Vatican clarifies that “it is not possible to modify or cancel” the data of the baptism certificate

The Dicasteria for the legislative texts of the Vatican made explicit that it is not possible to eliminate the name of the Baptism Registry, also known as the Baptismal Certificate, not even in case of apostasy, the act by which a person baptized in the Catholic Church publicly and formally renounces the Christian faith.

In an explanatory note signed by the prefect of Dicastery Mons. Filippo Iannone, and the Secretary, Mons. Juan Ignacio Arrieta on April 7, but published this April 17, the Vatican emphasizes that the sacrament of baptism constitutes a “historical” fact that must be permanently registered in the parish books.

Therefore, “it is not possible to modify or cancel” the data contained in the registration of the sacraments, “unless it is to correct possible transcription errors,” observe from the Dicastery.

The reason for this decision is that the sacrament of the baptism is the basis for the administration of the other sacraments. The registration serves to “give certainty about certain acts, making it possible to verify its effective existence”, being “the objective reflection of sacramental actions, or related to the sacraments, historically carried out by the Church,” reads the document.

In addition, the Vatican explains that registration is not a “list of members”, but simply the finding of a fact.

In this sense, “it does not intend to prove the religious faith of individual persons or the fact that a subject is a member of the Church.” Therefore, the Vatican document underlines, “the sacraments received and the records made do not limit in any way the free will of those faithful Christians who, by virtue of it, decide to leave the Church.”

In any case, before a formal resignation to the Catholic faith, it is possible to add a declaration of will, known as Act of the formal defection of the Catholic Churchthat “when a person indicates of wanting to abandon the Catholic Church”, it can be registered “to the simple request of the interested person” through adequate audience.

However, the original data cannot be deleted. The Vatican also recalls that the baptized condition is objective and irreversible: “It is not possible to baptize who is already baptized”, since it would be an “simply null” act.

Only in cases of reasonable doubt, as established by Canon 869, a conditional baptism is allowed (under the condition), but it is not considered a new administration of the sacrament.

Finally, the Vatican recalls the importance of the presence of witnesses in baptism, as in other sacraments, which “can give certainty of the event that occurred”, although “a witness cannot replace registration, because it is only an element of certainty for those who must register.”