Q) Why do I need to present a Baptism Certificate for my child?
A) The Baptism Certificate is one of two pieces of paperwork, required by Canon (ie. Catholic Church) Law, which permits your child to celebrate Confirmation. It is the Canonical responsibility of a parish celebrating Confirmation to inform the parish where a child was Baptized that the Sacrament of Confirmation has been celebrated.
Q) If my child was baptized at St. Raphael, do I still need to provide a Baptism Certificate?
A) Instead of providing a Baptism Certificate, you may email us indicating the year in which your child was baptized. We will then try to find verification in the Parish Sacramental Record Book.
Q) If my child was baptized at a different parish, how do I access the Baptism Certificate?
A) You need to contact the Church of Baptism, and request that a copy of the Baptism Certificate be sent to you. You should then take a picture of that Baptism Certificate, and email it to Manuela (maparicio@saintraphael.org).
Q) What if I am unable to reach the parish of Baptism?
A) You will need to complete an affidavit, verifying that your child has been baptized. Contact Manuela to request a blank affidavit (maparicio@saintraphael.org).
Q) Why do I need to present a Confirmation Sponsor Form for my child?
A) Canon (ie. Catholic Church) Law, requires us to have an accurate record of who is the sponsor for each child who receives the Sacrament of Confirmation at our parish. This form is on the bottom of this web page: saintraphael.org/sponsor
Q) Does the Sponsor Form need to be signed by the sponsor?
A) Yes.
Q) Does the Sponsor Form need to be signed by a parish representative?
A) Yes. If the Sponsor is a member of Saint Raphael, bring the form to Mass on Sunday and a member of staff can sign it in the atrium. If they are a member of another parish, they need to get it signed by a parish representative from that parish.
Q) What if the person that we want to have as my child’s Sponsor does not fulfill the requirements of a Sponsor (ie. isn’t a practicing Catholic)?
A) There are specific requirements outlined in Canon (ie. Catholic Church) Law for a sponsor and we cannot make exceptions for these requirements. A sponsor should meet the following criteria:
Q) What happens, if my child’s Confirmation Sponsor is unable to attend Confirmation?
A) Even if the sponsor cannot attend the Mass, they can still be a sponsor. We use something called a proxy.
Q) What if I can’t find a Sponsor?
A) A proxy (who can also be a sponsor) will be assigned to your child.
Q) What is a proxy?
A) That is, a person who stands in their place for the ceremony, because they can't be here in person. The requirements for a sponsor and proxy are the same. They should be a Catholic in good standing who is at least 16 years old, has received Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation themselves, and not the parent of the Confirmation candidate. It could be an older brother, a friend of the family, a teacher, someone you see regularly at Mass, or even me or one of the other staff or volunteers here at St. Raphael.
Q) What if I can’t find a proxy?
A) A proxy will be provided. Please contact Manuela to request a proxy. (maparicio@saintraphael.org).
Q) Does having a proxy remove my child’s obligation to provide a Confirmation Sponsor Form?
A) No, the proxy is merely someone who will be able to stand in place of the Sponsor, at Confirmation. If a completed Confirmation Sponsor form is not submitted the proxy is recorded as the Candidate’s official Sponsor.
Q) How do I communicate to the church that we will be using a proxy?
A) They need to fill out the same form as a sponsor and fulfill the same requirements. This form is on the bottom of this web page: saintraphael.org/sponsor Make sure to write PROXY across the top of the page so we know that it is not a change in sponsors.
Q) What happens if we are unable to provide both of these required pieces of paperwork?
A) Since these requirements are Canon Law and may not be disregarded your child’s Confirmation celebration will have to be delayed until next year.
Q) What if my child has a health condition that makes them vulnerable to Covid-19?
A) Your child is under no obligation to celebrate Confirmation at this point in time. It is perfectly acceptable to delay celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation until next year.
Q) What if I don’t think that my son or daughter is ready to receive Confirmation?
A) It is perfectly acceptable to delay celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation until you and your child agree s/he is ready to be Confirmed.