Can grandparents be godparents?

[Annunciata]

Do both sponsors for baptism have to be Catholic … And can grandparents be sponsors?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Annunciata:

Do both sponsors for baptism have to be Catholic?

If two sponsors are chosen – one is sufficient – yes, both have to be Catholic.

Annunciata:

And can grandparents be sponsors?

As godparents help form the child in his faith, the chosen sponsors should be young enough to do this throughout the childhood of their godchild. If the grandparents are relatively young and/or in excellent health, this would not be a problem. Canon law does not forbid grandparents to be sponsors.

Here are the requirements from canon law:

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 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 (canon 874).