Baptismal Godparents

[let_go_let_God]

I know for a Baptism, you should have two Godparents for your child. Do both Godparents need to be Catholic or does a proxy need to stand in for a non-Catholic Godparent. If a proxy is needed what happens if one isn't procured?

 

I'm not planning a Baptism but had questions that I wasn't quite certain of.

 

God bless-

LGLG

[cappie]

When a child or an adult is to be baptized, he or she must have at least one godparent or sponsor (the terms are interchangeable). It is customary for children to have two godparents. When there are two, one must be male and the other female. Godparents must meet all of the following criteria, which are established by universal Church law and which do not vary from place to place. Godparents must:

 

(a) be Catholic

(b) have been baptized, confirmed and receive Communion

(c) be 16 or older (although there may be exceptions to this rule at the discretion of the priest)

(d) must be living a life consistent with their own baptismal vows.

 

This means that they must be practicing the faith, and cannot have taken public positions in opposition to Catholic faith or morals. If a sponsor is married, their marriage must be recognized by the Church.

 

People sometimes object to the requirements for a sponsor. They argue that parents should have freedom to choose the sponsor of a child who is to be baptized. In order to understand the Church's position, several points must be kept in mind.

 

Baptism is not a private act. It is a public, official liturgy of the Church and welcomes someone into the Catholic Church. Therefore, the Church has the duty and obligation to require reasonable criteria for being a sponsor. The sponsor is to assist the parents and the child in living a Catholic life. In order to do so, the sponsor needs to provide good example of living that life. A person who is not Catholic, or who is not living in a way consistent with the faith, obviously cannot provide the example that is part of the task of being a godparent. The role of godparent is a role of service done in the name of the Church, and the person who is a sponsor should be capable of performing that service.

 

If there is one godparent, Church law does permit, the appointment of one 'Christian witness' to the baptism ceremony. This witness must be a baptized non-Catholic Christian. This 'Christian witness' takes part in the ceremony but is not a godparent. A former Catholic, or a non-baptized person cannot be a Christian witness.