Catholic school Admission:Religion-confusion-urgently need help

[florencesmith]

Hi all,

I urgently need your feedback. We are a catholic family, moved to the UK few years ago.

Before I had my first child, I was more of an atheist, did not attend church every Sunday etc etc but after having my first child, my view towards going to church changed and I became a strong believer, I?m grateful to god for my lill angel. After all those complications I went through, it was only a miracle that I had my baby successfully. Anyways, long story cut short, I am a regular goer to church and take my 2 years old to the church too.

My husband filled our (his, mine and our child?s) membership form to the local UK catholic church. Recently, I was applying to local catholic schools, as DH and I want LO to follow catholic value and all, and there was a section where I had written my religion, but when DH was reviewing the form, he said ,?Oh no?I had put your religion as blank ?cause I didn?t know if you wanted me to put Catholic??I was soo livid, how dare he ? yes before having our baby I may have laughed but that doesn?t mean he should have done that?.

Now I don?t know, what am I supposed to do, he filled our membership form 3 years ago, since then we had our baby, we?ve been going to the church, my child was baptised here, and now that I have to fill the admission form, I don?t know what to write. Ofcourse the local priest knows me, as I am an active member of the church community, and I feel so let down by my husband, that don?t know what am I suppose to write in the school admission form?

In my mind the options and its consequence are:

1. Truthfully, I mention my religion as ?Catholic? in the admission sheet. But I am worried, when the priest goes through our membership form sent 3 years ago and my child?s Baptism record, he would think only my husband and child are catholic, and that I am lying, and he may cancel my childs admission?? Even though our local priest knows me, sees that we attend church every Sunday and I am member of local church group??

1. I leave my religion blank, to be consistent with what my husband had written for my religion in the church membership form 3 years ago. But this would mean my child would not be considered for the school as we don?t meet the entry requirement which is both parents should be catholic.??

1. Talk to priest and tell him my husband?s mistake of leaving my religion as blank, if he asks me why are you informing so late, I will tell him the whole story that I need to mention my religion for my child?s admission and my husband informed me that he hadn?t mentioned my religion. But I am worried, I don?t want priest to think I am lying because I want to get my child?s admission done. It will not be right. I left my country of birth where I was baptised 25 years ago. And I don?t know where my parents have kept my baptism Certificate.

1. I don?t know of any other options, please suggest.

I really really need your help, please let me know. This school is the best in the area and I cannot afford Private school. Any help would be great.

i wouldn't worry too much. Just complete the forms and state that you are Catholic- which is the truth. If they start requesting copies of baptism certificates - then you can worry about locating those.

For what its worth though - my DS attended a Catholic Primary School - but we are not Catholic. It may not be the same in every LA, but our 'church' schools are partly funded by the LA therefore have to allocate a small number of places to non-catholic children also.

I think it did help that I was able to state that I was confirmed C of E and DS was baptised C of E - rather than no religion? also that I wrote a very convincing letter of application bigging up the school .

I am sure all will work out well - try not to worry too much.

Ah ok. I didn't think of the oversubscription aspect. Must be spoilt for schools in my area.

The problem is this school is massively oversubscribed and I've searched everywhere and my mom too about my baptism cert in vain.

So, if I write catholic, in the admission form, i'll just pray to god, priest doesnt ask me for baptism cert...this clinging to hope is scaring me..but do i have any other option....donno

So do you know which church you were baptised? They will be able to provide you with the certificate should you need it.

I dont know as we moved houses and countries since. I was baptised in Philippine and we left Philippine 35 years ago. Honestly, i dont think i can trace my bap cert.
If priest is going to ask me my bap cert as a proof of being a catholic and overlook my regular going to the church and participating in church activity, then would it not be better that I leave it blank?? coz i really dont think I can get my bap cert. My DH and LO have theirs, but I dont. So shall I leave it blank then?

Loads of Catholics wouldn't be able to put their hand on their baptism certificate. I haven't got a copy of mine. Honestly, put Catholic down on the form. You ARE a practising Catholic- you are not lying.

If it becomes a problem in the process later- worry about it then. Do you know the name of the church in the Philippines you were baptised in, should they ever want to contact the church? (although I really really don't think it will come top this.)

Write Catholic. The priest is unlikely to cross reference with the forms handed in years ago. What matters is that he has seen your face regularly in Church, and that your child has a baptism certificate.

I am Lutheran, my sons go to an RC primary, on the basis of my husbands Catholic faith.

The best thing to put on the form is the truth as everyone else has said. Put Catholic. I can't even imagine why you would leave the form blank just because you have lost the certificate. Just answer truthfully.

If it really really came to it ( which I very much doubt) surely one of your parents could remember where you were baptised even if you did move a lot?

You are a practising Catholic - if you don't put Catholic on the form - then you are lying by omission! You will not be asked for your baptism certificate. Blimey, I doubt the priest could find his own!!!!!

If the school is anything like the oversubscribed Catholics in london even the non Catholic parent is required to produce a baptism certificate before the application is accepted so if you can't locate yours start thinking about what letter of support you might produce to explain your problem. Why dont you check out the documentation required and then see what you can do. They can be pretty intractable so I would raise the issue with the admissions staff sooner rather than later.

you just need to get a copy of baptism certififcate from the parish you where baptised in. how come you are applying so early? I didnt think applications would be recived yet.

At the time of your child's baptism or of your wedding - presuming you were married in a Catholic church - were you asked to produce a baptism certificate or to indicate if you held any religious belief? If so there may be something relevant on record. Otherwise your best bet, if evidence is needed, would be to ask your mother if she can remember the name of the church where you were baptised or where you made your first holy communion. Usually at each of these major ceremonies the church in question will refer back to records of earlier sacraments received so you should only need to trace one of those records. If it's not possible to track down any written record, a witness statement to a catholic priest from someone who was present at the administration of one of the sacraments (such as your mother) should be sufficient.

@SWStressed: thats exactly my situation, it is oversubscribed catholic school, and i cant get my papers in place. nothing in the school admission form states that, so I really dont knw what on earth i should write now, i was preety convined after reading so few comments to just write catholic, but now am lost...as its overtly oversubscribed catholic school...:(

Good grief where abouts are you Florence? I thought it bad enough I had to produce DD2s baptism certificate for her Confirmation, while they happily took her through her First Holy Communion without wanting to see it it. They wanted to look at the Baptism certification for both dds when I was registering them at the school, but that was it. H isn't Catholic. If I were you I'd put myself down as Catholic - you are! And stop worrying about it - although I know it's hard.

Agree with previous posts, you're looking way to much int this. Firstly to your options go with 1. I am similar position. It husband is atheist. DS and I go to church regularly and priest knows us. That's all that matters. You need to show that you are actually part of the church and not just applying to a catholic school bc it's the best one in area. All school checks is child's baptism and priest reference (hell only look at registration form if he doesn't know you). Don't panic you sound like a true church goer and I'm sure everything will be fine

Ds went to an oversubscribed catholic primary and we had to to provide evidence of our own baptisms and marriage in church. Dont understand why you cant contact the church where you were born.