Record keeping

Each parish office is responsible for the following:

• Keeping church records
• Issuing certificates of no impediment to marriage
• Announcing banns
• Issuing official certificates (in parish unions, this is done by the central registry)
• Keeping family records of parish members (this is also the responsibility of the central registry in parish unions)

Requests for official certificates and family record enquiries may be made by phone, post or fax. It is advisable to avoid sending personal information via email, which is less secure. An extract from the family record can be obtained from the parish office where a person is enrolled.

A certificate of no impediment to marriage may be obtained in person at the parish office of the home parish of either the bride or groom. Please note that it must be requested at least a week before the date of the wedding. If banns are to be read in church, it is wise to notify the parish office at least two or three weeks beforehand.