Reader comments
Catholics told not to give LDS parish data
777 comments | Read story
What I don't understand is why you LDS don't "get" it.
I would have no problem with the Catholic Church
saying a prayer or performing some work of love for my benefit in the eternal world to come. To not allow a person access to the records of his ancestors is not in harmony with the teachings of
civilized people
Blindly following wayward traditions from long ago will come back to roost... As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
Catholics take it as an affront or challenge to the authenticity of their religion. If they allow LDS baptisms they are acquiescing to the LDS claim of authenticity. Catholics believe that dead Catholics need no further assistance to get to heaven. As do other religions, I'm sure.
Same with the Jews who refuse to allow proxy baptisms for Jewish progenitors.
Many of my lines are at a dead stop because of lost and/or destroyed records, particularly the Catholic lines going into Ireland. The Mormon Church provides a great service by filming them and making them available to everyone who wants to see them.
I am grateful when any of my relatives, of many different faiths, say they will pray for me when I am ill or going through sad times. The prayers of the righteous, of any faith, are made in faith and love, and are heard by our God, Father in Heaven, or however we address him.
Catholics have banned the Mormons from their Parish records, because, they cannot accept their doctrines.
(1 Corinthians 15:29)
"Ve have vays to deal vith heretics"!
Apparently, "Aversion Therapy" from one religion to another is now the name of the game?
If so, then can we now expect a few edicts from the LDS Church regarding Catholics?
1-Catholics are now hereby banned from using the Family History Center, it's satellite centers and it's data base for Genealogical research.
They will now have to find other resources to trace their roots.
2-Mormons shall not sell or trade precious metals like gold and silver, to the Catholics, for they may use them to create a Cross or a Cruciifix.
And also, no beads, for they may be used in the Rosary, all doctines which are contrary to Mormon beliefs.
3-Also grains and grapes are not to be sold, for they may eventually be used for the Eucharist and the doctrine of Transubstantiation is just not acceptable to Mormons.
4-Also, water and bird baths, must not be sold to Catholics, for they may eventually be used for Infant Baptisms, which is also unacceptable to Mormons.
Live and Let Live
ajarizona
The time will come that all information will be available to us, and if certain groups take much of the information that we currently have, that time in which there is infinite information available will approach us more quickly.
I look forward to that time, so I don't mind when people try to take away our ability to perform God's work. Our God will bring that ability back to us.
Maybe he is worried about the tourism industry since so many genealogists vacation in Salt Lake City to have access to the fantastic records that serve members of every (or no) faith. The library doesn't even ask at the door to see proof of membership (or proof of non-membership in a particular faith).
Now, people can go to a particular parish wherever in the world their ancestors lived and search directly, but only if they can prove they are not LDS. How will this be accomplished? Very shortsighted.
For years the LDS Church has made monumental efforts to ease this research. Now, when people of all faiths, economic strata, or inclination can search without the money and time that would be required to search directly, the Pope has done his part to stop this progress. Leave family search to those who are wealthy and Catholic or Non-LDS at least.
So this is in many ways a restatement of something. What concerns me is that it appears to target another faith; this is regrettable but not entirely surprising.
So far as I am aware there is interfaith cooperation in preserving records worldwide. How sad that the Roman Catholic Church cannot appreciate this. Reminds me of the joke Dave Allen used to tell about the wall in heaven "It's for the Catholics they think they are the only ones here" says St Peter.
Thanks to all those LDS who help Irish Catholics like us to find our ancestry, you are our only help and are appreciated, just not by yer man in Rome!
This is so parochial and mean. Hey, Pope, lighten up! We NEED this information for Family History Research!
I do not want the catholic church sharing contact information with other organisations I might be interested in. I do not wish to be emailed when a new version is available. i do not wish to download google toolbar. I do not wish to be baptised mormon now or in the hereafter, and if you do it anyway, sorry about your luck.
To what was Paul referring on baptisms for the dead? How does that august church explain the archeological reports coming out from Egypt on the very practice by early Christian saints (do a web search for details)?
