Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Program

Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Program 

Requesting Records from the Archdiocese of St. Louis Office of Archives and Records

The Archdiocese of St. Louis Office of Archives and Records holds records from closed schools and closed or subsumed parishes that may assist RECA applicants to provide proof of residence, employment, or school attendance in affected areas in Missouri. If you are requesting records from a parish or school that is open, please contact them directly. Please note that the Archdiocese of St. Louis cannot advise what the RECA Program will accept as documented proof for your claim. Contact the Department of Justice RECA Program for further guidance. 

Please note that we are experiencing a high volume of calls and requests. To expedite your request, please do the following: 

  1. Read the FAQs below on student transcripts, sacramental certificates, and other parish records, and who has access to records for living and deceased individuals.
  2. Fill out the Student Transcript Request Form or Sacramental Certificate Request Form and write your questions in the “notes” field. If you have questions about other kinds of parish records, use the General Request Form. 
  3. All transcripts and sacramental certificates are certified by a signature, date and seal. If you are requesting copies of other kinds of records, it is important that you identify your request as “RECA,” so we know to sign, date, seal, or provide a cover letter to certify these documents for your application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Student Transcript Requests for RECA

Sacramental Certificate Requests for RECA 

Other Parish Records for RECA 

Student Transcript Requests for RECA 

What information is in a student transcript? 

Student transcripts contain the student’s name, birthdate, parents’ names, home address at the time the student entered the school, and the years that the student was in school. The printed transcript is an exact copy of the record. We cannot guarantee or change how the information will appear on the transcript. 

Who can request a transcript? 

For RECA purposes, certified transcripts are only issued to:  

  1. The individual requesting his/her own record  
  2. If the person is under 18, the parent or legal guardian of the person named. The legal guardian must provide the following documentation: 
    • A representation agreement, appointment, or court order establishing your authority to act on behalf of the person.
    • Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (conservator/legal guardian)
  3. The conservator or legal guardian of the person named. The conservator or legal guardian must provide the following documentation: 
    • A representation agreement, appointment, or court order establishing your authority to act on behalf of the person.
    • Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (conservator/legal guardian)
  4. If the person is deceased, the child, surviving spouse, parent, or executor of the estate. See required documentation below. 

Access to Transcripts of Deceased Person(s) 

The child of the deceased person will need to provide the following documentation:

  1. Death certificate of the person(s) named in the record
  2. Requestor’s (child’s) birth certificate
  3. Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (child)

The surviving spouse of the deceased person will need to provide the following documentation:

  1. Death certificate of the person named in the record
  2. Marriage certificate or license of the person named in the record
  3. Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (surviving spouse)

The parent of the deceased person will need to provide the following documentation:

  1. Death certificate of the person named in the record
  2. Birth certificate of the person named in the record
  3. Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (parent)

The executor of the estate of the deceased person will need to provide the following documentation:

  1. The court order establishing your authority to act on behalf of the person’s estate.
  2. Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (executor of estate)

How do I request a transcript? 

For closed schools, fill out the Student Transcript Request Form and indicate the request is for RECA in the “Notes” field. Transcripts are certified by a signature, date and seal. Please submit ONE request PER school. A photo ID and $10 fee is required for each transcript requested. Directions on providing these are on the Student Transcript Request Form. 

For open schools, please contact that school directly for a certified copy of your transcript. 

How are transcripts certified?

Transcripts are certified by a signature, date and seal.

Sacramental Certificate Requests for RECA 

What information is in a sacramental certificate? 

Baptism records record the name, birthdate, parents’ names, date of the sacrament, the celebrant of the sacrament (deacon or priest), and the witnesses. Sometimes the baptism, first communion, confirmation, or marriage records will contain the family’s home address at the time of the sacrament. We cannot guarantee that an address will be in the sacramental record. Certificates are exact copies of the information in the sacramental register. If the address does not appear in the register, it cannot be added it to the certificate. 

Who can request a sacramental certificate? 

