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CANONS REGARDING BAPTISMAL RECORDS
Can. 296 §2 (CODE OF CANONS OF THE EASTERN CHURCHES). In the register of baptisms, a note is to
be made of the ascription of the baptized persons to a determined Church sui iuris in accord
with the norm of can. 37, of the administration of chrismation with holy myron…. These
annotations are always to be reported on the baptismal certificate.
Can. 852 §1. The prescripts of the canons on adult baptism are to be applied to all those who, no
longer infants, have attained the use of reason.
Can. 869 §2. Those baptized in a non-Catholic ecclesial community must not be baptized
conditionally unless, after an examination of the matter and the form of the words used in the
conferral of baptism and a consideration of the intention of the baptized adult and the
minister of the baptism, a serious reason exists to doubt the validity of the baptism.
Can. 870. An abandoned infant or a foundling is to be baptized unless after diligent investigation the
baptism of the infant is established.
Can. 873. There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.
Can. 874 §2. A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to
participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.
Can. 877 §1. The pastor of the place where the baptism is celebrated must carefully and without
delay record in the baptismal register the names of the baptized, with mention made of the
minister, parents, sponsors, witnesses, if any, the place and date of the conferral of baptism,
and the date and place of birth.
§2. If it concerns a child born to an unmarried mother, the name of the mother must be
inserted, if her maternity is established publicly or if she seeks it willingly in writing or
before two witnesses. Moreover, the name of the father must be inscribed if a public
document or his own declaration before the pastor and two witnesses proves his paternity; in
other cases, the name of the baptized is inscribed with no mention of the name of the father or
the parents.
§3. If it concerns an adopted child, the names of those adopting are to be inscribed and, at
least if it is done in the civil records of the region, also the names of the natural parents
according to the norm of §§1 and 2, with due regard for the prescripts of the conference of
bishops.
Can. 878. If the baptism was not administered by the pastor or in his presence, the minister of
baptism, whoever it is, must inform the pastor of the parish in which it was administered of
the conferral of the baptism, so that he records the baptism according to the norm of can. 877
§1.
Can. 1685. As soon as the sentence is executed, the judicial vicar must notify the local ordinary of
the place in which the marriage was celebrated. The local ordinary must take care that the
declaration of the nullity of the marriage and any possible prohibitions are noted as soon as
possible in the marriage and baptismal registers.