The January 25th newsletter of the Irish Family History Centre (IFHC) introduced me to a new word: churching.

Merriam-Webster defines churching as "a ceremony in some churches by which women after childbirth are received in the church with prayers, blessings and thanksgiving."

In the latest IFHC newsletter, Fiona Fitzsimons has written a "research tip...a piece of social history, linked to a source. Sometimes at the end of a register, you might find something you don't expect. Churchings are one such source."

You can read her article about churching here.