Baptism: Godparent Question

[Catholic90]

felsguy;8306508:

They are Catholic in a technical sense, but they are not yet fully initiated with all three Sacraments of Initiation. You need all three Sacraments of Initiation before you can go on to receive Holy Orders or Matrimony, and before you can become a god-parent, or a Catechist,** or be employed in the office, **

or any other active function in the Church.

This is a completely false statement. We have several non-Catholics who are employed in the church office. Being Catholic or not has no bearing on someone’s ability to be a receptionist, a secretary, or an accountant.

 

[maryjk]

This is a completely false statement. We have several non-Catholics who are employed in the church office. Being Catholic or not has no bearing on someone’s ability to be a receptionist, a secretary, or an accountant.

So do you have adult Catholics that haven’t been Confirmed that are working in the office?

I don’t know if there is a rule about it. But saying you have non-Catholics isn’t the same as saying you have adult Catholics that haven’t been confirmed.

 

[Phemie]

So do you have adult Catholics that haven’t been Confirmed that are working in the office?

I don’t know if there is a rule about it. But saying you have non-Catholics isn’t the same as saying you have adult Catholics that haven’t been confirmed.

There is a requirement that a sponsor be confirmed but there is absolutely no requirement that an office worker be – that’s would be like saying the cook has to be confirmed because he or she feeds the priest.

 

[maryjk]

There is a requirement that a sponsor be confirmed but there is absolutely no requirement that an office worker be – that’s would be like saying the cook has to be confirmed because he or she feeds the priest.

I wouldn’t have thought so. I know that when I was hired, no one asked my for my records. They would have no idea when or where or even IF I had been Confirmed.

But I do know that when I stood up at a Godparent, they did verify that I had been Confirmed.

 

[Phemie]

I wouldn’t have thought so. I know that when I was hired, no one asked my for my records. They would have no idea when or where or even IF I had been Confirmed.

But I do know that when I stood up at a Godparent, they did verify that I had been Confirmed.

They didn’t ask for mine when I was hired either and in the years that I worked there I never saw anything that said I should have been. In fact, if they couldn’t ask me my religion before hiring me, there is no earthly reason why they should ask me if I was confirmed.

 

[Phemie]

Confirmation is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, so someone who is not yet Confirmed isn’t actually yet a Catholic - they are still considered to be in the learning/training phase.

I’m sorry but that’s simply wrong. We are Catholics by virtue of our baptism in the Catholic Church. As for the learning phase, that’s our entire life. We may not be fully initiated without Confirmation and Communion, but we are fully Catholic.

 

[maryjk]

They didn’t ask for mine when I was hired either and in the years that I worked there I never saw anything that said I should have been. In fact, if they couldn’t ask me my religion before hiring me, there is no earthly reason why they should ask me if I was confirmed.

But yet, to get back on topic, the Church does ask that a Godparent be Confirmed.

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

§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 labor 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 baptized 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 (canon 874).

The Church also requires that the person lives a life of faith, which would mean that the person would need to be actively practicing their faith.

 

[DesertChildAZ]

But yet, to get back on topic, the Church does ask that a Godparent be Confirmed.

The Church also requires that the person lives a life of faith, which would mean that the person would need to be actively practicing their faith.

Would a practicing, confirmed Catholic (attends service every week) who has been divorced and is remarried to someone who is NOT a confirmed Catholic be disqualified from serving as a Godparent?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Would a practicing, confirmed Catholic (attends service every week) who has been divorced and is remarried to someone who is NOT a confirmed Catholic be disqualified from serving as a Godparent?

The remarriage would be a problem. Such a person would not be qualified to be a godparent.

 

[DesertChildAZ]

The remarriage would be a problem. Such a person would not be qualified to be a godparent.

That was my last and only option. My son’s paternal grandmother. (I just learned a grandparent can be a godparent.) The one who blesses him each time we leave their home with a prayer and the sign of the cross and prays for him every night. The one who attends St. Mary’s in Chandler, AZ, every single week with three of her friends. Just great. If she isn’t committed and qualified, then I don’t know a single person that is.

I guess with a 21% divorce rate in the Catholic church, I can eliminate 21% of the existing parish, less the number that do not attend every single week (38%), less the number that attend but aren’t confirmed (16%).

I would be curious to know what percent of self professed Catholics are actually qualified to be Godparents.

Correction: According to this study (cara.georgetown.edu/sacraments.html), only 23% of Catholics attend church every week. So that eliminates 77% (not 38%) of Catholics from qualifying to be an adequate Godparent.

 

[KarenElissa]

Would a practicing, confirmed Catholic (attends service every week) who has been divorced and is remarried to someone who is NOT a confirmed Catholic be disqualified from serving as a Godparent?

Were they married in the Catholic Church? Or married with permission of the Church? If so, then they can be a Godparent. If they were not married in the Church, then no, they are not faithful Catholics and can not be a proper example.

 

[jmcrae]

There is a requirement that a sponsor be confirmed but there is absolutely no requirement that an office worker be – that’s would be like saying the cook has to be confirmed because he or she feeds the priest.

