Baptism/certificate of eligibility

[MamatoOne]

Hello,

My husband and I have chosen a godmother for our baby, soon to be born, but she will need a proxy as it’s impossible for her to be at the baptism. Of course, she’s a practicing Catholic and all that, as is the proxy.

We have a good parish priest, but we’re confused about something. When we met with him, the priest said we don’t need a “sponsor eligibility certificate,” as I’ve seen it called on the Internet (something like that). I understand what this certificate is; it’s basically a confirmation by the parish priest of the godparent that the godparent is a practicing Catholic, etc. As I understand it, our priest would supply this letter, we would send it to the godmother to present to her priest, he would sign it, and the godmother would send it back to us.

However, our priest says we don’t need this certificate. Is this true? That doesn’t seem to be what we’ve read and learned, especially since the godmother is in another parish–another country! Is this something that differs from diocese to diocese/parish to parish? We are in Canada. Also, this is our first baby, so this is all new to us.

Can anybody shed any light on this for us? Thanks!

 

[stbruno]

In our diocese, the parents and godparents are required to attend a baptismal preparation program. On occasion, the godparents need to travel to another state or city for the baptism of their godchild, so they will attend a class at their local parish and their local parish will provide them a letter that states they have successful completed the class. On occasion, we will also request a letter of permission to be baptized from the parish where the parents attend, if they are having their child baptized at a parish other than the one that they are registered at living within the boundaries. Perhaps this is what they are referring to.

The requirements of godparents are that they must be Catholic, at least 16ys.old, confirmed and practicing Catholics.

 

[kage_ar]

I’ve been godparent where it was required, and then in a different state where the Priest did not know me from Adam yet chuckled and said “we take your word for it”.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Hello,

My husband and I have chosen a godmother for our baby, soon to be born, but she will need a proxy as it’s impossible for her to be at the baptism. Of course, she’s a practicing Catholic and all that, as is the proxy.

We have a good parish priest, but we’re confused about something. When we met with him, the priest said we don’t need a “sponsor eligibility certificate,” as I’ve seen it called on the Internet (something like that). I understand what this certificate is; it’s basically a confirmation by the parish priest of the godparent that the godparent is a practicing Catholic, etc. As I understand it, our priest would supply this letter, we would send it to the godmother to present to her priest, he would sign it, and the godmother would send it back to us.

However, our priest says we don’t need this certificate. Is this true? That doesn’t seem to be what we’ve read and learned, especially since the godmother is in another parish–another country! Is this something that differs from diocese to diocese/parish to parish? We are in Canada. Also, this is our first baby, so this is all new to us.

Can anybody shed any light on this for us? Thanks!

IF your not concerned that the Godparent(s) might not be qualified, in other words you know they are. Your priest is not concerned because your not concerned. It does not effect the validity of the Baptism either way.

 

[Phemie]

Hello,

My husband and I have chosen a godmother for our baby, soon to be born, but she will need a proxy as it’s impossible for her to be at the baptism. Of course, she’s a practicing Catholic and all that, as is the proxy.

We have a good parish priest, but we’re confused about something. When we met with him, the priest said we don’t need a “sponsor eligibility certificate,” as I’ve seen it called on the Internet (something like that). I understand what this certificate is; it’s basically a confirmation by the parish priest of the godparent that the godparent is a practicing Catholic, etc. As I understand it, our priest would supply this letter, we would send it to the godmother to present to her priest, he would sign it, and the godmother would send it back to us.

However, our priest says we don’t need this certificate. Is this true? That doesn’t seem to be what we’ve read and learned, especially since the godmother is in another parish–another country! Is this something that differs from diocese to diocese/parish to parish? We are in Canada. Also, this is our first baby, so this is all new to us.

Can anybody shed any light on this for us? Thanks!

I depends on the priest and on the diocesan policy.

I asked our bishop about that and he said that at some point we do have to accept people’s word for this.

