EDITED: Baptism--Am I a godfather or not?

[Mike602]

My friend and his wife selected me to be the god father of their beautiful baby girl. On the day of the baptismal I was in the hospital with a gallbladder attack. Due to my being in the hospital I was not able to make it to the baptism for the ceremony. The advised the deacon of the situation. The ceremony proceeded with only the god mother and parents present. My name is still on the certificate as me being the god father.

So my question is, is my being the baby’s god father still valid in th eyes of the church if I was not present ?

 

[Leegal]

My friend and his wife selected me to be the god father of their beautiful baby girl. On the day of the baptismal I was in the hospital with a gallbladder attack. Due to my being in the hospital I was not able to make it to the baptism for the ceremony. The advised the deacon of the situation. The ceremony proceeded with only the god mother and parents present. My name is still on the certificate as me being the god father.

So my question is, is my being the baby’s god father still valid in th eyes of the church if I was not present ?

When my brother was born, the Godfather (my uncle) was in the service and stationed overseas. Another sister (my aunt) stood in as “proxy”, but my uncle is the Godfather on the birth certificate. I think you are the Godfather.

 

[promethius]

My friend and his wife selected me to be the god father of their beautiful baby girl. On the day of the baptismal I was in the hospital with a gallbladder attack. Due to my being in the hospital I was not able to make it to the baptism for the ceremony. The advised the deacon of the situation. The ceremony proceeded with only the god mother and parents present. My name is still on the certificate as me being the god father.

So my question is, is my being the baby’s god father still valid in th eyes of the church if I was not present ?

In a word, yes. You are the godfather, and the godmother just also happens to be the one witness required by the church.

 

[puzzleannie]

My friend and his wife selected me to be the god father of their beautiful baby girl. On the day of the baptismal I was in the hospital with a gallbladder attack. Due to my being in the hospital I was not able to make it to the baptism for the ceremony. The advised the deacon of the situation. The ceremony proceeded with only the god mother and parents present. My name is still on the certificate as me being the god father.

So my question is, is my being the baby’s god father still valid in th eyes of the church if I was not present ?

simply ask the deacon, he probably asked someone to step in and represent you by proxy

 

[joe_bell]

Mike,

Going from how you conveyed the story, no, you are not the godfather of the child. Let me explain.
Since you could not be present, what the parents/deacon could have done is had a proxy step in, as someone else alluded to. This proxy would stand in for you. I have done it a couple of times myself because the man chosen to be godfather could not make the700 mile trip.
The proxy must be the same sex as the godparent-men stand in for men, women stand in for women. There is no way around that.
What this means is that there is not any spiritual affinity between you and the baptised baby girl.
The godmother is the only godparent to the child, having contracted spiritual affinity. Just as a note, anyone who is godparent/proxy for one must either hold/touch the child at baptism, or immediately after the child is baptised must do so. If this is not done, than no spritual affinity is contracted. This is important to remember. Amongst other things, in the Latin Rite spiritual affinity is an impediment to marriage.
If they have neglected to tell you that there actually was a man who stood proxy for you, then you are all set. Other than that, then there is nothing that anyone can do about it. I hope this helps. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t support the child in a godfather-like role.

In JMJ,

Joe

 

[Joe_Kelley]

… Amongst other things, in the Latin Rite spiritual affinity is an impediment to marriage.
…

That was true in former times, but is not in the current code of Canon Law

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.

Only the father and mother are now barred as sponsors.

 

[jimrob]

Yes. You are godfather by proxy. Someone else made the promises on your behalf. You have still undertaken to bring up your goddaughter in the Catholic faith if her parents are unable to do so.

I am in a similar position. The parents of one of my godchildren had arranged for me to be driven to the baptism - but the driver forgot. By the time I arrived, it was all over. The child is now in his forties and a deacon.

 

[Catholic90]

Yes. You are godfather by proxy. Someone else made the promises on your behalf. You have still undertaken to bring up your goddaughter in the Catholic faith if her parents are unable to do so.

I am in a similar position. The parents of one of my godchildren had arranged for me to be driven to the baptism - but the driver forgot. By the time I arrived, it was all over. The child is now in his forties and a deacon.

 

[joe_bell]

jimrob,

What you says does not follow. Going by the OP’s rendition, and at this point that is all anyone here has to go by, no man stood in as his proxy. Unless he is given that information by those there and puts that in the forum, that at the actual time of the baptism a man intentionally stood in and too part as the proxy for the absent, designated godfather, he is not the godfather. Let us not just presume in such a serious matter.
Joe

 

[puzzleannie]

jimrob,

What you says does not follow. Going by the OP’s rendition, and at this point that is all anyone here has to go by, no man stood in as his proxy.

what we have to go by is that the deacon instructed the secretary to put his name on the certificate, which indicates he appointed a proxy at the time. If so, the proxy’s name will also be in the baptismal record book, but not on the certificate. An easy way to find out would be to do what was suggested early on in the thread–simply ask the deacon who presided.

 

[Catholic90]

He can consider himself as and act as the baby’s Godfather!
The deacon was notified of the situation.
His name is on the certificate.

 

[Mike602]

Thank you all for the responses. My friend and his wife notified the deacon that I was not going to be able to be there due to uncotrolled circumstances. The deacon understood and went along with the baptismal. Aside from the parents and deacon only the godmother was there up at the alter during the baptismal.

I do now and will always consider her as my goddaughter Even if I am technically not the godfather I will still help lead my god daughter to Christ and our catholic faith and be there for her as a mentor.