” file.
Baptismal Register Cont’d
• Do not use the expression “Father unknown” in
the register or any certificates.
• No more than two godparents/sponsors
• If proxy is used, indicate the godparent’s name in
the register but write proxy over the name.
• If a person is a witness, (c. 874.2) “Christian
witness” should be placed after the person’s name.
Baptismal Register Cont’d
• Ascription to the proper Catholic Church is determined
by the rite of the parents, not the rite of the minister or
the parish of baptism, unless the person is 14 years of
age or older.
- an inquiry should be made to determine the rite (Latin or
Eastern) of the person being baptized.
- if a person is ascribed to an Eastern Catholic church, a
notation should be made in the “Notations” column
Baptismal Register Cont’d
• When recording the baptism of adopted children (c. 877,3)
- see hand-out of USCCB complementary norm (rule is very explicit)
- record is different if adoption is finalized before or after baptism
- Baptismal certificates should not reflect the fact of a person’s
adoption
Note: Special care/confidentiality of registers should be obvious given
the sensitivity of this type of information.
• If adoption is in process, baptism should be delayed until the final
order of adoption and amended birth certificate is issued.
Note: Due to potential liability issues, no copy of final order for
adoption and amended birth certificate are to be retained in parish
“Sacramental Records” file
Changes to Baptismal register
• This register is the most commonly used, so the most commonly
changed
• See previously pages on “Changing Entries”
• Sacraments should be recorded, when a sacrament (virtually always
marriage) is declared invalid by a tribunal. It must also be added to the
notations column
• If a person formally asks and the Bishop (or pastor) accepts the
person’s defection from the Church this may also be added as a
notation to the register.
– When doing this state “Formal defection from the Church” and the
date of this event. Reunion with the Church should also be noted
with a date of re-entry
– Names, dates, places and protocol numbers are usually the
information needed to be retained in notations column
– These notations are normally included on certificates
Confirmation Register
• (cc. 894-896)
• Canon 535,1 indicates parish is not required to keep this, however, you
must prove confirmation before ordination and you must be confirmed
to be a godparent.
• Have a process to collect data, one person to collect it and
communicate it accurately to the parish or parishes of the recipients for
proper recording
• When confirmation includes persons from several different parishes
there are two acceptable methods for recording
– All recorded at parish where confirmation was celebrated
– Records are made at the recipient’s respective parish
• A baptismal certificate of each recipient should be received prior
to confirmation
Confirmation Register Cont’d
• Date and place of baptism should be noted in confirmation
register (this can be very helpful when the person is
looking for a baptismal certificate later.)
• Notification of the church of baptism of the fact of
confirmation should be made asap. Notification should
include name of the recipient, the date of baptism, the
place and date of confirmation. The names of the minister,
parents and sponsor are not required.
Note: when a person is previously baptized in another
Christian denomination, the church of reception is
notified—not church of baptism.
Marriage Register
• (cc. 1121-1123)
• Source of info – priest or deacon, premarital file normally
contains all necessary info, however, last minute changes
are sometimes made
• Convalidation – same as normal ceremony but date, place
and official of original ceremony are to be noted in
Notations column
• Sanation – When a marriage is sanated, the data of the
original ceremony are to be placed in the usual columns.
(The date, diocese and protocol number of the sanation
should be recorded in notations column.
Marriage Register Cont’d
• Previous civil marriage by a person baptized or received into Catholic
Church is not recorded in the Marriage register, unless the previous
marriage was invalid.
Note: a notation concerning the marriage is to be placed in the person’s
baptismal record, in the notations column
• Notation of dispensations/annulments should be made in notations
column (the date, diocese and protocol number and type of
dispensation or the word “annulment”/declaration of invalidity should
be explicitly named)
Note: Retain a copy of letter notifying the parish of annulment in
“sacramental records” file.
• The church of baptism should be notified asap when a marriage is
celebrated, convalidated or sanated. (notification should include the
names of the couple, the date and place of the wedding, fact of
convalidation or sanation) FYI - names of the official and witnesses
are not required.
Premarital files
• Each parish is required to maintain a file of papers
collected during the period of marriage preparation.
• This file includes: prenuptial forms, baptismal certificate
(issued within last six months) questionnaires,
correspondence, notes and dispensation documents. The
minister’s portion of the civil license is also retained in this
file. The fact of delegation expressly given (orally or in
writing) should also be noted in file.
• The premarital file for each couple should be retained by
the parish where the marriage is recorded in the marriage
register
Marriage Register Cont’d
• The file for each couple should be kept in its own envelope
or folder, clearly marked with the couple’s names and date
of the marriage. The files should be arranged in
chronological order and kept together in a file cabinet or
safe that may be locked.
• Retain marriage files permanently or at least until you
know both parties have died. Expired files are to be
destroyed, so no one may have access to them.
• A copy of the file may be transmitted if requested by an
ecclesiastical tribunal or chancellor has approved the
surrender of the file to civil authority. Note: The original
file should be retained by the parish, unless otherwise
advised.
Death Register
• cc. 1176-1182
• Record deaths of parishioners, when funeral takes place
outside parish boundary it needs to be communicated to the
parish of the deceased
• Data is usually provided by funeral director
• When a body is cremated, no reference to the date or place
of cremation is made. However, the fact of cremation
should be noted as well as date and place of the ashes’
interment. Scattering ashes is not permitted.
• No notice of death needs to be sent to place of baptism
Helpful tidbits
• When a priest serves as pastor of more than one parish,
separate registers are to be maintained for each. For
security and convenience, the registers may all be stored at
one of the parishes. (It’s a parish’s not priest’s register.)
• Certain data entered in sacramental registers is based
purely on the word of someone else (i.e the date of birth)
we aren’t certifying it is true.
• When a parish closes or merges, formal arrangements are
made for the transfer and retention of its sacramental
registers. Contact the Vicar General’s office for a listing of
the locations of sacramental registers of former parishes.
Helpful tidbits cont’d
• There is no central diocesan registry available to assist
people searching for a sacramental record. (future project)
• The names of godparents should not be changed even if
parents feel they are no longer suitable or they have died.
Parents should be be told to ask someone to serve in this
role without making a change to the permanent record or
certificate.
• Latin rite priests do not automatically have the faculty to
baptize persons who by law are ascribed to an Eastern
Catholic Church. If it is determined that one or both of the
parents are ascribed to an Eastern Catholic Church, contact
the Chancery prior to celebration of baptism. Similar
requirements apply to Orthodox Christians who are
received into full communion with the Catholic Church.
Helpful tidbits cont’d
• Some parishes still give notice of First Communion, but
this is no longer required.
• When a marriage is celebrated at a place other than the
place where its record is maintained, both places should be
noted in the notations column.
• Make cross references when necessary and be complete,
accurate and legible when making entries.
• When a situation is not clear of what to do regarding the
register, please call the tribunal or Vicar General’s office
for clarification.
• Much of the work of this presentation was sourced from
the Handbook of Sacramental Records for the Archdiocese
of Cincinnati and the Policy of Sacramental Recordkeeping
for the Diocese of Beaumont.