monogodo

No, I'm not gay. That's not what this post is about.

I grew up thinking that I'd been baptised Catholic shortly after I was born. Since I wasn't raised Catholic, I never thought about it. For reasons I don't feel like going in to, I've been trying to track down my Baptismal record. I know it was supposed to have occurred shortly after I was born, and I know it most likely occurred in Madison, Wisconsin. I also know who my God-parents are. I called my mother to see if she remembered where it happened. She didn't know. She called her mother and her sister (my God-mother), neither of them remembered where. Then she emailed another sister of hers, who thought it was one of 2 or 3 churches. I called my Dad, who didn't remember, either. He later called me back and said he'd bet his mortgage payment that I was baptised at my Grandparents' church in Baraboo. My wife called them, and found that I wasn't baptised there, so my dad would have lost that bet had I taken it.

Yesterday I printed out a list of the 13 Catholic parishes in Madison. One would think that in the digital age of the 21st Century that records like the one I'm looking for would be available on computer, and that I'd be able to call one number, say the Diocese, and find the record I need. One would be wrong. Each Catholic parish is responsible for maintaining their own records. I then began calling them. I was able to get ahold of 7 of the 13. Five of them didn't have it. Two more were looking for it and would call me back. I emailed two more and am waiting for a response. My wife is going to have the Deacon of the local parish contact the ones who haven't responded to see if he can get a response from them.

Last night I got an email from my step-mom. She and dad were discussing it, and came to the conclusion that it is one of 2 or 3 churches. We ruled out one of them before I got her email. I was awaiting a response from the second, and the third is a long shot, according to them. I just got a call from the second, and it's not them.

So I'm wondering if I actually was baptised. Since I wasn't raised Catholic, and currently have no intention of becoming Catholic, it doesn't really make a difference to me. But I've been under the impression that I was baptised. What if I wasn't? I'm not worried about my soul, in case you're wondering. I just want to know if what I thought was true for the past 37+ years is actually true. I guess I'll find out soon.