Difficulty choosing godparent for son

[Youngcatholic]

Hello,

My husband and I are having difficulty choosing a Godparent for our newborn. Our 1st son’s Godfather is my father-in-law (active and practicing Catholic). Our choices for our second son include:

1. My step-father-in-law (non-practicing Catholic, but I do believe he will find his way back one day.)
2. My close friend (practicing Catholic, but she married a divorced man and lives out of state)
3. My husband’s uncle (occasionally goes to Mass)

We love all these people but are any of them “ok” for Godparents? I really want to ask my close friend but she lives out of state and has two kids of her own (meaning I am not sure if she will do the minimum of sending my son cards, etc. for his Catholic milestones).

OR, do we ask my father-in-law to be the Godparent to both our kids?

Thanks for your help.

 

[1ke]

We love all these people but are any of them “ok” for Godparents?

No. None of the examples you gave meet the requirements outlined in Canon Law to undertake the role of sponsor.

OR, do we ask my father-in-law to be the Godparent to both our kids?

If you do not have any other practicing Catholics in good standing with the Church within your family, friends, or parish then that would be a good option.

 

[SonCatcher]

While it is certainly nice to choose a close friend or relative to be godparent, it is not required. If you are on a friendly basis with active members of your parish, you could ask one of them. It would give you an excuse to know them better.

 

[maryjk]

My son’s Confirmation Sponsor is a man we met at Mass. He is married and has many children. We see him during scheduled Confession times, he attends adult education and he often seen at Adoration or simply praying. But we really didn’t know him.

What a wonderful choice, better than any relative I could have come up with.

So look around your parish, you might be surprised at what you find.

 

[Cathryn]

Here are is Canon Law about sponsors:

SPONSORS

Can. 872 Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents an infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.

Can. 873 There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.

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.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

First priority, choose a godparent who is the type of Catholic you want your son to be.

 

[ThyKingdomCome]

There is nothing wrong with having the same person be Godfather for all of your children. We have 4 children so far - our 1st and 3rd have the same Godparents, and our 2nd and 4th have the same Godparents. I say pick the best person for the job, and if that means FIL gets to do it a second time, great!

 

[marcella_1981]

Here are is Canon Law about sponsors:

That is clear and unambiguous.