872). Intimately linked to Confirmation and to Eucharist, Baptism is, with these two sacraments, Christian Initiation. As it was both godparents were Catholic anyway so it wasn't an issue. The proper persons to present the child for baptism are the parents. Can our child be baptized in a parish if we do not live within the parish boundaries? Of course, there would be no one else to get the baby to the baptism if I couldn’t be there either. Regarding your point about not wanting her to be baptised CoE - I think you will find the baptism services are virtually identical. 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. The Code of Canon Law requires godparents for infant baptism “insofar as possible” (CIC 872); they are not an absolute requirement for valid baptism. The Church gets to approve your choice. 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 … 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. Do you have to have godparents for a baby? A baptized person who belongs to another Christian community may be admitted only as a Christian witness (not a godparent) provided that there is at least one Roman Catholic godparent who fulfills the above criteria. 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! 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). my daughter was baptised in 2003, i had 2 godfathers - neither are catholics and 2 godmothers - one was a practising catholic. Godparents can be single, but if they are married or living with a significant other, they must be married by the Catholic Church. B. 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. Hello, I was asked by my sister about why godparents would have to take classes (her boyfriend has to take some classes in order to prepare for his god-kid’s Baptism). Actually, only one godparent need be Catholic, because only one of the two chosen is the official godparent. The role is still the same. Regarding your point about not wanting her to be baptised CoE - I think you will find the baptism services are virtually identical. Only one godparent is necessary, though it is customary to have a male and a female godparent present. recently had my 2 baptised, and our priest said that we needed a minimum of one godparent, but could have more (did not specify any limit) if we wanted. 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. Over time, this tradition faded, and nowadays, parents usually buy the outfit. b) appointed by the parents, guardians or parish priest; 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. with godparents present. A Godparent may be represented by a proxy. Did ennyone can tell me how many godparents i need for Christian my son, did I need godparents? This means they have received all three Sacraments of Initiation, which are Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. My daughter is to be baptised in our local Catholic church,  my wife is C of E (I'm Catholic). So there is actually no provision in the Church of England for ‘godparents … This statement clearly reflects the historical roots of … Do godparents need to be present at the baptism ceremony? Present the gift to the godparent at the ceremony, and follow up by taking several photos of the child with the proud sponsor. It depends entirely on your Priest. Some are happy just to have one Catholic godparent, while others demand that all are catholic. Yes, a Priest can reject your choice of godparent, and you must choose a new one. At least one of the godparents must be Catholic, and must have received the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist, and confirmation. It’s truly beautiful to use the Baptismal candle as a reminder of the joy of welcoming the little one into the Catholic family rather than allowing it to collect dust in … The baptism gown. Likewise, one non-Catholic may act as a “witness” at a Catholic Baptism, but only if a Catholic is also acting as godparent for the baptized. Baptism will not be delayed if both parents are not Catholic. An old Catholic tradition requires the godparents to buy the clothes the baby will wear on the baptism day. 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). Godparents can – should, even must – pray for a child daily. 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). If they are unable, another family member may present … The child would only rarely see them, possibly only on holidays. A godparent should be at the baptism if at all possible. An old Catholic tradition requires the godparents to buy the clothes the baby will … The godparent name is entered into the parish record book as the “official” godparent or sponsor for baptism. 2.3K views Personally I prefer the CoE approach as they recognise all practising christians - the Catholic church will only admit/ give communion to Catholics. 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). A godparent/sponsor doesn’t have to be a relative. 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. A person can only be an official godparent if they are physically present at the service, since they will make some big promises for and on behalf of the child on the day. A Christian of another denomination, whether Orthodox or Protestant, however, may be a "Christian witness" to the baptism along with the Catholic godparent. Apart from this situation, as long as one godparent is Catholic, it is permissible for a non-Catholic to act as witness to your child's baptism. If you know beforehand, please notify the scheduler of the proxy’s name. Your brother and his wife do not qualify because of their irregular marriage. 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). 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). It's a misconception that you have two godparents — at least as far as the Church is concerned. Short answer is that it is possible. Our priest at the time who is now dean of the district Stated that only one person must be Catholic. confirmed is to have a sponsor. You get to choose Catholic godparents once in your child’s life. 15. 872-874; Catechism of the Catholic Church 1255). What if the person I have chosen as godparent is sick or unable to be present at the time of the Baptism? The Code of Canon Law requires godparents for infant baptism “insofar as possible” (CIC 872); they are not an absolute requirement for valid baptism. Catholic godparents must be at least 16 years old. 872-874)." c) a Roman Catholic who has been confirmed and received Holy Communion; Yes, in general, and they need to be approved by the church. I also got given a telling off for calling it a christening. 