Faith Communities

Parishes (Territorial and Personal)

Each territorial parish or other canonically established non-territorial faith community, such as a “personal parish” is responsible for the creation and maintenance of its own sacramental registers. If at its foundation, a community is attached to a geographic parish, a formal break in the records should be made. Upon its canonical establishment, notations should be made in the registers of the non-territorial community indicating that records prior to the date can be found in the given territorial parish register.

Oratories

An oratory functions much like a Parish Church in which Mass and all the Sacraments can be regularly celebrated and like a parish, it has presumed stability. It will exist for a long time. It has a “rector” and “associate rector” rather than a “pastor” and an “associate pastor” staffing it.

Chapels

A chapel is a place, approved by the Archbishop, for the celebration of Mass and other Sacraments as he approves. It has a “chaplain” serving it who might or might not be “in residence” or “onsite” except for the Mass or Sacraments. Its existence is determined by need at the discretion of the Archbishop.

Missions

A parish or quasi parish that has not yet been established because the community lacks one or more of the following qualifications: a resident pastor; necessary financial resources; territorial boundaries or a natural grouping by way of rite, nationality or language. Missions are attached to a parish and under the care of a pastor.

Note: It is recommended that if a parish is responsible for missions or chapels, separate registers be kept for each mission or chapel. These registers are to be clearly marked. It is also recommended that the registers be kept at the parish church office, and not at the other communities. In cases where missions or chapel sacramental records are incorporated into the parish register, the mission or chapel is to be clearly noted, and the register is to indicate the inclusion of such records.

Institutions

Catholic hospitals or institutions with a Catholic pastoral ministry, e.g., jails are located within the boundaries of certain parishes throughout the Archdiocese. In general, the sacramental records of these institutions are to be maintained at the parish in which the institution resides, and not at the parish of the chaplain. If a Catholic institution has already established sacramental registers, the registers are transferred to the parish in which the institution resides when a new register is begun. If an institution no longer maintains sacramental records yet still holds the registers, it is recommended the register be transferred to the Archdiocesan Archives and Records Office. All necessary permissions notations and notifications are to be completed as outlined in these procedures.

Parish Closure

It is recommended that when a parish closes or merges with another, the sacramental registers of the subsumed community be closed on the date the “new” parish or faith community begins. The closed registers are to contain a narrative at the appropriate space in the volume outlining what has occurred and at what parish or faith community the subsequent records can be found. The closed registers are to be transferred to the Archdiocesan Archives rather than the newly formed parish or faith community. For information on what types of information are forwarded to the Archives and Records Office when a parish closes see the procedures for Closing parishes.