We inform the parents of the requirements for someone to be godparent at the time that they contact the parish; we speak of it again at the preparation sessions, carefully explaining why.

While we do require that non-parishioners who come here for their children’s baptism present a letter confirming that they have done the necessary preparation in their parish, even such a letter guarantees nothing as we found out at the rehearsal one night. The parents’ obvious ignorance of the basics of Baptism prompted another team member to ask “I thought you had preparation in your parish? You gave us a letter to that effect.”
“Well, we went for the preparation but the room was locked and person who was supposed to give us the preparation had no key so we paid our $25 and they gave us the letter.”

 

[stbruno]

So who lost out on this one???..hopefully, they will take the role of godparent seriously despite the fact that they did not receive the proper preparation. But that takes wisdom…so we should pray all godparents and parents use the gift of wisdom they received at their own baptism and confirmation intentionally.

 

[Phemie]

Obviously the parents lost out since their only reason for asking for Baptism is “that’s what Catholics do” – they had no concept of what Baptism is, why we baptize and what Baptism does.

OTOH, they had spent thousands to come home to have their baby baptized in this town where the dad had grown up and where most of his family is. Were we going to say, “Sorry, no, go back home and come back when you’re properly prepared”? That would be a guarantee that the family wouldn’t set foot in church again.

So, baby was baptized and parents left happy – still unaware I’m sure of what baptism was all about.

Evidence: At the time of this baptism we were out of “baptismal” candles. Instead of a $1.75 painted 8" styrene candle, they were presented with an 18"x1", beeswax candle. The next time they were in town there was a knock on the office door and it was the mother requesting a ‘fancy baptism candle’ because the one they’d been given was too plain. No explanation would change her mind.

 

[itsjustdave1988]

Hello,

My husband and I have chosen a godmother for our baby, soon to be born, but she will need a proxy as it’s impossible for her to be at the baptism. Of course, she’s a practicing Catholic and all that, as is the proxy.

We have a good parish priest, but we’re confused about something. When we met with him, the priest said we don’t need a “sponsor eligibility certificate,” as I’ve seen it called on the Internet (something like that). I understand what this certificate is; it’s basically a confirmation by the parish priest of the godparent that the godparent is a practicing Catholic, etc. As I understand it, our priest would supply this letter, we would send it to the godmother to present to her priest, he would sign it, and the godmother would send it back to us.

However, our priest says we don’t need this certificate. Is this true? That doesn’t seem to be what we’ve read and learned, especially since the godmother is in another parish–another country! Is this something that differs from diocese to diocese/parish to parish? We are in Canada. Also, this is our first baby, so this is all new to us.

Can anybody shed any light on this for us? Thanks!

Indeed, a sponsor isn’t even necessary for validity of the baptism. One should be “assigned” if possible. If assigned, they must meet certain criteria, but to verify “proof” that such criteria is met is not necessary according to universal norms. Yet, local norms may require it (unless dispensed).

Canon law states, regarding “sponsors” for baptism:

Chapter IV : SPONSORS
Can. 872 In so far as possible, a person being baptised is to be assigned a sponsor. In the case of an adult baptism, the sponsor’s role is to assist the person in christian initiation. In the case of an infant baptism, the role is together with the parents to present the child for baptism, and to help it to live a christian life befitting the baptised and faithfully to fulfil the duties inherent in baptism.

Can. 873 One sponsor, male or female, is sufficient; but there may be two, one of each sex.

Can. 874 §1 To be admitted to undertake the office of sponsor, a person must:

1° be appointed by the candidate for baptism, or by the parents or whoever stands in their place, or failing these, by the parish priest or the minister; to be appointed the person must be suitable for this role and have the intention of fulfilling it;

2° be not less than sixteen years of age, unless a different age has been stipulated by the diocesan Bishop, or unless the parish priest or the minister considers that there is a just reason for an exception to be made;

3° be a catholic who has been confirmed and has received the blessed Eucharist, and who lives a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken;

4° not labour under a canonical penalty, whether imposed or declared;

5° not be either the father or the mother of the person to be baptised.