The office workers are often asked to fill in as Catechists for the Sacramental Preparation programs, and as EMHCs for school Masses and other special Masses, when volunteers are unavailable - so it would be important for them to be fully catechized Catholics, I think, just for that reason alone.

Also, I think that most people inquiring at the Church office are assuming that the people who work there are qualified to answer their questions.

 

[jmcrae]

I would be curious to know what percent of self professed Catholics are actually qualified to be Godparents.

Probably not many, in this faithless age. Being a good Catholic, and especially being a good role model for Catholic children, is not for the faint of heart.

 

[DesertChildAZ]

Were they married in the Catholic Church? Or married with permission of the Church? If so, then they can be a Godparent. If they were not married in the Church, then no, they are not faithful Catholics and can not be a proper example.

I guess you can’t imagine how insulting it is to be referred to a not being a faithful Catholic despite the fact that you attend church every week, you pray “religiously” the rosary with the utmost commitment and you are an incredible person whom the Lord would be proud to have among his children. You are charitable. You are compassionate. You are giving in the best regards. You are selfless. You are non-judgemental. Yet, because you are not married to a Catholic in a Catholic Church, you are not being a faithful Catholic. I mean, if she isn’t - as you put it - ‘a faithful catholic’…then why does she bother attending Mass? Why bother commiting oneself?

 

[Phemie]

The office workers are often asked to fill in as Catechists for the Sacramental Preparation programs, and as EMHCs for school Masses and other special Masses, when volunteers are unavailable - so it would be important for them to be fully catechized Catholics, I think, just for that reason alone.

Also, I think that most people inquiring at the Church office are assuming that the people who work there are qualified to answer their questions.

They are employees? That’s part of their job description? If so, then OK, but I’ve never heard of a case before where the parish secretary is required to be a catechist or an EMHC.

As for the being qualified to answer questions, that’s a matter of training and I can guarantee that most adults who are baptized can’t answer the questions without specific training, training that could be given to anyone, Catholic or not.

Our bishop’s secretary, in the parish where he was Pastor before he was ordained bishop, was not even Catholic. She was a good secretary who knew where to look for the answers she needed.

 

[maryjk]

Our bishop’s secretary, in the parish where he was Pastor before he was ordained bishop, was not even Catholic. She was a good secretary who knew where to look for the answers she needed.

Our parish secretary is Lutheran. Her husband attends Mass alone now that their children are grown.

 

[jmcrae]

I guess you can’t imagine how insulting it is to be referred to a not being a faithful Catholic despite the fact that you attend church every week, you pray “religiously” the rosary with the utmost commitment and you are an incredible person whom the Lord would be proud to have among his children. You are charitable. You are compassionate. You are giving in the best regards. You are selfless. You are non-judgemental. Yet, because you are not married to a Catholic in a Catholic Church, you are not being a faithful Catholic. I mean, if she isn’t - as you put it - ‘a faithful catholic’…then why does she bother attending Mass? Why bother commiting oneself?

If she is receiving Holy Communion, then she probably has had her marriage blessed in the Church at some point, or she may have even had the Bishop’s permission to marry outside the Church - especially if she is as faithful as you say.

 

[maryjk]

I guess you can’t imagine how insulting it is to be referred to a not being a faithful Catholic despite the fact that you attend church every week, you pray “religiously” the rosary with the utmost commitment and you are an incredible person whom the Lord would be proud to have among his children. You are charitable. You are compassionate. You are giving in the best regards. You are selfless. You are non-judgemental. Yet, because you are not married to a Catholic in a Catholic Church, you are not being a faithful Catholic. I mean, if she isn’t - as you put it - ‘a faithful catholic’…then why does she bother attending Mass? Why bother commiting oneself?

Being married to a non-Catholic has nothing to do with it. I am married to a non-Catholic, yet I am a Godmother. The problem COULD be that she is remarried. You need to ask her if she was married in the Church.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Were they married in the Catholic Church? Or married with permission of the Church? If so, then they can be a Godparent. If they were not married in the Church, then no, they are not faithful Catholics and can not be a proper example.

I answered too quickly and KarenElissa’s answer is better. If the person was married in the Church then we could assume the earlier marriage had been dealt with by the Tribunal.

Did the OP ever find out if her step-brother was Catholic or Orthodox? Depending on the answer he would seem to be a candidate for godfather.

 

[SecretGarden]

I see your dilemma. When I was growing up, I only saw my godmother (who only lived 30km away) only at birthday time. You mentioned that you are going to be moving shortly. Why don’t you hold off having him baptized until you are in your new area. That way, you’ll be able to plant some roots inside your new community church. As time passes, you’ll be able to make some friends at your church who might make wonderful godparents. Baptism doesn’t have an age limit. Plus he’ll have the gift of having his godparents at his own church. So often god parents becomes a name verses an actual personal relationship with people who truly care for him. After my disastrous relationship with my godmother, I think your son deserves someone who will adopt him like a nephew or a spiritual son. He deserves the best. If you can’t find it at your present location. Wait and see who else God has planned.