“My name is Sirisha. I am a novice in a religious institute. When I joined the institute, I was asked to submit my baptism and confirmation certificates issued within six months prior to my joining, as well as several other documents. My father had to travel all the way to Mumbai to collect them. But there was another novice in my batch (let us call her Priyanka), who was accepted without insisting on producing certificates of baptism and confirmation. All that she submitted was a letter from her godfather stating that she was baptized and confirmed on such and such a date in such and such parish and that he was a witness to it. If submitting these certificates are mandatory, is Priyanka’s admission to the novitiate valid? And, if it was valid, why was I asked to produce those certificates?”
Document needed:
As part of the process of establishing the suitability of a candidate for admission to the novitiate, certain documentary evidences are required. According to CCEO cc. 453§3 and 519, the prescripts of the constitutions are to be observed with regard to the documents to be produced, while CIC c. 645 §1 makes it clear that, before candidates are admitted to the novitiate, they must produce proof of baptism, confirmation and of their free status. These certificates are to be obtained from the church or churches where these sacraments were administered. They are to be signed by the parish priest or the administrator and authenticated with the seal of the parish (CIC c. 535 §3; CCEOc. 296).
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Sr Licia SMI
