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Tina P.
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| Posted: May 01 2007 at 9:14pm | IP Logged
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OK ladies. I'm at wit's end. My husband has searched through all of our files we have, I've called both churches at which I think that Zachary was baptized. We have no record of his Baptism from any of these sources. My husband thought for sure that we had his certificate. I mean, goodness, we have everyone else's!
You must all think I'm just daffy for not even knowing where my own child was baptized. However, to give you a little background, we had just moved with the military to Alabama, so we were getting acquainted with a couple of new churches. And ...  we might have taken him home to Wisconsin to baptize him. That's my next trail. Gee, I feel like a detective! I *so* wanted this week to be focused on Zach receiving his FHC and doing our little pre-FHC projects! 
The CCD ladies dominate that area of the parish. They already don't like me because we don't do CCD. I'm afraid that if we don't come up with a baptismal certificate, they'll not allow him to receive. Can they do that? Well, our pastor is very nonconfrontrational with them, though he likes hsers. Please pray that the fog clears from our brains and we find what we need to find before it's too late.
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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mom2mpr
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| Posted: May 01 2007 at 9:33pm | IP Logged
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It will be the most beautiful day!!!! Relax!
My ds's FHC was a political circus--we just joined a church here after moving and wanted to do it in another state-so family could attend, and I was the "middle woman" between the 2 pastors. I spent a lot of time saying, "well, he said," and then,"he said," and the "can you write a letter" was a really tough one. Then ds was waffling on doing his First Penance--in time--argghhh!!
When all was said and done and we were there it was absolutely amazing and beautiful and worth everything!!
Hang in there and use a fax soon as you figure it out
Praying for your little one too!
Anne
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Angie Mc
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Praying all goes very smoothly, Tina. Dear St. Anthony...
Love,
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Angie Mc
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Erin
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| Posted: May 02 2007 at 12:38am | IP Logged
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Do you actually need a baptismal cert. for FHC? I just ask because when we run a HS camp here with FHC and Confirmation offered the Bishop only requires certificates for the Confirmation candidates.
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Erin
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Michaela
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Goodness, I certainly know about tracking down my own baptismal certificate. You certainly have my prayers, Tina!
Erin, yes, a baptismal certificate is needed for FHC. At least at our parish. During the class, parents were told our children could not receive unless the formation director had a copy on file or one was produced.
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Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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Chari
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oh, Tina! Praying your way into a stress-free memory!
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Chari...Take Up & Read
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Leonie
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Oh, I hope this gets sorted out!
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Leonie in Sydney
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Carole N.
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Tina, our church also requires a baptismal certificate. Search hard, and we will pray to St. Anthony that you find it! I hope that it all is sorted out soon!
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 Carole ... in Wales
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jdostalik
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Dear Tina,
What a stress! 
Praying for you that you find that certificate soon!!!
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God Bless,
Jennifer in TX
wife to Bill, mom to six here on earth and eight in heaven.
Let the Little Ones Come
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stacykay
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| Posted: May 02 2007 at 10:21am | IP Logged
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Do dioceses keep overall records? I don't know, but am just throwing that out there, so you would only need to make a couple of calls instead of many churches.
Pictures? Any of the baptism that would shed light on where it may have been? Family that you can ask? Godparents?
Praying for a sudden recollection!
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Tina P.
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| Posted: May 02 2007 at 10:28am | IP Logged
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Update. I followed my last trail to a dead end. My husband and I scrabbled through all the pictures that we haven't organized  only to find one clue. It's a picture of Zachary's Baptismal cake, with a Nativity set (including all figures) in the background. So it was after Christmas day in Wisconsin. That narrows it down!  This morning I called the Archdiocese. We're starting with my Mom and Dad's parish (which, sadly, is closing its doors in June).
Can his records have fallen through the cracks? Oh, I fervently hope not!
We still have hope as far as not having the certificate in hand. I believe that I can show a letter which can be e-mailed to me confirming that he was baptized along with the parish and the date. It will include a reassurance that "the certificate is in the mail." OR, I can get a written sworn statement from someone who attended the Baptism. Either of those will suffice until the true certificate arrives.
Thank you for your prayers and *please* continue them, as we need Zachary's Baptismal certificate for his FHC THIS SUNDAY! 
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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stefoodie
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Would a Yellow Pages search help? You could enter a zip code (like where your Mom and Dad live, perhaps?) and search for "church" or "Catholic" and it should give you everything nearby by distance. That might help, in case, for instance, you wouldn't have driven 3 hours away to have the Baptism.... yp.yahoo.com (go past the sponsored listings)
just a thought...
and prayers to St. Anthony for you.
