Can non Catholic be a godparent in the Catholic church?

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Joanne66

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Hi there.

Waa wondering if anyone could help with this. I live in the uk. Myself ( Catholic) and my ex partner ( non Catholic) have an almost 6 year old son. He attends a Roman Catholic school. He was not baptised as a baby as his father would not agree with him getting baptised in the Catholic church. My son’s school has now approached me and are requiring a baptismal certificate for my son shortly so he can start to learn the sacraments. His father has agreed that he can now be baptised but is insisting on his sister ( non Catholic) being godmother. I’ve explained that godparents within the Catholic church , need to be Roman Catholics so this cannot be.
I’m I right or wrong in thinking this?

Also to add that my son’s aunt sees him once or twice a year and would not be bringing him up in the Catholic faith as this is not their belief. So I can’t see myself agreeing to this.

Thanks
 
A child may have one practicing Catholic sponsor and one Christian Witness. The non-Catholic must be a validly baptized Christian, not a fallen away Catholic.
 
So he could have 2 godparents ( my brother and his wife who are Catholic) and my ex’s sister who is non Catholic but baptised, as a witness?
 
Go to your parish and ask your questions to the priest or the lay people dedicated to the baptismal preparation.

The use is to have two godparents.

But only one godparent is need for the baptism to happen.

The Godparent should be a baptized Catholic, and ideally should have done his 1st communion and his confirmation. But if we cannot find someone that met these criterias, it is not an absolute mandate. The Godparents are here to help the parents to raise the child in the Catholic faith.

When a family choose a non-Catholic Godparent, he cannot be listed as a godparent because he cannot teach a faith that he don’t believe and don’t know. it is because of a difference in understanding of what a godparent is. It is believed to be a sponsor which cares to the child in generakn not in religion.
Some parishes would accept to list him as a “witness”.
But another Catholic Godparent is needed, normally.

Maybe it is a track?
 
Yes, Canon Law http://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib4-cann834-878_en.html:

Can. 874 §1. To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:

1/ be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;

2/ have completed the sixteenth year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;

3/ be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;

4/ not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;

5/ not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.

§2. A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.
 
TheLittleLady said:
§2. A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.
Click to expand...
What does that mean? All 3 of our kids have non-Catholic “witnesses” and they all participated.
 
Many can participate, only one of the Christian Witnesses is recorded in the Sacramental Register.
 
OK, I thought that read that we weren’t supposed to participate in baptism.
 
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