Hi Mary Ann, You offer many valid deductions. However, one of the formative doctrines of the government of the United States of America was "separation of Church and State." The Roman Catholic Church is not the only theological institution that relies on this tenet; the Muslim mosques being build all of the USA as we sleep, in spite of Homeland Security, the Word Trade Center, and impending terrorist threats, rely upon this protective tenet of our forefathers. It is interesting what Chicago has done, but none of what was done in Chicago. or any other major city, matters. NYC was the largest city in the USA for most of its lifetime; its ego and history rely on this fact. Also, more immigrants passed through its port, even as a stopping spot for ways West. Many rooted here purely because they couldn't afford to travel further. NYC was frequently the first experience immigrants had with the USA. With all due respect, to "We the people," the USA constitution was initially and specifying created with a "separation of Church and state" clause. And, this tenet is something that not only the Catholic Church has relied upon in the past, but today's Muslim mosques are built all over the USA, dependent upon or taking advantage of this tenet. I say taking advantage of, due to Homeland Security, the WTC holocaust, and the present emphases upon impending terrorist actions. FYI ---South Americans refers to their homelands as "America, " so I want to clarify that I refer to the United States of America as that which we refer. As far as Catholic doctrine, it is not any "yahoo" who may receive the Eucharist at Mass, but it is dependent upon each individual making a clear and valid, personal, self-proclaimed Act of Contrition, not in confession via a priest, to receive the sacramental body and blood of Christ. It is not for others of the Roman Catholic faith to judge or assess or involve themselves in who "approaches the rail" and deems themselves eligible to or worthy to receive the Eucharist. Frankly, that is not of your concern. Who receives Communion is unrelated to the Church's stance about releasing sacramental records. These are two separate intellectual issues. Pleas consider: What is to preventing some nosy "yahoo" from seeking sacramental records about your ancestors? Perhaps you need to correspond with the Chicago Archdiocese and ask them what factors they considered when releasing such records to LDS, instead of judging that one Archdiocese did not, has not, or will do the same. The answer to this will provide all of us with specific grounds to approach the Archdioceses of NY and Brooklyn. Cost is not moot. The Apple has a population girth incomparable to any other city, and its physical boundaries expanded. If the numbers of sacramental recipients each year is considered, there is an unimaginable amount of transcribing to do. You may also check out the cost per square foot of real estate in NYC just to comprehend what costs are here, compared to the rest of the nation, with CA as the present day exception. Please understand, that I too would like access to Roman Catholic records, especially those of my grandparents' marriage circa 1913. However, I believe that you do not understand the tremendous numbers of records, accumulated over many years, without a central location, that you would like to access. The Archdiocese does not make it easy and cost, manpower, and political agenda all interfere with us getting what we want. The Archdiocese of NY and Brooklyn has no central location of all records, period. Wishing for it is as tremendous of an endeavor as doing it, and only possibly attainable through grants from wealthy Roman Catholics, or interested "Trumps." I, for one, would appreciate your collection of Chicago facts, so that we might approach the Archdiocese of NY and Brookly with reasonable and possible requests, as well as the way to accomplish it. BMcK ct@earthlink.net writes: > But just as the public/government is "we the people" isn't the church > "the people in the pews/church militant" and not just the hierarchy? > > I don't have a problem kissing a bishop's ring as a sign of respect > for him personally and of his office, but it is a bit much than any > yahoo can approach the altar rail and receive the Body and Blood of > Christ without question but the sacramental records must be protected > from the genealogists. Again, if that were the case then why are > Chicago's records available through the FHL and Ireland's records are > filmed as well(but not all of them are available through FHL)? > > The three main issues seem to be cost, privacy and feasibility. > > Cost is a moot point because Chicago did it. > > Privacy is a moot point again because Chicago did it. > > Feasibility is a moot point because many records have been > microfilmed and digitized through Ancestry.com, IGI etc. ************************************** See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)