And then that same church changed the ordinances of baptism from immersion to something other than immersion (thus Isaiah's prophecy fulfilled).
Nope. For me many, many "grave reservations" on Catholic practices. But then, not having been baptized Catholic, I will willingly be in hell with my ancestors than support their beliefs.
Second, how do you think the LDS would feel if the Southern Baptists went through the LDS records and started divorcing all our polygamous marriages from the 1800's to save their souls? Don't you think that would raise some ire? Don't you think that would indicate some disrespect on their part of for our history, our membership, our doctrine? Even though you know they don't have the authority to unseal their marriages, there would be some extreme consternation. Don't you think those individuals would be excluded from using the LDS Genealogy Library?
You know that certain Jewish organizations have already made the LDS church stop the wholesale baptism of the victims of the holocaust. Its a respect issue. Respect for victims, respect for believers, respect for the living families. So try to see things from both sides before the knee jerk conclusions.
A vaccine has no effect for someone unwilling to get the shot.
A student will never learn a lesson he's unwilling to hear.
A child can never enjoy playing with a toy she's unwilling to play with.
This remains true even if the shot or the lesson or the toy are "perfect" and "all powerful" in their ability to prevent disease, teach, or provide enjoyment. God will force no one into heaven, only the willing. God provides salvation AND agency.
Baptism is God's way of inviting His children to physically demonstrate their commitment to follow Him (that "willingness" factor). Of course He could save anyone regardless, but he respects our agency so much, that he will not save us unless we have said "yes please" in our hearts and with our actions (at least baptism).
God himself said, "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God"
And if you consider that every individual regardless of faith or obedience will be resurrected (saved from death) with a perfect body, you will see that God's omnipotence is real despite our actions.
LDS don't force conversion on anyone. We believe each individual lives beyond the grave. We provide the ordinance. Each individual may accept or reject it.
100% of my ancestry is either Roman or Byzantine Catholic, and I have been researching them for 35 years. I have also done research for many other people curious about their roots. Up to this point each Catholic parish has had their individual policy concerning their records. Many have given me open access which I humbly appreciate. Others have refused to even crack open the books, proclaiming that even a deceased person's personal information should not be looked at by anyone, period. This new policy will be devastating. The value of someone learning about their family can make all the difference in how they see themselves and how they progress in their own lives. I have witnessed marvelous miracles.
To orion: God is all powerful and grants mercy and salvation to anyone of any faith that he sees fit. Contrary to popular belief Mormons don't believe that only Mormons make it to heaven. We just believe that God has given us an opportunity to serve and assist in his work.
I was raised in the Salt Lake area and lived there until I was in my 30s. I have never heard the one about Martin Luther.
Go ahead and baptize me into another religion after I'm dead. I can accept or reject it according to my own conscience. My mom died 8 years ago. Baptize her into your church. She will decide to reject it, no harm done as far as I'm concerned. (Except, are there any other churches that do baptisms for the dead? I'd really like to know.)
The Church quit performing the Jewish baptisms on a large scale because they were requested to do so.
Maybe all it would be required is develop PAF like programs where they don't mention LDS information. And then educate the world that we want to only collect the information out of love and honor for the dead, and that addtional services will only be at the request of relatives. If the LDS church does this they may get more approval and assistance in this area.
Also, as the Catholic church does not recognize Mormon baptism, then in their view they have in essence condemned all deceased Mormons.
The Mormon faith desires to offer a blessing to all, which they can freely accept or reject. A significant contract.
However, many other Christian churches recognize the validity of Catholic baptism and vice versa. If a baptised Catholic later joins say the Methodist or Lutheran church, he or she is not rebaptised, and it works the same way in the other direction.
In such cases, Catholic parishes will release a baptismal record or certificate as proof to the person's current church that he or she is already baptised. The Catholic Church does not recognise LDS baptisms, but neither does the LDS Church recognize any other baptisms.
