We had our daughter baptised at 12weeks old. A non-Christian cannot serve in this latter capacity, but is welcome to be present at the ceremony. a) 16 years of age; The mother or father of the baby cannot be the godparent, as the godparent’s role is to aid the parents. Both need to be baptized Catholic, age 16 or older, and Confirmed. The reason is this, the godparents take the responsibility of educating the child in catholic faith from the day of baptism. Close friends, your parish priest, your parish deacons, … The Church gets to approve your choice. my last son had four godparents. Catholic godparents must be at least 16 years old. Yes, a Priest can reject your choice of godparent, and you must choose a new one. We practise our faith in both Catholic and Anglican churches together, we are Christians and practise the Christian faith. at least one godparent in each set(if you are having say, 2 couples as godparents) must be catholic and you can have as many as you like. Hi I really don't see a problem in your case. We were all given the same status as Godparents though. Thanks. To be a godparent, the person must be a fully initiated Catholic, one who is baptized and has received the sacraments of Eucharist and confirmation. As it was both godparents were Catholic anyway so it wasn't an issue. This is a beautiful way to mark such an important occasion. Me and the Godfather were not Catholic. A place for people of all religions to chat and share ideas. But in a round about way they should be present, since the parents, the family, the church and the godparents are all taking an oath to help raise the child in the faith. So if you have family that are distant that is fine. The role is still the same. There are exceptions that can be made when a godparent is unable to be there and another person can be designated as a proxy, someone who will stand in for them and respond affirmatively to the questions. Since 1983, neither the Catholic Church Canon Law, nor the Catechism of the Catholic Church make any reference to Godparents by proxy. Yes. Hi. The parents present the child for baptism while the godparents are present as witnesses. They also answer questions about christian belief on behalf of the baby, before the baby is baptised. My husband is not catholic and I have severe social anxiety that prevents me from asking anyone to be a godparent and would prevent me from being present at the baptism if one was chosen for me. Yes, non-Catholic witnesses can serve as a Christian witness but it is not preferred. The non-Catholic must be baptized and must be present with a Catholic godparent at the time of baptism (Pastoral companion for Canon Law 57). The other Godparent may be a Christian. d) be free of church penalties; Will the baptism be valid. My wife now feels an outcast, it's all very sad when Christianity is meant to bring us closer together. ... to present an infant at the baptism, and who will help the baptized to lead a Christian life in harmony with baptism, and to fulfill faithfully the obligations connected with it" (No. "III. Given the functions and role a Godparent/Sponsor exercises, a non-Catholic Christian cannot be admitted as a Godparent/Sponsor; however, he or she can serve as a witness of honor. Neither got an annulment. Yes, non-Catholic witnesses can serve as a Christian witness but it is not preferred. If you desire to have two godparents, then Cannon Law requires that there be one male and one female. Whether selecting godparents or sponsors, only two people may fill these roles. A Christian witness is a baptized non-Catholic person who witnesses the baptism, but at least one qualified godparent must also be present or represented by … Dear Catholic Exchange, I have a friend and his wife that were asked to be godparents for their niece; however, they have since been told that they can not serve in that capacity due to the fact that they are not Catholic. A godparent should be a confirmed, Catholic Christian who is at least 16 years of age, and who faithfully practices and believes in the Catholic faith as a participating member of a parish community. Have prints made of your favorite two or three photos and include them in a thank you note to the godparent a couple of weeks following the baptism. So officially the Godparents do not need to be present for the baptism. More; The role of a godparent. Baptism, like all … Basic Guidelines and Information for Infant (to include young children) Baptism (Code of Canon Law, cc. Those Guarantees involve a commitment to foster the faith received by the child from the Church at baptism and to assist in fulfilling those duties that are implicit in the new baptismal dignity of the child, i.e. Can our child be baptized in a parish if we do not live within the parish boundaries? Therefore, the single most important factor is whether the person is an active, practicing Catholic. xxx. Never heard this one before or since right enough , https://www.netmums.com/coffeehouse/other-chat-514/religion-97/111985-how-many-godparents-catholic-baptism.html#post13553256, www.egodparent.com/Articles/Ca [...] ptisms.htm. attend church (cann. If you know beforehand, please notify the scheduler of the proxy’s name. hope that helps! A godparent must be actively practicing the faith. What are the requirements to be a godparent? I was Godmother for my friends son ( a few years ago now as he is 8.) As it was both godparents were Catholic anyway so it wasn't an issue. We were all given the same status