GN DAL00306.160 Baptismal Certificates from Santa Fe Archdiocese

See GN 00306.160

A Santa Fe Archdiocese baptismal certificate cannot be used as evidence of paternity to establish relationship for an illegitimate child. Any previous precedent authorizing use of a Santa Fe Archdiocese baptismal certificate for this purpose should be destroyed.

The Santa Fe District Office has established that Catholic churches in the Diocese rarely, if ever, follow the Diocesan policy which requires the parent to admit paternity in a notarized statement, in the presence of two qualified witnesses, in order to be shown as the parent on the baptismal certificate.

For instance, baptismal certificates showing the parent's name have been issued to illegitimate children after the parent's death. Most priests simply ask the parent present at the baptismal ceremony whose names to show on the certificate.