Catholic Marriage Requirements: "Recently Issued" Baptismal Certificate?

[BethR]

Our DD is being married in August. One of the requirements to be married in the Catholic Church is a RECENTLY ISSUED (within 6 months) Baptismal certificate.

We have DD's original Baptismal certificate and am curious if anyone knows why the original certificate is not allowable to fulfill the Marriage requirement. I don't have a problem getting a copy of DD's Baptismal certificate from the church where she was baptized, but I was just wondering why this needed to be done.

NOT the fact that she needs her Baptismal certificate, but WHY does it need to be "recently issued?"

Does any one know?

 

[LisaZee]

It's been a bit, but I remember that this was the case when I got married 6.5 years ago. From what I can remember, a re-issued Baptismal certificate will also have the dates of your Communion and Confirmation on them (these dates would obviously not be on the originals.)

Does this sound right to everyone else?

 

[crcormier]

In the Catholic Church the parish where you were baptized becomes your Church of Record. When a person receives the sacraments of Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders (becoming a Priest or Deacon) or takes Vows in a Religious Community, this information is sent to the Church of Record and recorded with the Baptismal record. To serve as proof that a person is free to enter into Marriage, Holy Orders or Religious Life they are asked to present a newly dated -within six (6) months - Baptismal Certificate with notations for other Sacraments received.

 

[BethR]

Thank you for your information.

We are Byzantine Catholics so DDs were baptized, chrismated, and received the Eucharist at the same time, so I am not sure that the Baptismal certificate is updated at all. But we will contact the parish where she was baptized and hopefully the priest can supply what is needed.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Now I'll have to pull my original certificate and see what church is on it. I was baptized in the hospital but would think my parents' church would be the place a priest came from. Hmmmm.

 

[BethR]

Now I'll have to pull my original certificate and see what church is on it. I was baptized in the hospital but would think my parents' church would be the place a priest came from. Hmmmm.

I know. Things like this really make you go like this.

 

[rayelias]

NOT the fact that she needs her Baptismal certificate, but WHY does it need to be "recently issued?"

Does any one know?

$

 

[BethR]

$

I really don't think so. I don't believe that there is a charge for such things.

I was just doing some more searching online and found this.

1. Baptismal Certificate: All Catholics must produce an updated Baptismal Certificate that has been issued recently from the Church of Baptism (that is within six months from the day of your wedding). Your Church of Baptism has a record of your entire sacramental history. We ask for a recently issued baptismal certificate because it provides an official
proof that you are presently free to be married in the Catholic Church. Non-Catholic Christians should submit a copy of their original baptismal
certificate.

It's all very interesting.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I didn't have to do that, but was married by a priest from the church where I'd gone to school, had First Confession/Communion and got confirmed. Maybe they already had it on file.

When it comes to the church, I rarely ask why. I just do what I'm told. That's my Catholic school upbringing!

Hell, if I can get out of there without the secretary yelling at me like she did the time I went for proof of being a parishoner there so I could Godparent a child whose mother didn't baptize him until he was seven, I consider myself lucky. (Like it was MY fault she didn't baptize him sooner. Our secretary has a couple of loose screws from typing so much, God bless her.)

 

[helenabear]

I really don't think so. I don't believe that there is a charge for such things.

There isn't a charge, so no way is it about money. Not sure where the poster got that idea

I didn't have to do it for my wedding either, but I was married in a church that had confirmed me, where I had my first communion and reconciliation as well. They knew where my church of baptism was already from that and just contacted them for me instead.

 

[Octoberbride03]

I got married in the parish where I made my Communion and Confirmation, but each and every time, including my wedding they wanted a new copy of my Baptismal Certificate from that parish. I would guess that my church never kept the copies they had from b4.

As for an earlier post about adding the new sacraments to the certificate that wasn't true in my case, it simply had the Baptismal date on it, but then that was the only sacrament I'd ever recieved in that parish.

