Can a Non Catholic, not baptised be a godparent to Catholic children?

[Minishecat]

Please can anyone tell me if a Non Catholic can stand as a godparent to catholic babies if they have not been baptised and have only had a ‘Thanksgiving’ service themselves as a child?

 

[kmktexas]

A non-Catholic cannot be a Godparent to a Catholic child. A non-Catholic Christian can be a Christian witness to the Baptism as long as there is one Catholic godparent. I am not sure if they need to be a Baptised Christian in order to do so, but I would think so. You only need one godparent and that godparent must be Catholic.

 

[tee_eff_em]

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.

tee

 

[Minishecat]

many thanks for replying

 

[stbruno]

The reason we have godparents is to help the parents raise the child in the Catholic way. godparents do not represent the parents, they represent the church…therefore, it is vital that they be members of the Catholic church. How you can represent something you are not a member of? Mistakenly, we think godparents represent the parents and have some legal connection of guardian in the case of the parents untimely deaths. This is a fallacy…In order to be named as guardians, a legal document like a will has to be drawn and signed for the state to honor a parent’s request. A baptismal certificate will not provide that intention. God bless all godparents!

 

[kaymart]

Yes, they can and did, as long as one is a Good practicing Catholic. The other can be anything,like the person I know a Divorced, ex-Catholic, now non-practicing Jew. Whatever, I was surprised over this but it did happen, The one Godparent handed in all info–Note from Pastor, all Sacarmental Certifcates, the other person handed nothing, no questions were asked. Yet both names appear on the Baptismal Certifcate I feel its wrong, personally.

 

[axolotl]

kaymart:

Yes, they can and did, as long as one is a Good practicing Catholic. The other can be anything,like the person I know a Divorced, ex-Catholic, now non-practicing Jew. Whatever, I was surprised over this but it did happen, The one Godparent handed in all info–Note from Pastor, all Sacarmental Certifcates, the other person handed nothing, no questions were asked. Yet both names appear on the Baptismal Certifcate I feel its wrong, personally.

Here in Cleveland, even a Christian Witness needs to present a sponsor certificate.

 

[kaymart]

axolotl:

Here in Cleveland, even a Christian Witness needs to present a sponsor certificate.

This person didn’t and the only reason the baby was allowed to be Bapitised was because one Godparent was a “Good Standing” Catholic in that Parish, who Recieved all his Sacarments. I was against this but was told, there is nothing you can do about as long as one Godparent is a Good Catholic. This person I refering to is my Grandaughter’s Godmother so I know its true. And this is a Conservative Parish very much by the book. Again I don’t like it and feel its wrong but it is allowed.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Minishecat:

Please can anyone tell me if a Non Catholic can stand as a godparent to catholic babies if they have not been baptised and have only had a ‘Thanksgiving’ service themselves as a child?

NO a non-Catholic cannot stand as a Godparent. To be a Godparent one must be a Catholic who has been Confirmed and received First Communion, is a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church.

To be a “Christian Witness” the person MUST be a validly Baptized Christian in good standing with their Christian Community.

A non-Baptized person cannot be a witness at all.

 

[kaymart]

Br. Rich SFO:

NO a non-Catholic cannot stand as a Godparent. To be a Godparent one must be a Catholic who has been Confirmed and received First Communion, is a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church.

To be a “Christian Witness” the person MUST be a validly Baptized Christian in good standing with their Christian Community.

A non-Baptized person cannot be a witness at all.

Seriously, how was this allowed see my posts above(#6 and # 8), because in 2003 it happened, My son is Godfather, he attends Mass regularly, Recieved all Sacraments and is a Good Standing Member of our Parish where my Grandaughter was Baptised. The other is an Aunt of my son-in-law’s who is a divored non-Catholic never attends Mass and is marry to a Man who is a non-practicing Jew. She was not at the Baptism, it was by proxy of her equally non-Catholic sister standing in.???Is my grandaughter’s Baptism invalid then? Please Note in Post #6 I wrote “ex Catholic” and just realized it-she was never a Catholic. Sorry for the mistake. Please if anyone knows please reply, this really has me nervous.

