I just learned of this and think that all of us who deeply care about genealogical research need to make our protests heard to the Catholic Church and the genealogical community as this can result in grave consequences for the preservation of valuable genealogical records:
Full article is available at: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0802443.htm
Vatican letter directs bishops to keep parish records from Mormons
By Chaz Muth
Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- In an effort to block posthumous rebaptisms by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Catholic dioceses throughout the world have been directed by the Vatican not to give information in parish registers to the Mormons' Genealogical Society of Utah.
An April 5 letter from the Vatican Congregation for Clergy, obtained by Catholic News Service in late April, asks episcopal conferences to direct all bishops to keep the Latter-day Saints from microfilming and digitizing information contained in those registers.
The order came in light of "grave reservations" expressed in a Jan. 29 letter from the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the clergy congregation's letter said.
Father James Massa, executive director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, said the step was taken to prevent the Latter-day Saints from using records -- such as baptismal documentation -- to posthumously baptize by proxy the ancestors of church members.
Catholic Church Bans Filming of Records by LDS
That's insane!
From what I understand, the Catholic Church won't allow the LDS to continue filming Catholic records. But, what will happen with the thousands of fims from Catholic parishes that the Mormons already possess?
A long time ago, I was talking with a volunteer at a FHC in California, and a similar conversation came out. He told me that if they wanted, the Catholic church could order the Mormon church to return all the Catholic records that they have previously microfilmed at any time. According to this guy, even though the LDS used their own money to microfilm all this data, what's in it actually belongs to the catholic church, and they may request it back whenever they felt like it. I am praying that this is not the case.
:-(
Catholic Church Bans Filming of Records by LDS
This is horrible! Many do not have the time or money to track down records
all over the world. Isn't there a petition or something we can do about
it? I wonder if the Vatican would agree to release records to a none
religious group for the sole purpose of genealogy?
On Thu, May 8, 2008 at 11:19 AM, Steve G. Apodaca
wrote:
>
> That's insane!
>
>> From what I understand, the Catholic Church won't allow the LDS to
>> continue filming Catholic records. But, what will happen with the thousands
>> of fims from Catholic parishes that the Mormons already possess?
>>
>
> A long time ago, I was talking with a volunteer at a FHC in California, and
> a similar conversation came out. He told me that if they wanted, the
> Catholic church could order the Mormon church to return all the Catholic
> records that they have previously microfilmed at any time. According to this
> guy, even though the LDS used their own money to microfilm all this data,
> what's in it actually belongs to the catholic church, and they may request
> it back whenever they felt like it. I am praying that this is not the case.
>
> :-(
>
Catholic Church Bans Filming of Records by LDS
count me in to be on the petition
Jose Carlos de Leon
Catholic Church Bans Filming of Records by LDS
Yes, it's a terrible thng what El Papa is doing. Down with him!
I had gotten some documents from the cathedral in town, I was even able to see and look for information myself! That was about 15 years ago. They no longer can give you a copy of the document, but they give you the information they find. How much longer this will be, who knows? I hope they don;t see fit to recall all the information that is already in the hands of LDS. Supposedly they do not keep all those old record book there anymore. I wish I had looked for more people then.
An interesting question is whether that will apply to the parishes in Mexico if an indiviual requests a document, as opposed to a group requesting. I was able to get a document recently without any problem. It just cost $20.00, but it was like gold to me.
I am also aware that some indigenous groups in some parts of the world are protesting and refusing to cooperate with agencies or groups such as National Geographic. They are refusing to give their DNA. One of the many reasons they listed was that somebody was making money thru them. I wonder who is behind all this?
It's a sad day for genealogists.
Juanita
America Calleros wrote:
This is horrible! Many do not have the time or money to track down records
all over the world. Isn't there a petition or something we can do about
it? I wonder if the Vatican would agree to release records to a none
religious group for the sole purpose of genealogy?
On Thu, May 8, 2008 at 11:19 AM, Steve G. Apodaca
wrote:
>
> That's insane!
>
>> From what I understand, the Catholic Church won't allow the LDS to
>> continue filming Catholic records. But, what will happen with the thousands
>> of fims from Catholic parishes that the Mormons already possess?
>>
>
> A long time ago, I was talking with a volunteer at a FHC in California, and
> a similar conversation came out. He told me that if they wanted, the
> Catholic church could order the Mormon church to return all the Catholic
> records that they have previously microfilmed at any time. According to this
> guy, even though the LDS used their own money to microfilm all this data,
> what's in it actually belongs to the catholic church, and they may request
> it back whenever they felt like it. I am praying that this is not the case.
>
> :-(
>