Are baptismal certificates legal documents in the United States? If so, can they be erased or destroyed?

Question

I'm asking because I'm trying to leave the Catholic Church, but I'm being told that they cannot remove or destroy baptismal records because they are at least quasi-legal documents. Is this true? Are records ever erased or altered if a parishioner is excommunicated?

Answer 1

A baptismal record has no legal meaning other than record keeping for the church. When we try to find out about our ancestors, often these documents have been helpful, that's why they are not destroyed, even if you leave the church. Birth certificates are legal documents. Many people are never baptized and if it was a necessary document, they would have problems later on. If you leave the catholic church, nothing will happen. It's just like when you switch doctors. They still keep your records for a certain amount of time.

Answer 2

No. The official records are kept in a "Parish Register". THAT is the official document. The certificate is simply a nicety, and has no legal status whatsoever.

The Register records any and all excommunications as well. Nothing is ever "erased" - it is not altered, either. A notation is made.

I have never seen a parishioner excommunicated.

Answer 3

Baptismal records are, in fact, legal documents in some states, proving ID.

Having a certificate of baptism does not bind you to the catholic church. The certificate merely records the fact that you were presented for baptism and given a name in the church. It also establishes a legal fact that you were alive on that day.

If you leave the church, you can do so without destroying your baptismal certificate.

Answer 4

I came across something interesting as I was looking into getting a passport:

If you do NOT have a previous U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate, you will need:

Letter of No Record
Issued by the State with your name, date of birth, which years were searched for a birth record and that there is no birth certificate on file for you.

AND as many of the following as possible:
Baptismal certificate
Hospital birth certificate
Census record
Early school record
Family bible record
Doctor's record of post-natal care
NOTES: These documents must be early public records showing the date and place of birth, preferably created within the first five years of your life. You may also submit an Affidavit of Birth, form DS-10, from an older blood relative, i.e., a parent, aunt, uncle, sibling, who has personal knowledge of your birth. It must be notarized or have the seal and signature of the acceptance agent

Baptismal certificate? Family bible record? Should these be acceptable documents for a government agency? I think not...separation of church & state?

Addition:
I happened to check back and see Steve's response to my post. One example of why this could continue on to a "separation of church and state" discussion: A person of another faith would not have such documents, even if they were only to be used to provide ID and birth (although not everyone is baptized as a baby). Seems more than a bit bias to me...... :-/

Personally, I feel that such documents should not be used in any state capacity. One's legal documentation must be very disorganized/questionable if one has to resort to such...I was adopted and had my name changed three times and I was able to track down all the proper (non-religious) documentation necessary. Although, I was amused to see that my baptismal certificate has one of my former names on it...I wonder if it could still be used in such capacity. :-p

Answer 5

They aren't legal in the way that a contract is legal, but more in the way that medical records are legal. What I mean is that they are an official record and document of the church, and so they should be maintained, just as you would expect your doctor to maintain your medical records. However, they hold no binding legal power as a contract would.

It's a bit of a stretch to say they can't be removed or destroyed, though. But it is their document, however, not yours, to maintain or destroy.

Answer 6

You have every right to leave the Catholic Church, even if they say they won't earase or erradicate those records. God does not hold that against you. Those that say so, are going directly against the word of God.
Those records are really unimportant in the true Word of God. Jesus has already died for your sins, and don't listen to the rules of man to get you into heaven.
Jesus says that we should not live by mans rules, laws, and regulations, because they are not of God.
You are free to change your church without fear.

Answer 7

No. we've bothered such a great number of countries with our meddling considering the fact that 1948, they're all coming jointly to deliver us down economically. something will shop on with so as. Our help for Israel intensifies this. we've seven hundred protection rigidity bases in a hundred thirty five countries. i presumed we've been meant to be a republic, no longer an empire.

Answer 8

It is my understanding and I heard a circuit court Judge say that baptismal records are treated the same as birth certificates. But what's the difference to you? Don't see how that would hurt you in any way.

Before government records were kept as we know them today, baptismal records served as birth records and still serve that purpose today. Btw, you can not be unbaptized.

Answer 9

Such records are generally kept for the benefit of the church.
However, they can sometimes be used as secondary (support) documents to help establish your age and the place of birth.

Don't destroy it.

Answer 10

They are, indeed, quasi-lega documents.

They are accepted, in some case, as being a valid document to prove one's identity when there is no birth certificate.