I have a general question that may have already been answered so I apologize in advance. My question is I heard somewhere that once born, the parents were required to baptize their son or daughter within a certain number of days after birth? Can someone confirm this?
As a second part of my question, I am trying to find my wife's grandfather that was from Tecolotlan, Jal. I do not see his name in any Tecolotlan Jalisco records so I have expanded my search to neighboring municipalities since I discovered his family were cattle herders that made trips to "La Costa" (now my search has really expanded).
If my wife's grandfather was born during one of these cattle herds, and they were instructed to baptize and register by a certain number of days after birth, would they be welcomed to baptismal rights at a church/town they did not belong and were simply passing along?
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Baptism
I do not think there was a requirement to baptize within a certain number of days, but rather an expectation or custom. A consideration was that many babies did not survive, so if born alive, it was rather important for them to be baptized soon. Typically, baptism was within a few days of the birth. In some places and some periods, 2-3 weeks was customary; but the shorter time period was much more common. However, I have seen baptisms a month or more after the birth, as well as on the day the baby was born.
In today's Church, a person typically needs permission of the priest of the parish they reside in for sacraments to be performed in another parish. Formerly, the costs associated with the sacraments were part of the priest's income. Historically, this was part of the reasons for Benito's Juarez's reforms in the late 1850s.
George Fulton
Pleasanton, CA
Baptism
I noticed in some of the earlier baptism records in Michoacan and Zacatecas if a child was very ill or in danger of dying anyone could baptize them then report it to the church and they would be baptized a second time at the church if they lived. I also noticed in some parts of Jalisco and Zacatecas abt 10 days seemed to be the norm. in the mid to late 1800. I also found my ancestor baptized but no civil registration for a year giving that year for her birth when she was actually a year old so baptism was more important to them.
Linda in Everett
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From: "gpf13@aol.com"
To: research@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
Sent: Saturday, February 4, 2012 5:22 PM
Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Baptism
I do not think there was a requirement to baptize within a certain number of days, but rather an expectation or custom. A consideration was that many babies did not survive, so if born alive, it was rather important for them to be baptized soon. Typically, baptism was within a few days of the birth. In some places and some periods, 2-3 weeks was customary; but the shorter time period was much more common. However, I have seen baptisms a month or more after the birth, as well as on the day the baby was born.
In today's Church, a person typically needs permission of the priest of the parish they reside in for sacraments to be performed in another parish. Formerly, the costs associated with the sacraments were part of the priest's income. Historically, this was part of the reasons for Benito's Juarez's reforms in the late 1850s.
George Fulton
Pleasanton, CA