Confirmation

[flufflepuff]

I’m going through RCIA and was curious if I will get God-parents, etc. As it stands now i’m getting the full treatment since the church that baptised me as an infant won’t get back to me so I have no idea what i;m getting into.

 

[thistle]

I’m going through RCIA and was curious if I will get God-parents, etc. As it stands now i’m getting the full treatment since the church that baptised me as an infant won’t get back to me so I have no idea what i;m getting into.

The Church does not use the term godparent. It uses sponsor and yes under normal circumstances everyone needs a sponsor for confirmation.

SPONSORS

Can. 892 As far as possible the person to be confirmed is to have a sponsor. The sponsor’s function is to take care that the person confirmed behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfils the duties inherent in this sacrament.

Can. 893 §1 A person who would undertake the office of sponsor must fullfil the conditions mentioned in can. 874.

§2 It is desirable that the sponsor chosen be the one who undertook this role at baptism.

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.

 

[flufflepuff]

The Church does not use the term godparent. It uses sponsor and yes under normal circumstances everyone needs a sponsor for confirmation.

SPONSORS

Can. 892 As far as possible the person to be confirmed is to have a sponsor. The sponsor’s function is to take care that the person confirmed behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfils the duties inherent in this sacrament.

Can. 893 §1 A person who would undertake the office of sponsor must fullfil the conditions mentioned in can. 874.

§2 It is desirable that the sponsor chosen be the one who undertook this role at baptism.

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.

Soooo, who would that be? It’s a safe bet that I have about as much a christian background as Mitt Romney had a rastafarian one.

 

[casslean]

Are you being conditionally baptised? When is that occurring? There are a number of rites which occur prior to the Easter Vigil, for which your sponsor would needed to have been present.

If you are only being confirmed, you should speak to your RCIA director about who will be standing as sponsor that night.

In any case, I would talk to your RCIA director.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

The Church does not use the term godparent.

Read the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The Church liberally uses the term “godparent.”

OP, I’m not sure what “the full treatment” means. Are you being baptized? At the Easter vigil? Or a conditional baptism at another time?

Are you in RCIA now? Or are you planning to start at some future time? The reason I ask is that you should have a sponsor from the time you start RCIA. As you go through the various rites, your sponsor is there with you. Ideally your sponsor is also a spiritual friend and mentor during your time of preparation. Has there been no one from the Church community accompanying you?

 

[flufflepuff]

Read the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The Church liberally uses the term “godparent.”

OP, I’m not sure what “the full treatment” means. Are you being baptized? At the Easter vigil? Or a conditional baptism at another time?

Are you in RCIA now? Or are you planning to start at some future time? The reason I ask is that you should have a sponsor from the time you start RCIA. As you go through the various rites, your sponsor is there with you. Ideally your sponsor is also a spiritual friend and mentor during your time of preparation. Has there been no one from the Church community accompanying you?

It’s a conditional baptism, I can’t get the church that baptised me to reply.
I walked in on my own, I had some really bad stuff happen to me and the holidays are always miserable so I walked in during the christmas season. I figured my depression was bad enough they almost hospitalized me so why not give God a try, I have nothing to lose.

 

[casslean]

If you don’t have a sponsor, you can speak to your pastor or the RCIA director, and they will help you find someone. I came to the Church on my own, and the priest who leads our RCIA classes made arrangements with one of the parishioners who helps run the program to have him act as my sponsor. If you are being baptised, your sponsor is also your godparent.

Given the lateness of your post, I’m guessing you are not joining the church at the Easter Vigil? Ordinarily when one is being baptised, they take part in the Rite of Acceptance, the Rite of Election, the Presentations of the Creed and the Our Father, and the Scrutinies. The first two have passed for most churches, and in my church we’ve even completed the Presentation of the Creed already. I know there is some flexibility in terms of the rites, but it seems a stretch to try to fit all of them in before Easter. I’d also encourage you to take time to really grow in this journey and not rush forward with the process - RCIA can be a very enlightening experience if you let it.

 

[flufflepuff]

If you don’t have a sponsor, you can speak to your pastor or the RCIA director, and they will help you find someone. I came to the Church on my own, and the priest who leads our RCIA classes made arrangements with one of the parishioners who helps run the program to have him act as my sponsor. If you are being baptised, your sponsor is also your godparent.

Given the lateness of your post, I’m guessing you are not joining the church at the Easter Vigil? Ordinarily when one is being baptised, they take part in the Rite of Acceptance, the Rite of Election, the Presentations of the Creed and the Our Father, and the Scrutinies. The first two have passed for most churches, and in my church we’ve even completed the Presentation of the Creed already. I know there is some flexibility in terms of the rites, but it seems a stretch to try to fit all of them in before Easter. I’d also encourage you to take time to really grow in this journey and not rush forward with the process - RCIA can be a very enlightening experience if you let it.

They’re taking their time with me, I have a lot of issues.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

They’re taking their time with me, I have a lot of issues.

Part of the idea of RCIA is that it takes as long as it takes and each person should have as much time as they need. It’s a relief to hear that you’re not trying to cram everything in before the Easter Vigil. This will give you time to talk with your RCIA director about a sponsor. Ideally this would be someone who would not only be there at the various rites, but be someone you could meet with regularly and talk with about what’s happening, any questions that might arise, any issues or doubts you may have, etc. I’d suggest you talk with your RCIA folks and ask what their plans are and whether they have someone in mind for you. A good sponsor is a real blessing!

 

[flufflepuff]

Part of the idea of RCIA is that it takes as long as it takes and each person should have as much time as they need. It’s a relief to hear that you’re not trying to cram everything in before the Easter Vigil. This will give you time to talk with your RCIA director about a sponsor. Ideally this would be someone who would not only be there at the various rites, but be someone you could meet with regularly and talk with about what’s happening, any questions that might arise, any issues or doubts you may have, etc. I’d suggest you talk with your RCIA folks and ask what their plans are and whether they have someone in mind for you. A good sponsor is a real blessing!

When I said issues I men’t mental and other things.

 

[ccmcmg]

When I said issues I men’t mental and other things.

Are you seeing a doctor or counselor as well? I believe that God gives us the gift of medicine and that we should avail ourselves of that if necessary.