Sacramental certificates are only issued for sacramental or legal purposes. For RECA purposes, sacramental certificates are only issued to:  

  1. The person named in the record.  
  2. If the person is under 18, the parent or legal guardian of the person named. The legal guardian must provide the following documentation:
    •  A representation agreement, appointment, or court order establishing your authority to act on behalf of the person.
    • Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (legal guardian)
  3. The conservator or legal guardian of the person named. The conservator or legal guardian must provide the following documentation:
    • A representation agreement, appointment, or court order establishing your authority to act on behalf of the person.
    • Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (conservator/legal guardian)
  4. If the person is deceased, the child, surviving spouse, parent, or executor of the estate. See required documentation below. 

Access to Sacraments of Deceased Person(s) 

The child of the deceased person will need to provide the following documentation:

  1. Death certificate of the person(s) named in the record. For a marriage certificate, the requestor must provide death certificates for both parties.
  2. Requestor’s (child’s) birth certificate. To request a marriage certificate, provide proof of relationship to one of the persons named in the record.
  3. Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (child).

The surviving spouse of the deceased person will need to provide the following documentation:

  1. Death certificate of the person named in the record
  2. Marriage certificate or license of the person named in the record
  3. Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (surviving spouse)

The parent of the deceased person will need to provide the following documentation:

  1. Death certificate of the person named in the record
  2. Birth certificate of the person named in the record
  3. Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (parent)

The executor of the estate of the deceased person will need to provide the following documentation:

  1. The court order establishing your authority to act on behalf of the person’s estate.
  2. Photograph ID (driver’s license or state ID) of the requestor (executor of estate)

How do I request a sacramental certificate? 

For closed or subsumed parishes, fill out the Sacramental Certificate Request Form and indicate the request is for RECA in the “Notes” field. It is imperative that you indicate this is a RECA-related request so available address information can be added as a notation on the certificate. 

View list of closed parishes. For open parishes, please contact that parish directly. Find contact information in the Parish Directory. It is imperative that you tell the parish this is a RECA-related request so available address information can be added as a notation on the certificate. 

How are sacramental certificates certified? 

Sacramental certificates are certified by a signature, date and seal. 

Other Parish Records for RECA 

What other parish records does the Archdiocese of St. Louis hold? 

If you are looking for records from an OPEN parish, that parish will hold its own records. Find contact information in the Parish Directory.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis Archives holds the records from closed and most subsumed parishes. There are not membership rosters nor tithing receipts of parishioners who attended the parish. It is possible there are other records that contain address information. Each parish may not have the same records, nor a complete set of records. Please note that we cannot advise what the RECA Program will accept as documented proof for your claim. Please contact the Department of Justice RECA Program for further guidance.  

How do I request other parish records? 

For open parishes, please contact that parish directly. Find contact information in the Parish Directory. It is imperative that you tell the parish this is a RECA-related request so documents can be certified according to RECA requirements.

Archives staff will conduct an initial search into records on your behalf. Use the General Request Form indicated below. If the search is very involved, we may ask you to make an appointment to visit the Archives to look through materials yourself, or if you do not live in the area, we may ask you to hire a researcher to look through materials on your behalf. We cannot accommodate walk-ins. Please do not come to the Archives without discussing with a staff member and making an appointment.  

Please use the General Request Form and include the following information so we can assist you in your search: 

  • State that this is a RECA-related request
  • The person(s)’ full name (including former/maiden names)  
  • The parish name 
  • The approximate years of attendance at the parish 
  • Was the person involved in any clubs or societies at the parish? 

How are parish records (other than transcripts and sacramental records) certified? 

Photocopies of records are certified by a signature, date and seal. A cover letter with the letterhead, signature, and date, will be attached stating, “The attached record(s) containing [#] pages pertaining to [NAME of person in question] is a true and accurate copy of a record kept in our files.” If applicable, it will include “Private information pertaining to other people has been redacted.”