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stef
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Tina P.
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| Posted: May 02 2007 at 11:00am | IP Logged
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Stacy, there were so many archdiocese potentially involved that I *still* had to make several phone calls until we found the picture last night. I addressed your picture question further in my last post. And my family is so large (there are eight of us kids and each of the top six kids had at *least* three kids each and one of us had seven  ). There are so many sacraments, graduations, performances, you name it going on in any given year ... how would they remember?
This is the final update, and it's a very  update. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee called me back to let me know that he *was* indeed baptized at my Mom and Dad's parish. She's faxing a copy to my current parish and mailing a copy to the parish and to us. Whew! The ordeal ~ though not long, it was intense ~ is over.
My dear Zachary will still receive his FHC on Sunday. Keep him in your prayers and on your lists and/or maps of those to receive, ladies!
Thank you for all of your prayers. They were so timely and needed ever so much. Prayer really works when you need it to, doesn't it?
God bless,
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
Mary's Muse
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Mary G
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OH TINA! This is wonderful news indeed. We'll be praying for Zach as he receives Jesus on Sunday -- and for you that you can now relax and thrive in the beauty of the moment (and when he gets his communion certificate, make a copy just in case!)
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chicken lady
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OK Tina now that this turned out well, can I tell you, you had me cracking up, this scenario is one that I seem to be in all the time. I'm not laughing at you, just amused that others end up in these weird situations, I am relieved that it is not just me.
Blessings to your little ZAchary!!!!
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kingvozzo
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I'm so glad it worked out in the end! God Bless Zachary this Saturday!
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stacykay
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I am so glad it has all worked out!
I am on a mission, of sorts, at this time, assembling all the official church documents, in one place (the fireproof strongbox,) so I will know where they all are. I know we have received everyone's certificates, but some went into dresser drawers with the candles, others into files, .... .
I know the churches, since we have lived in the same town the past 21 years! But I still an anticipating having to call the secretaries for some missing birth certificates and FHC, and maybe confirmation!
We have 2 more FHC, 4 confirmations, and then anticipating wherever God calls them (marriage? vocations?)
God Bless Zachary and his FHC! Praying for a wonderful day, on Sunday, for you all.
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Tina P.
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| Posted: May 02 2007 at 12:12pm | IP Logged
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Mollie,
I *do* see the humor of the situation ... now. While I was suffering through the ordeal, it was frustrating and we spent more than a few sleepless nights over it.
Stacy, I think organizing important papers in a fireproof box is a wonderful idea. And I think I might get into scrapbooking, to have photo records of *every important event.*
My dh even watch family videos taken over the years. Someone else must have taken those! I hope the families kept the pictures and videos they've taken.
Thanks again, you prayer warriors, for all of your prayers. I know that even those who haven't responded have prayed, and for that I am so grateful! I just wish I could bake up a huge batch of cookies and tea and coffee for all of you!
God bless and much love,
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
Mary's Muse
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ALmom
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So glad you found the baptismal certificate.
We had a panic like that ourselves - only it was for my wedding and we couldn't find my baptismal certificate. The church was quite cooperative and willing to use the Confirmation certificate. I had a piece of paper with a number on it and the address of the military archdiocese since I was confirmed overseas (dad was never military but we were essentially living on a military base). Well, the military records address was long since gone and moved and no longer gave forwarding info - so that was a dead end. In desperation, I went to the parish where I received FHC and they did have a little note that I was baptized at ... name of church and county. My mom gave me the wrong church as we lived in one county in NJ, I was born in another and baptized in another - or some such thing. So now I have records of my baptism, FHC and wedding - but can no longer find the ID # for my confirmation record even if I could ever figure out where the new place for Sacramental records are located. Without that number, all is lost.
We even had an odd moment at our parish one Sunday - priest was present (and he was the grandfather of one of the children, so the pastor had to explain that he was ordained after his wife died). Then we had an about to be deacon (supposed to be ordained the next day) who received a conditional confirmation with this priest's granddaughter as all his confirmation records were lost.
Anyways, you are not the only one!!!
Praying for many blessings for you all this Sunday!
Janet
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cvbmom
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 Glad to hear that all is well.
Have a beautiful sacrament weekend.
Christine
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4Real Forums : We Pray to the Lord
Topic: UPDATE: Mystery solved! FHC nightmare