1. Since 1983, neither the Catholic Church Canon Law, nor the Catechism of the Catholic Church make any reference to Godparents by proxy. What are the requirements to be a godparent? Matthew - there is no real difference between the Catholic 'godparents' and the Christian 'witnesses' made in the ceremony - it's just a technical term. Should the infant survive, it is customary for a priest to baptise the child. Finally they must be willing to submit all the completed paperwork, prior to the ceremony. We had our daughter baptised at 12weeks old. The role is still the same. my last son had four godparents. 3. Though it is ideal to select two Catholic godparents, (one female, one male) the Church only requires that there be one godparent. It is the first of the three Sacraments of Initiation, the other two being the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Sacrament of Holy Communion. So if you have family that are distant that is fine. The godparents do not have to be Catholic. Here are a few ideas: Think outside the box. If both Godparents are Catholic, they must comply with the requirements listed above. Neither got an annulment. This is a beautiful way to mark such an important occasion. 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. A non-Christian cannot serve in this latter capacity, but is welcome to be present at the ceremony. The godparents need to be Catholics. Our priest at the time who is now dean of the district Stated that only one person must be Catholic. The original godparent will still be the official godparent on the baptism … 107 A Catholic may do the same for a person being baptized in another ecclesial Community. The Catholic Church provides a detailed guideline that must be obeyed. Me and the Godfather were not Catholic. 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. Yes, non-Catholic witnesses can serve as a Christian witness but it is not preferred. You wouldn't be baptising her into a 'doctrine' any more than a Catholic christening would. It is possible to have just the one godparent. Hi Matthew, It depends entirely on your Priest. Please explain the role of godparents in Catholic baptism. The Catholic Church no longer recognizes official "proxies" at baptism. Or you can have as many as you like. There can be only one male and one female chosen per representative, so twins going through the ceremonies may have four godparents or sponsors present, but only have two each. Here’s an explanation of why that matters. It is possible to have just the one godparent. We did my son when he was 2. Yes, non-Catholic witnesses can serve as a Christian witness but it is not preferred. God often provides mentors or godparents even when a child does not have one, but being purposeful in choosing noble and trustworthy godparents is a great gift that can be given to a … You can baptize your baby whenever you want. One frustrated commenter defined the godparent selection process as a “minefield.” No … Why Godparents Matter Read More » However, if they cannot make it, a proxy can stand in for them. The reason is this, the godparents take the responsibility of educating the child in catholic faith from the day of baptism. It is possible for any lay person, such as a midwife, validly to baptise a baby if it is in imminent danger of death. Not everyone qualifies to be a Godparent. Hi. She asked my brother and his wife to be godparents, but they are both divorced Catholics. 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. The role of a godparent is … In order for them to guide the child they need to first know the catholic faith. "To be admitted to undertake the office of Sponsor, a person must:" [Canon Law # 874.1] a. Thank you for your help. Present the gift to the godparent at the ceremony, and follow up by taking several photos of the child with the proud sponsor. The Catholic institution of godparenthood survived the Reformation largely unchanged. xxx. Will the baptism be valid. I really don't see a problem in your case. Since 1983, neither the Catholic Church Canon Law, nor the Catechism of the Catholic Church make any reference to Godparents by proxy. 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. Close friends, your parish priest, your parish deacons, … If you plan to have a proxy, he/she must be either a baptized Christian and/or a practicing Roman Catholic in good standing. We were all given the same status as Godparents though. The non-Catholic who is selected as a witness should be an active and participating member of his/her church community. Hope this helps. Unfortunately, some priests still allow this to happen even through it is not correct and leads to babies having no Godparents. More; The role of a godparent. e) not the biological father or mother of the child to be baptised. You get to choose Catholic godparents once in your child’s life. attend church (cann. Alternatively, an Eastern Orthodox Christian may be a godparent (along with the Catholic godparent). You don't have to have any godparents if you don't want too. 7. It's help me olots. (a). But it doesn't have to be someone local. The sponsor's function is to take care that the person confirmed behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfils the duties inherent in this ... 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. Other sites and books that I have read say basically the same thing. Both need to be baptized Catholic, age 16 or older, and Confirmed. Whether you're Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, or any other religion, make like-minded friends and discuss religious issues here. 4. In such a case, their sponsorship as godparents would be illicit (not in conformity with the law of the Church), but the baptism would still be valid. Only a practicing Catholic who meets the qualifications of a confirmed Catholic, age 16 or older, and has received the Sacrament of the Eucharist, may be a godparent or sponsor for baptism. A $50 gift enables us to cover a news event in a local parish, school or Catholic … Godparents should really help the parents commemorate their godchild’s Baptism annually, much like a birthday celebration. I was Godmother for my friends son ( a few years ago now as he is 8.) Not surprisingly, we encountered a diversity of strong opinions in the comment box. 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. godparents who were chosen for the Sacrament of Baptism. A $100 gift allows us to present award-winning photos of Catholic life in our neighborhoods. You only need one Catholic to sponsor your child for baptism in the Catholic Church. 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