There is no registry number on the marriage contract, but there is a copy of the contract in the church files. Is the marriage valid?

A Catholic Church wedding is valid sacramentally, according to the laws of the Catholic Church. Here in the Philippines, the Church takes it as its responsibility to register the marriage at the local civil registrar, who is responsible for assigning a registry number, on the marriage certificate. Thus, the marriage is valid civilly as well.

However, the absence of the registry number on the marriage certificate may indicate a possible clerical error, which the couple has to pay attention to. Or that most probably, the couple were civilly married prior to the Church wedding, in which case the civil marriage certificate would indicate a registry number and not the Church wedding certificate.

Since there is copy of the marriage certificate on the church file, then we can be sure that a marriage ceremony was held on the date specified on the marriage contract.

In one case from our parish, a fellow who is about to be married presented a birth certificate, a baptismal certificate and a notarized affidavit from the parents stating that the surname of the individual on the birth certificate is wrong and that the correct surname is that on the baptismal certificate. What surname should be used on the marriage contract?

It is important to check all the documents presented by the individual to verify consistency of information. This includes checking the name stated on the marriage license as well. If the individual claims that the surname on the baptismal certificate is the correct one, then the marriage license should also indicate the same surname. In addition, if the affidavit was prepared by the individual’s biological parents, then the three of them should have the same surname.