§2 A baptised person who belongs to a non-catholic ecclesial community may be admitted only in company with a catholic sponsor, and then simply as a witness to the baptism.

Some parishes/diocese, require excessive amounts of paperwork for their files merely so they can show they are compliant with canon law and local norms. The paperwork is unimportant. St. Phillip baptized the Ethiopian without such paperwork (Acts 8:29ff).

 

[MamatoOne]

Some parishes/diocese, require excessive amounts of paperwork for their files merely so they can show they are compliant with canon law and local norms. The paperwork is unimportant. St. Phillip baptized the Ethiopian without such paperwork (Acts 8:29ff).

Thank you, this is what I was thinking myself. Although we’ll get it all confirmed with the diocese, it does seem to make sense that a baptism–provided everyone knows what they’re doing–should not be too complicated with paperwork. The priest did say that there is more paperwork in the States than in Canada, just as a passing thought…

Of course, we know this letter isn’t necessary to the validity of the baptism, but we’re mostly wondering about whether not having this letter makes the baptism somehow illicit. More than anything, it’s a matter of respect for the way the Church wants to do it.

Our impression is that if it is okay with the diocese and the priest, this letter won’t be necessary, especially considering the fact that the godmother is a nun (did I mention that before?). It would be pretty weird to make her go through a baptism preparation course. She’s a wonderful Catholic, and I’m not just saying that because she’s a nun. Also, she’s in another country, so it would be even more complicated to get things arranged.

I appreciate everyone’s thoughts on all this. If there are more, please keep them coming!

 

[Phemie]

If she’s a nun then it is safe to assume that she is confirmed. Since she is the godmother, I can only assume the priest doesn’t figure he’s got anything to worry about – the proxy is just there to represent her and has no other function.

In my parish we don’t expect the sponsors to be present for the course although they are invited, but we’ve often given the course to folks who are going out to be sponsors in other parishes where they do require sponsor preparation.

What I really wish is that parents prepared really early in the pregnancy, long before they choose godparents. I’ve yet to experience one couple opting to change the godparents they had picked even if they are evidently not godparent material.

I also wish I’d known at the time of my own children’s baptisms what I know now, 29 years later. Of the 6 sponsors I picked, 5 are not deserving of the responsibility and they would never be picked today.

 

[MamatoOne]

If she’s a nun then it is safe to assume that she is confirmed. Since she is the godmother, I can only assume the priest doesn’t figure he’s got anything to worry about – the proxy is just there to represent her and has no other function.

In my parish we don’t expect the sponsors to be present for the course although they are invited, but we’ve often given the course to folks who are going out to be sponsors in other parishes where they do require sponsor preparation.

What I really wish is that parents prepared really early in the pregnancy, long before they choose godparents. I’ve yet to experience one couple opting to change the godparents they had picked even if they are evidently not godparent material.

I also wish I’d known at the time of my own children’s baptisms what I know now, 29 years later. Of the 6 sponsors I picked, 5 are not deserving of the responsibility and they would never be picked today.

Thank you, this is all very reassuring!

About parents preparing for their child’s baptism and choosing people with “godparent material,” I couldn’t agree with you more. Our choice was made after a lot of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. In both our families, we’ve seen people choosing godparents just to make a nice gesture to a friend or family member, but the godparents have zero interest in the child after that, or very little, especially spiritually. It’s like the role of godparent has no value other than for ceremonial reasons or to be “nice.” When we told a relative about our decision to have a Sister as godmother, the question immediately asked (with a bit of horror) was, “What about gifts?!? How will a nun buy gifts?” I couldn’t believe it!

Yes, finding the right godparent(s) in a time like this is a real challenge, but at least we’re all set for baby #1!

Thank you again for the reassurance.