Prayers and Paperwork

The long process of getting my Catholic Wedding papers in order is still going on. It's become something of an adventure... an epic adventure.

It started innocently enough back in January when I discovered that all this wedding paperwork we were starting on had to be delayed. The required Baptismal Certificates and Confirmation Certificates must be stamped "For Marriage Purposes". They only issue one copy. Ever.

And the must be prepared 4 months before the wedding, otherwise they expire. Kate had already gotten hers; I hadn't.

Flashforward. We've already resolved that issue by having her documents reissued so they won't expire. Now it's my turn.

The parish that we're getting married in (located in Quezon City) doesn't accept my Confirmation Certificate. My second name is not on the document, but my middle name is. They require me to partially change my Confirmation Certificate. After losing my temper, I realize it doesn't get me anywhere. I ask if I need to re-do my Baptismal Certificate as well. They tell me only my Confirmation Certificate needs fixing. I take my Confirmation Certificate back to have it changed.

The parish where I was confirmed (located along Katipunan requires me to sign and submit an affidavit requesting changes. I have to go to the Chancery office (located in Cubao) to do it.

At the Chancery office, they tell me that I have to re-do my Baptismal Certificate as well. My FATHER's name is different from the NSO documents and from the Confirmation Certificate (it's a second name issue again). I lose my temper, but it resolves nothing. The plodding bureacracy doesn't believe my father is necessarily the same person. Though they agree that I am.

The parish where I was baptised (located in Makati) valiantly struggles to understand what has happened to me. They almost cause me despair when they indicate that they can't change what was set down in the books many years ago. They realize they're going to need prepare an affidavit to change my documents too and that's not a problem. What IS a problem is that I'm going to have to get the Confirmation Certificate that they released to me back from the parish we're getting married in (located in Quezon City).

When I return the document to them, they can prepare the affidavit and have me send it off to the Chancery Office of Manila (located in Intramuros) where it can be processed. Then I can give it back to the parish (located in Makati) so they can release the new Baptismal Certificate. Then I can bring it back to the Chancery Office of Cubao (located in Cubao) so that they can process the request. Then I can give it back to the parish where I was confirmed (located along Katipunan) and get my new Confirmation Certificate. ONLY THEN, can I give all these documents back to the parish where we're getting married (located in Quezon City).

*sigh*