All of the "rules" for definitions of sacraments is listed in this document. These rules will help in defining the sacraments and counts required for updating the data for your Parish Annual Report.
See also Webinars from April, May, and June 2023 for expanded resource documents and video recordings.
Vital Statistics: Definitions (for Parish Annual Report)
Assumptions:
•Household (is a person or a family unit)
•Valid Baptism, a Baptism that is recognized by the Catholic Church.
Registered Unit
A household who has an Active Family Status and has the blue button in the Churches tab set to your parsh.
Contributing Unit
A registered household who gives $100 or more to a parish in a given year.
Infant Baptism
A child, age 7 or under, who is Baptized.
Record a Baptism where the sacrament is celebrated, regardless of parish of registry.
Adult Initiation
A non-Baptized person, over the age of 7, who wishes to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and/or Eucharist. They do so through RCIA. The baptism, first communion and confirmation are recorded in the same manner as any sacrament.
Full Communion
A validly Baptized person (in another faith), over age 7, who wishes to receive the Sacraments of Eucharist, Confirmation. The valid Baptism is recorded in the Baptismal Register with the original date and location noted. This establishes their Baptismal Register in the Catholic church.
First Communion
A child, 7 or younger, who receives the Eucharist for the first time.
Confirmation
Confirmations are recorded at the registered parish of the recipient.
Note: When Confirmation is conferred upon persons from several parishes at one ceremony, record the Confirmation at the parish where the person is registered, not necessarily where the Sacrament was celebrated. Make a notation in their Baptismal record or send a certificate of Confirmation to their Baptismal church.
Catholic Marriages
Both persons are Catholic. Marriage took place in a Catholic Church Marriage was celebrated by a Priest or Deacon. They should be recorded as one family unit with 2 spouses in ChMS .
Interfaith Marriages
One person is not Catholic. Marriage took place in a Catholic Church Marriage was celebrated by a Priest or Deacon. They should be recorded as one family unit with 2 spouses in ChMS.
Deaths (Funerals)
•The Death Register is actually a Funeral Register.
•If a registered parishioner dies, in ChMS record his/her Date of Death and Set Member status to Deceased.
•If the Rite of Christian Funeral or Rite of Committal is held in your parish/cemetery, enter the funeral in your Death Register and in ChMS as a Funeral (but only if there was not a Funeral or Prayer service conferred at another diocesan church.
•If the prayer service is celebrated by your clergy or pastoral minister at another location like a funeral home (not in another Catholic church), then enter the prayer service in your Death Register and in ChMS as a Funeral.
•If you have a registered parishioner who dies, the funeral is NOT in your parish, and your clergy DO NOT participate in the funeral, do not record it in the death registry. In ChMS, mark the member deceased, enter their Date of Death and create a "Death Information" PRM note. On the parish census card/form, mark the person deceased.