Convalidation Saga - part III

From: Cynthia
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 9:45 AM
To: DD
Cc: RCIA Teachers [Deacon L and his wife, MA]; Dan
Subject: FW: Convalidation


Dan and I would like to participate in the Convalidation ceremony on Sunday afternoon. I called Blessed Sacrament in Madison, WI, to see the status of Dan's baptismal certificate, and they said that they mailed the certificate on Monday, so it should get to the Cathedral by Wednesday or Thursday. It is being sent care of Deacon Larry Harmon. If you'd like to speak with the Blessed Sacrament parish, their phone number is XXX-XXX-XXXX.

Will we need to bring our Wedding Certificate this evening or on Sunday? We can bring both an original for your visual verification as well as a copy for your files if that would make things easier for you. Is there any other paperwork we need other than Dan's baptismal certificate and our wedding certificate?

We will be at the rehearsal this evening, and we'll go to as much RCIA class as we can, but at the same time will be at as much of the rehearsal as we can as well. Where specifically do we need to go in the church for the rehearsal?

Thank you so much for helping us with our convalidation. Please feel free to give me a call at work if you need anything from me (XXX-XXX-XXXX), or shoot me an e-mail - I'll be here until 5:30p.

___________________________

From: DD
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 1:47 PM
To: Cynthia
Subject: RE: Convalidation


Wonderful!

I am going to e mail a memorandum which will outline all of the details for tonight.

Is Deacon L taking care of your paperwork?

___________________________

From: Cynthia
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 2:23 PM
To: DD
Cc: RCIA Teachers; 'Dan'
Subject: RE: Convalidation

Well, Deacon L should be getting the baptism certificate, and I have a copy of my wedding certificate as well as the original for this evening. I'm not sure if he's doing the paperwork or not, though. I'll make sure I have everything tonight, and we can make sure it's all straightened out this evening. The letter with Dan's certificate might be at the cathedral already if they mailed it on Monday.

I look forward to your e-mail!

___________________________

From: DD
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 2:57 PM
To: Cynthia
Subject: Memorandum for Convalidation Celebration


Here 'tis! Please acknowledge receipt. Thanks!

___________________________

From: Cynthia
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 3:09 PM
To: DD
Subject: RE: Memorandum for Convalidation Celebration


I got the e-mail, but I have one problem - I don't know what a Freedom to Marry form is. This is the first marriage for both my husband and myself, and we were married civilly. How do these forms work?

Also, we have not filled out a Pre-Nuptial questionnaire, but if you can e-mail me one, we can have it completed before we get there tonight.

___________________________


From: Cynthia
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 3:11 PM
To: RCIA Teachers
Subject: FW: Memorandum for Convalidation Celebration


Apparently we need witnesses for the ceremony. Is that something that you two might be able to do since you said you'd probably be coming on Sunday?

We also apparently have to do a questionnaire and a Freedom to Marry form, but I don't know how those work. I've got an e-mail into DD for that.

Ugh, I didn't know it would be quite this complicated. That's ok, though, as long as you guys are patient with me, I'm sure I'll be good to go.

___________________________

From: DD
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 3:29 PM
To: Cynthia
Subject: RE: Memorandum for Convalidation Celebration


A Freedom to Marry Form must be completed for each party enterting marriage. It needs to be signed by a person who has known you for a very long time; since at least sixteen years of age and can witness to your freedom to marry. Ideally, this person is a parent, younger sibling, etc. It must be signed in the presence of a lay minister, deacon, or priest, including any person in a parish office. Will your witnesses be coming for rehearsal tonight.

The prenuptial forms cannot be e mailed however we'll get to work on them tonight. I thought perhaps Deacon L had begun to complete them with you. Not a problem.

___________________________

From: Cynthia
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 3:45 PM
To: DD
Cc: RCIA Teachers
Subject: RE: Memorandum for Convalidation Celebration


I don't have any Catholic relatives, and all of my husband's relatives live in Wisconsin and only a few are active Catholics, including his maternal grandmother. My family is Mormon and will probably be reluctant to go to a Catholic church to sign anything. On top of that, neither one of us has any immediate or extended family in the area, so getting these letters might be a bit tricky. I'm pretty sure we can get Dan's grandmother to sign a letter to his Freedom to Marry, but due to the time constraints, can she maybe fax us a copy and mail an original to you?

I've asked [our RCIA teachers - Deacon L and MA] to be our witnesses, but I haven't heard back as to whether we have a "Yes" for that or not.

I apologize for being so complicated, I didn't realize how much work it took to get convalidated. I thought we just needed our wedding certificate and Dan's baptism certificate.

If we can't pull it off this weekend, we'll work on getting everything together and see if we can't get it done in March or something.

___________________________

From: DD
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 3:52 PM
To: Cynthia
Subject: RE: Memorandum for Convalidation Celebration


The persons are not required to be Catholic and a faxed copy is permissable however we do need these documents by Sunday. We have the forms and will bring some tonight. The paperwork for convalidation is exactly the same as for a first marriage. It does seem complicated doesn't it?