What does it mean to be a registered parish member vs. non registered parish member? Often we encounter individuals who indicate they are parish member but when it comes to looking up needed information on them, we have nothing in our records. Being a registered parishioner makes the process of receiving sacraments, registering for faith formation classes, being a sponsor for someone receiving a sacrament or even planning a funeral much easier. When a person is registered in a parish, all their sacraments (Baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Death) are recorded in the sacramental archive books. Being a graduate of St. Patrick School does not automatically register you as a parishioner after graduation you must register on your own.
In the Roman Catholic Church of the United States of America, for members to be considered “active” parishioners they must be registered in the Parish for a sufficient period of time, fulfill the Sabbath Commandment by attending Mass faithfully on Sunday’s and Holy Days of Obligation and continuously supporting the mission of Christ in the Church.