Catholic school delayed baptism

[KenR]

Hi Looking for Help

Your comments about no weight being given to attending Mass or sibblings attending may correct now for your area but did not apply to the Birmingham admissions criteria at the time. At the time the criteria included the phrase "practising catholics" although this has now changed to the phrase "Baptised Catholic children" with a strict definition. The sibbling priority still applies however. Given the wording of the admissions policy at the time there was a degree of subjectivity in interpretation compared to the strict academic, feeder schools or distance criteria used in non catholic or grammar school entry.

Hence the reason for the parents having to find a much supplementary evidence as possible to proof that they were practising catholics. The local priest had only known then for 9 months so was unable to confirm that he had evidence of them being practising catholics for many years.

Interesting in the current admissions criteria the strict definition of the phrase "Baptised Catholic children" is as follows:-

2. In all categories, for a child to be considered as a Catholic, evidence of Catholic Baptism or Reception into the Church will be required. For a definition of Baptised Catholic see the Appendix. Those who face difficulties in producing written evidence of baptism should contact their Parish Priest.
Parents making an application for a Catholic child should also complete the school.s supplementary information form (SIF) and Priest.s Reference Form. Failure to complete the SIF or Priest.s Reference.

DEFINITION OF A “BAPTISED CATHOLIC”
(For use in the Criteria of Admission to Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Birmingham)
To establish clarity, consistency and fairness in the application of Criteria of Admission in Catholic Schools in accordance with the Trust Deed of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, it is necessary to define the description of a¡§Baptised Catholic¡¨ for the benefit of parents who are making applications and for governors who formulate and apply the criteria for admissions.
A "Baptised Catholic" is one who:
Has been baptised into full communion (Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 837) with the Catholic Church by the Rites of Baptism of one of the various ritual Churches in communion with the See of Rome (i.e. Latin Rite, Byzantine Rite, Coptic, Syriac, etc, Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1203). Written evidence* of this baptism can be obtained by recourse to the Baptismal Registers of the church in which the baptism took place (Cf. Code of Canon Law, 877 & 878).
Or
Has been validly baptised in a separated ecclesial community and subsequently received into full communion with the Catholic Church by the Right of Reception of Baptised Christians into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church. Written evidence of their baptism and reception into full communion with the Catholic Church can be obtained by recourse to the Register of Receptions, or in some cases, a sub-section of the Baptismal Registers of the church in which the Rite of Reception took place (Cf. Rite of Christian Initiation, 399).
WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF BAPTISM
The Governing bodies of Catholic schools will require written evidence in the form of a Certificate of Baptism or Certificate of Reception before applications for school places can be considered for categories of "Baptised Catholics". A Certificate of Baptism or Reception is to include: the full name, date of birth, date of baptism or reception, and parent(s) name(s). The certificate must also show that it is copied from the records kept by the place of baptism or reception.
Those who would have difficulty obtaining written evidence of baptism for a good reason, may still be considered as baptised Catholics but only after they have been referred to their parish priest who, after consulting the Vicar General, will decide how the question of baptism is to be resolved and how written evidence is to be produced in accordance with the law of the Church.
Those who would be considered to have good reason for not obtaining written evidence would include those who cannot contact the place of baptism due to persecution or fear, the destruction of the church and the original records, or where baptism was administered validly but not in the Parish church where records are kept.
Governors may request extra supporting evidence when the written documents that are produced do not clarify the fact that a person was baptised or received into the Catholic Church, (i.e. where the name and address of the Church is not on the certificate or where the name of the Church does not state whether it is a Catholic Church or not).
Admission Policies should state the requirement of written evidence of Baptism or Reception for the category of "Baptised Catholic". The policy should also state that those who face difficulties in producing written evidence of baptism should contact their Parish Priest.

[Looking for help]

KenR, I was merely saying that when it came to appeal, the panel gave no weight to our case in respect of whether we attended mass or not. Previous to that on applicatio we had to provide in the form of a reference from our parish priest evidence that we were churchgoers, also a certificate of baptism.

I was merely commenting on your comment if you will about the Governors of Catholic schools having more latitude when it comes to appeals....it is not the case, as appeals have a code of practice that must be followed, whether the school is a faith one or not.

Sorry if I have confused you

[Sally-Anne]

A number of posts on this thread have been split to a new thread in the Appeals section, and can be viewed here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 35&t=24233" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sally-Anne

[Loopyloulou]

I think everyone will agree that Catholic schools ought to be able to prioritise Catholic children. Baptism within six months of birth (subject to "emergency" exceptions eg persecution) is a good way of separating the genuine believer from the half-hearted or the imposter. After all, whilst infant death these days is rare, surely the risk of condemning one's child to spend eternity in Limbo is not one any right minded person would wish to take.

Therefore if a child with delayed baptism is seeking a place in an oversubscribed school which has this criterion, the reason for the delay must be very convincing. For some, of course, there will be the option of a Catholic independent school; but I suspect many delayed baptism cases will prefer to apply to a protestant independent school, which rather proves the case.