Sacrament Record Requests

Understanding Your Sacramental Certificate

Most people first look for a sacramental record when another parish asks for one. The most common example is a recent baptismal certificate needed before a Catholic wedding. Many dioceses expect this certificate to be issued within the last six months. That is because the original baptismal register is the place where later sacraments are noted in the margin, such as confirmation, marriage, ordination or religious profession. A freshly issued certificate shows the current state of that register. An old keepsake certificate from the day of the baptism cannot show it.

Details that help the office find your entry

Parish registers are organised by date, so the more precise your information, the faster the search. When you fill in the request, try to include:

• Your full name at the time of the sacrament, including a maiden name or any former name
• Your date of birth and the approximate date of the sacrament
• Your parents' full names, including your mother's maiden name
• The names of your godparents or sponsors, if you know them
• The purpose of the request, for example marriage preparation, sponsorship or a school application

Who receives the certificate

Sacramental registers are confidential church records. For this reason, certificates are usually released only to the person named in the entry, to a parent or guardian in the case of a minor, or directly to another parish or diocesan office. If you are preparing for marriage or becoming a godparent elsewhere, ask the receiving parish whether they want the certificate sent to them directly. Some parishes only accept certificates that come straight from the issuing parish.

If your sacrament was celebrated elsewhere

Records stay with the parish where the sacrament took place. If you were baptized in another parish or country, contact that parish, or the diocese that now holds its registers if the parish has closed or merged. Genealogy requests for deceased relatives may follow a different procedure, so mention this when you contact the office.

Information about celebrating baptism, confirmation or marriage here is on our Sacraments page. For questions about a specific request, reach the parish office through the Contact page.