A Christian Witness is in no way a Godparent, I’m not sure that given the total confusion in this area. I would even say “witness similar to a godparent”. There are so many people that speak of the “non-Catholic Godparent” at their childs Baptism.The 1993 DIRECTORY FOR THE APPLICATION OF
PRINCIPLES AND NORMS ON ECUMENISM is at vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_25031993_principles-and-norms-on-ecumenism_en.html . It considers baptism in n. 92-101.
It has in n. 98 about godparents for a Catholic baptism: “However, based on the common baptism and because of ties of blood or friendship, a baptized person who belongs to another ecclesial Community may be admitted as a witness to the baptism, but only together with a Catholic godparent.107 A Catholic may do the same for a person being baptized in another ecclesial Community.”
So if a Catholic can be a “witness similar to a godparent” then a Catholic can attend.
Brother Rich, I answered the question because the OP had created another thread with the exact same situation. Now, inasmuch as the document on ecumenism is Church sanctioned, I brought up a variable that may or may not exist. What if the parents of this child were Catholic, left the Church and are now baptizing the infant in a Protestant Ecclesial Community? Or, what if one of the parents is Catholic, and, inasmuch as the marriage ceremony (assuming that the couple’s marriage was blessed by the Church) stipulates that the Catholic party must rear the child according to the laws of Christ and his Church, is still having the child presented/baptized in a Protestant Ecclesial Community? What does one do in these situations? Would attending such a function give scandal?A Christian Witness is in no way a Godparent, I’m not sure that given the total confusion in this area. I would even say “witness similar to a godparent”. There are so many people that speak of the “non-Catholic Godparent” at their childs Baptism.
You do bring up an interesting question with mixed Marriage. The Catholic should do all in their power to have the child Baptized in the Catholic Faith. I would hope that if this is an issue in the Marriage the Catholic party has seen their pastor and gotten their advise. As for a Catholic couple who have left the Catholic Church, and they belong to another Christian Community, Having the child validly Baptized in that Christian Community should not pose a problem, as long as the Baptism is valid the child benefits from God’s grace…Brother Rich, I answered the question because the OP had created another thread with the exact same situation. Now, inasmuch as the document on ecumenism is Church sanctioned, I brought up a variable that may or may not exist. What if the parents of this child were Catholic, left the Church and are now baptizing the infant in a Protestant Ecclesial Community? Or, what if one of the parents is Catholic, and, inasmuch as the marriage ceremony (assuming that the couple’s marriage was blessed by the Church) stipulates that the Catholic party must rear the child according to the laws of Christ and his Church, is still having the child presented/baptized in a Protestant Ecclesial Community? What does one do in these situations? Would attending such a function give scandal?