We have had several calls lately from people wanting to “surprise” their friends or relatives with their baptism records. Keep in mind that for records 70 years or newer, certificates may be provided only for the person named in the sacramental record, a diocesan official involved in canonical investigations, a parent or legal guardian of a minor child, or an individual with valid power of attorney for the person who received the sacrament.
For records more than 70 years old, a descendant of the subject may request a certificate, though rules still apply about the confidentiality of adoption information. For guidelines about adoption entries, please see the Sacramental Records Guidelines at https://doy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Sacramental-Records-Guidelines.pdf
If you would like to ask about what to save or dispose of in your parish records, you are welcome to contact Joan Lawson, Archivist, at 330-744-8451 x290, or email jlawson@youngstowndiocese.org.
If you need to send a notation for a baptismal record or find a sacramental record from a closed or merged parish, but aren’t certain where the records reside, please phone the Archives at Central Offices, or check this page: https://catechistcafe.weebly.com/sacramental-records.html
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