The Priest who married me was actually surprised I'd been baptised in a different parish and I wouldn't have needed it.

And it didn't cost me anything to get a new copy. Simple phone call from my mother and it was done.

 

[Lintasare]

Man I am going to be screwed when I get married...if I get married in the Catholic Church. I was baptised at a church in Iowa...I think. My first Communion and Reconciliation took place at the chapel on a military base in Germany and I was confirmed in New Mexico. I am doomed.

 

[NotUrsula]

I didn't get a new Baptismal Cert. when I got married, but I had ALL of my original Sacramental Certificates, so I turned over the entire pile. Each of them had been done in a different parish.

 

[horsecrazy101]

Have you been married since this message? I am in the process of organizing everything for my wedding and I have no idea how to get an updated baptismal certificate as I was baptized on a former military base in Germany...

 

[DopeyDame]

$

If this is a money making scheme, it's a really, really poor one. Issuing the baptismal certificate is nearly always free.

But your cynacism added a lot to the discussion...

As for the question at hand, like some others have said, I think it's part of the process of ensuring that you're really allowed to get married (and don't have 5 other husbands somewhere or something...) Presumably the baptismal parish makes a note of the request and would mention it if you requested another one for a wedding a few years later or something.

ETA: Just saw this was a super old post that horsecrazy bumped. Sorry! Hope beth had a lovely wedding and is happily married!

 

[Southernmiss]

Have you been married since this message? I am in the process of organizing everything for my wedding and I have no idea how to get an updated baptismal certificate as I was baptized on a former military base in Germany...

All of the US military base Catholic chapels are supported by the Military Archdiocese in Washington DC. They have all the records there. There is a website for them and instructions on how to obtain sacramental certificates. It does take a bit of time, so you would be wise to contact them sooner rather than later.

The church where the sacrament is celebrated is required to send a letter/notification back to the place where the person is baptized.

Usually your local parish church can help you find the addresses of other churches, etc.

 

[Octoberbride03]

$

WRONG! If you pay anything to the church for the record, its a very small copy fee and I have always been able to get mine for free when I needed it. And i always needed it because I got Baptized in 1 parish and did all the other sacraments in another parish.

 

[Octoberbride03]

HOLY GHOST THREAD BATMAN!!

I replied 4 years ago and didn't even notice as i typed the last 1

 

[stm61]

Just curious, I know this is an old thread, but someone in the original thread mentioned being baptized at a hospital and assuming it was a priest from their own church. My older dd's were an emergency c-section and were baptized at birth at a large regional hospital. We were never asked for a "home church", or any other information aside from the babies names. I know they said it was a priest from a local church, that they took turns being on call since it was a Catholic Charities hospital, but the hospital staff had no idea which church he came from. If I ever had to get a recently issued certificate I'd never be able to get it.

 

[Southernmiss]

Just curious, I know this is an old thread, but someone in the original thread mentioned being baptized at a hospital and assuming it was a priest from their own church. My older dd's were an emergency c-section and were baptized at birth at a large regional hospital. We were never asked for a "home church", or any other information aside from the babies names. I know they said it was a priest from a local church, that they took turns being on call since it was a Catholic Charities hospital, but the hospital staff had no idea which church he came from. If I ever had to get a recently issued certificate I'd never be able to get it.

Not necesssarily. It might be difficult to get, but not impossible. The baptisms of the babies should be recorded at the parish where the priest was assigned. If your area has many Catholic churches who have priests that visit the hospital, it could be difficult to track, but not impossible.

You may want to email (most parishes have a parish email) the churches near the hospital inquire if they have your children's baptismal records. It would be helpful if you give them the approximate date that the baptisms would have occured and the baby's names and some of the circumstances. If by chance you remember the name of the priest who baptised your babies that could help identify the parish he was from.

If after trying that you have no luck, speak with your current priest and tell him the circumstances. He may be able to do a profession of faith with the children or something else.