Fr. Ray has received a request for information from his Baptismal Register. Nothing new there, you might think, Parish Priests are always getting requests for information about Baptisms.But this is a request with a twist. Rather than the usual required confirmation that a person has been baptised and is free to marry, this request was asking why the person concerned was conditionally baptised, and whether her parents were also conditionally baptised... because the person concerned is having her Cause for Beatification and Canonisation introduced.
Wow... a local saint. What an honour for the parish of St. Mary Magdalen. The lady in question appears to have been a nun by the name of Madaleina Catherine Maria Clarice Beauchamp Hambrough, which seems a little bit of a mouthful, but who am I to judge...?
In the meantime, pray for the good sister's Cause. I hope that Fr. Ray will keep us all informed.
Mac:
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I don't understand the request. Anglican Baptisms are trinitarian and recognised by the Church... why would Rome ask about it being "conditional"!?
Mark, this was in the late 1800s, so bear that in mind.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I understand the idea of Conditional Baptism, it refers to the one carried out in the Catholic Church, not the Anglican. There may have been some confusion as to whether the girl had been validly baptised (maybe she was adopted, for example... especially as the surnames given in the request are different) and so she was baptised in the Catholic Church conditionally (ie. it would only take effect if she hadn't been validly baptised to begin with...)
Like I say, I hope Fr. Ray has more information, and shares it with us!
Thanks, Mac. I must be tired, because this makes sense now that you say it... Of course my baptism was only recognised because I could (a) prove it happened; and (b) prove how it happened...
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