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Registers for baptism, confirmation, marriage and burial: care and use

These guidelines support parishes in recording, safeguarding and managing baptism, confirmation, marriage and burial registers. As records of public acts of the church, these registers are held in trust by parishes and dioceses for the people named in them and for the wider church, with a shared responsibility to maintain their accuracy, integrity and security.

See also Parish certificates: printable forms for sacramental and ministry use.

The resource is organized in two parts. The first provides guidance on completing baptism, confirmation, marriage and burial registers correctly at the time of the pastoral act. The second addresses the care, custody and access of registers over time, including secure storage, privacy considerations and the transfer of completed registers to diocesan archives.

Suggested uses

  • Day-to-day reference for completing parish registers
  • Orientation for new clergy, wardens or administrators
  • Guidance on storing active and completed registers

Key themes

  • Registers as official church records
  • Clear and accurate record keeping
  • Care and custody of completed registers
  • Privacy and controlled access
  • Shared parish and diocesan responsibility

Best suited for: parish administrators, clergy, wardens and others responsible for maintaining parish registers and overseeing their safe care.

Acknowledging the land and God’s creation

This acknowledgement is crafted in light of the Principles of Reconciliation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as we seek to live faithfully in Christ and in right relationship with all. 

We give thanks to the Creator for this land, its waters, forests and all living beings, and for the abiding presence of Christ among us. From coast to coast to coast, these have been cared for and nurtured by First Nations, Inuit and Métis through countless generations. 

We honour the enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have cultivated with these lands and waters, and the treaties and agreements that reflect these sacred bonds. We acknowledge the harms caused by colonial expansion, through frameworks like the Doctrine of Discovery and structures like the residential school system. We recognize our past failures as a Church, including disruption of connections to the land and suppression of Indigenous spiritualities. 

Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, we confess our need for healing. We commit ourselves to seeking truth, pursuing reconciliation and nurturing harmony with all creation. We place our trust in Christ, through whom all things are reconciled to God. 

May God strengthen us to live faithfully as stewards of the Earth. Let us walk in love, justice and reconciliation, joining in God’s work to restore all creation.