Catholics told not to give LDS parish data

The move by the Vatican could have a profound impact on the ability of genealogy researchers to trace many family histories.

Russell Bangerter has been doing professional genealogy research since 1979 and has a degree in genealogy family history from BYU. Bangerter said his clients, from many faiths, all have an interest in creating a bond with their heritage.

"Some of them are LDS and some of them are not LDS. They simply just want to know their roots," Bangerter said.

He said he has used parish registers in his research before. Bangerter said a typical parish register, Catholic as well as those of other Christian faiths, contain christening and birth data, marriage data as well as deaths and burial information.

Bangerter said much of his research doesn't have anything to do with religious work, and closing those records simply hurts families who want to know their roots.

"There's also the ecumenical side of things," Bangerter said. He points to the LDS Church's own Family History Library, in which people from all walks of life are welcome to access data. "I've seen all kinds of people there. I've seen rabbis, I've seen nuns and I've seen priests there as well."

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