as Godparents though. The role of a godparent is … You get to choose Catholic godparents once in your child’s life. I know that if your choice of godparents are married (to each other) they have to have been married at that church. My daughter is to be baptised in our local Catholic church,  my wife is C of E (I'm Catholic). A godparent must have received the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. e) not the biological father or mother of the child to be baptised. You wouldn't be baptising her into a 'doctrine' any more than a Catholic christening would. Not surprisingly, we encountered a diversity of strong opinions in the comment box. The Catholic Church provides a detailed guideline that must be obeyed. A Godparent may be represented by a proxy. Some are happy just to have one Catholic godparent, while others demand that all are catholic. A Catholic godparent can send your child books … Please explain the role of godparents in Catholic baptism. 2. I was Godmother for my friends son ( a few years ago now as he is 8.) I really don't see a problem in your case. However, if it’s not possible for the godparent to attend the baptism then most churches will allow a proxy godparent to witness the baptism on behalf of the godparent who can’t make it. A non-Catholic baptized Christian can participate in the Rite of Baptism as a “Christian witness,” however a Catholic godparent must also be present. Godparents can be single, but if they are married or living with a significant other, they must be married by the Catholic Church. A Christian witness is a baptized non-Catholic person who witnesses the baptism, but at least one qualified godparent must also be present or represented by … What if the person I have chosen as godparent is sick or unable to be present at the time of the Baptism? Is there anyway that we can overcome these problems? 15. 867-868; Catechism of the Catholic Church 1251) A Catholic adult must be present at the baptism ceremony. A baptized, non-Catholic may serve as an “official witness” to the baptism, only if there is a proper Catholic sponsor who fully meets all requirements of a godparent. One frustrated commenter defined the godparent selection process as a “minefield.” No … Why Godparents Matter Read More » Intimately linked to Confirmation and to Eucharist, Baptism is, with these two sacraments, Christian Initiation. The non-Catholic who is selected as a witness should be an active and participating member of his/her church community. A Catholic godparent can send your child books … How many godparents should there be? Godparents do not have to be present at every occasion of a child’s life (my own lived several states away and I only met them twice -not ideal, but possible). Therefore, the single most important factor is whether the person is an active, practicing Catholic. Our priest at the time who is now dean of the district Stated that only one person must be Catholic. my daughter was baptised in 2003, i had 2 godfathers - neither are catholics and 2 godmothers - one was a practising catholic. 1. A baptized non-Catholic may be permitted to serve at a Catholic baptism, but only in company with another, Catholic sponsor, and simply as a witness. I believe it isnecessary for a child to have the requisite number of godparents at baptism. They realize the importance of godparents and have asked me about the situation since I am Catholic. The legal system of the Church specifies that in order to qualify as a godparent, the candidates should be: In exceptional circumstances, it is possible for the godparent to be represented at the Baptism by a 'proxy'. Should the infant survive, it is customary for a priest to baptise the child. The Sacrament of Baptism is often called "The door of the Church," because it is the first of the seven sacraments not only in time (since most Catholics receive it as infants) but in priority since the reception of the other sacraments depends on it. Hope this helps. You don't have to have any godparents if you don't want too. Yes they do have to be present.. they will need to sign papers and baptize the baby. My wife now feels an outcast, it's all very sad when Christianity is meant to bring us closer together. Short answer is that it is possible. The child would only rarely see them, possibly only on holidays. 2.3K views Have prints made of your favorite two or three photos and include them in a thank you note to the godparent a couple of weeks following the baptism. Church law only requires you to have one godparent; however, it has been tradition to have two. 872-874; Catechism of the Catholic Church 1255). i had my little one christened last year and my mum told me that if your christening a girl u shud have 2 godmothers and 1 godfather and if your christening a boy u shud have 2 godfathers and 1 godmother! Thank you so much. 872). Godparents can – should, even must – pray for a child daily. The child would only rarely see them, possibly only on holidays. However, if you want to stick to the tradition you can get a baptism gown for the child. I was trying to think of a good answer, but I couldn’t come up with one. Finally they must be willing to submit all the completed paperwork, prior to the ceremony. To be a godparent, a person must be one “who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on” (CIC 874 §1). In order to be of sufficient maturity and capacity, the godparent must be at least 16 years of age. 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