PS I am neither Catholic nor LDS.
If any other group wants to go to the genealogy library and get some info on my ancestors so they can perform some kind of posthumous ceremony then by all means be my guest. If it is something performed out of love of God and fellowman then I am honored. If it is anything else then who cares.
BTW if the individual who is dead doesn't want to accept the baptism then they can remain a catholic, even on the other side. At no point does God force us to believe anything against our will.
They are on the other side of a huge fence. On their side the "feast" consists of chips, dip, sandwiches, cookies and water. Okay but not great.
The only way for people on the other side of the fence to get to your side is if someone on your side unlocks one of the gates. But this gate is weird in that you can unlock it fron your side but you can not open it. The person who you unlock it for must open the gate and pass through. It is a two step process. Once you unlock the gate for that person they can pass through at any time but it has to be thier choice, if they choose not to pass through it is thier right.
Babtism for the dead works the same way it does not automaticly make some one Mormon any more than grabing a person of the street saying the prayer and pushing him under the water would.
First, while I was doing my family research in Poland a few years back, the Catholic Priests were the only church officials who had to be PAID for me to see the records of my great-grandparents. In Belgium, the other churchs were gladly opening the records, so I could trace my family roots. So, I guess if you want to PAY for your own family records, I guess the Catholic don't object.
Secondly, my Mother is devout Catholic and relished in the idea, when she broke her hip, that her LDS daughter put her name on the prayer roll, her Jewish niece had the members of the synagogue praying for her, her Cahtolic sister lit a candle on her behalf, her Protestant sister-in-law had her name included in the weekly service prayer list.
This problem with the Catholic church is from the leaders, not the members. The members don't care, the priests want their bribe money, and the adminstration wants to be devisive.
Add your comment
Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.
E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.
- Pittsburgh letters are art project 3:07 p.m.
- Still believes in mammograms at 40 3:03 p.m.
- GE, Vivendi deal paves way for sale 3:02 p.m.
- Sundance unveils 2010 lineup 2:59 p.m.
- Mom objects to teen spending frenzy 2:56 p.m.
- Holiday gift lists shrink 2:48 p.m.
- Cat adoptions increase in '09 2:47 p.m.
- New health science facility in Ogden 2:47 p.m.
- My big, fat Pakistani Thanksgiving 2:44 p.m.
- Blog: Bowled over by bowling 2:43 p.m.
- Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?
- Unbeaten BYU takes trip to Logan
- Utahns growing tired of Bennett
- BCS just keeps dirty laundry on spin
- Witness: Mitchell wanted attention
- 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
- Orem pair getting a rep for crime
- Teen girl killed in Kaysville crash
- Simple candies for the holidays
- Woods says he let family down
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
909 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
483 - Hall reprimanded by MWC
404 - Max Hall issues apology
388 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
357 - Utes won't respond to Hall
276 - BYU says Hall incident resolved
241 - Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?
169 - 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
169 - Religion in politics is tiresome
150
As the TV cameras Tuesday night scanned the West Point audience during...
LDS Church publisher Deseret Book has some specials for the holidays.
I love how Max Hall said that everything about the U of U was classless, but...
Great job to Shelby, Sara, Taylor, and Nikita! Great season!
It's because Max Hall has already been forgotten by BYU. He'll play in a...
Not to be gross or anything, it would have been nice to see what this type of...
This whole thing is being blown out of proportion. All he was doing was...
The Media can help by not spewing the gargage the week before the game! Both...
He means the state of Pennsylvania as in high school wrestling progams for...
Sure, he can have Austin Collie and a QB who still plays terrible against...
It should not be called marriage. It's a farce and a slap in the face to...
My theroy for this is that cats are smaller, need less room, can fend for...


Perhaps all former and inactive Catholics (hundreds of millions) should request their names to be erased from the parish registers.
It is an illusion to think the Mormon church can cooperate with the present Pope. Years ago, in his former position, he already directed the invalidation of Mormon baptism as Christian.