 

[axolotl]

kaymart:

Seriously, how was this allowed see my posts above(#6 and # 8), because in 2003 it happened, My son is Godfather, he attends Mass regularly, Recieved all Sacraments and is a Good Standing Member of our Parish where my Grandaughter was Baptised. The other is an Aunt of my son-in-law’s who is a divored non-Catholic never attends Mass and is marry to a Man who is a non-practicing Jew. She was not at the Baptism, it was by proxy of her equally non-Catholic sister standing in.???Is my grandaughter’s Baptism invalid then? Please Note in Post #6 I wrote “ex Catholic” and just realized it-she was never a Catholic. Sorry for the mistake. Please if anyone knows please reply, this really has me nervous.

Only one godparent is necessary. Assuming your granddaughter was properly baptized with Trinitarian formula, everything should be fine.

 

[tee_eff_em]

kaymart:

Seriously, how was this allowed see my posts above(#6 and # 8), because in 2003 it happened, My son is Godfather, he attends Mass regularly, Recieved all Sacraments and is a Good Standing Member of our Parish where my Grandaughter was Baptised. The other is an Aunt of my son-in-law’s who is a divored non-Catholic never attends Mass and is marry to a Man who is a non-practicing Jew. She was not at the Baptism, it was by proxy of her equally non-Catholic sister standing in.???Is my grandaughter’s Baptism invalid then? Please Note in Post #6 I wrote “ex Catholic” and just realized it-she was never a Catholic. Sorry for the mistake. Please if anyone knows please reply, this really has me nervous.

Naturally, I am only guessing, but perhaps the certificates were filled out in advance, perhaps by someone who did not understand the circumstance? Even if the priest or deacon filled them out in the company of all present, he might only have done so to avoid causing friction.

If I’m not mistaken, it doesn’t matter what may be written on certificates given at the time of baptism – What matters is what is recorded in the parish register (which ought not be done until after the event).

IANACL*, But as long as one sponsor was properly qualified, if water and the trinitarian formula were used, and if the minister intended to baptize your granddaughter, I expect it was valid.

(In fact, even if both sponsors should be found unqualified, Can.872 says, in part, “In so far as possible, a person being baptised is to be assigned a sponsor.” So the lack of one ought not invalidate baptism.)

Or, I could be mistaken on all counts,
tee

(* I Am Not A Canon Lawyer )

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

kaymart:

Seriously, how was this allowed see my posts above(#6 and # 8), because in 2003 it happened, My son is Godfather, he attends Mass regularly, Recieved all Sacraments and is a Good Standing Member of our Parish where my Grandaughter was Baptised. The other is an Aunt of my son-in-law’s who is a divored non-Catholic never attends Mass and is marry to a Man who is a non-practicing Jew. She was not at the Baptism, it was by proxy of her equally non-Catholic sister standing in.???Is my grandaughter’s Baptism invalid then? Please Note in Post #6 I wrote “ex Catholic” and just realized it-she was never a Catholic. Sorry for the mistake. Please if anyone knows please reply, this really has me nervous.

This in no way invalidates the Baptism.

However in reality your granddaughter has one Godparent and only one Godparent.

 

[kaymart]

Br. Rich SFO:

This in no way invalidates the Baptism.

However in reality your granddaughter has one Godparent and only one Godparent.

Thank you so much for your response I feel a lot better, it truly got me upset after reading this thread, thinking my grandaughter’s Baptism was possibly invaid. I never agreed with the choice of a Godmother, actually it was my son-in-law’s doing to “please” his wealthy Aunt.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

kaymart:

Thank you so much for your response I feel a lot better, it truly got me upset after reading this thread, thinking my grandaughter’s Baptism was possibly invaid. I never agreed with the choice of a Godmother, actually it was my son-in-law’s doing to “please” his wealthy Aunt.

So many choose Godparents for all the wrong reasons, even when they are qualified certain people may not be the best choice.