Back of Baptism Certificate - Will this be a problem?

sarahdactyI

So as it turns out, tracking down a copy of my baptism certificate was a lot easier than I had thought it would be. It arrived today! It was really neat to see it and all the notations on the back. However, I was baptized, had first communion, and was confirmed at three different churches. (I am also getting married at a fourth church. It is seriously like a bingo of parishes.) On the notations on the back of my baptism certificate, it has my confirmation (yay!) but it doesn't have my first communion at Church #2. It just says No Record (what it says for marriage, too).

I have received word that my certificate is on its way from Church #2 and I expect it later this week, but I am a little nervous. Is it a problem if the baptism certificate (from Church #1, in a different archdiocese) hasn't been updated? It just seems so strange to me that the confirmation would have been synced up but not First Communion. Churches 2 and 3 are in the same archdiocese, so I'd imagine their reporting back to my baptism church would have been the same, or is this wrong?

The priest at our church up here basically would prefer to wait to meet with us until after he returns from vacation in July, which is fine, but if I need to do some additional leg work I'd prefer to do it in these next coming weeks to expedite the process.

Thanks in advance for any wisdom you might be able to share! And apologies if this has been asked recently!

agapecarrie

It's a nice "confirmation" (no pun intended) to have the proof of all the sacraments, but it can be quite common to not have all of them listed. Eucharist is an ongoing sacrament that's repeated, along with Reconciliation, so there's not a need to "prove" it on the certificate.

manjermj

You'll be fine. We got married at the Cathedral in Pittsburgh and they needed a copy of our baptismal certificates directly from the church where we were baptized dated within 6 months of the wedding. So mine, of course, wasn't the exact original and didn't have any of my other sacraments listed on it.

erin5286

As others have said before, you should be just fine - my H's was the same as yours (missing a notation for First Communion but included info on baptism and confirmation) and there was no issue.

wittykitty14

You'll be completely fine.  Our priest only needed the Baptismal certificate from FI and I.  We asked if he wanted to see the others, and he said it wasn't necessary.  It'll be ok!

ETA: I also got Baptised, received First Communion, and were Confirmed at different places.  That's ok! 

itzMS

My priest called the other parishes and obtained the records himself. He gave us the copies to keep, too. :-) It was really sweet.

If he does need additional verifications, he or his secretarty can simply make a call to the other parish offices.

sarahdactyI

Thanks all! Our priest wants all three certificates (new copies of each) so I just didn't know how normal it was to have the certificates not all have the same notations on the back. This makes me quite relieved!

Calypso1977

you never could have been confirmed without first communion so you should be ok.

mine (i assume) only lists baptism and marriage becuase my first communion and confirmation were done at SSPX chuches and they dont ask for the certs, etc.

agapecarrie

The official record of sacraments is actually a ledger at the parish of baptism. It is not the certificate. Sacramental notations -- for Confirmation and either Holy Orders/Marriage are made at the parish of baptism. This is why a new certificate is made up when marriage is within 6 months-- to prove that the person hasn't been married before.