First Communion and Godparents

[dianna2010]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the forum… and I come to you with very concerning questions regarding Godparents and First Communion… first off, I want to confirm that we can ask the same Godparents that stood by our daughter for her baptism, for her first communion as well.

I am having such a hard time deciding between family, who we haven’t been very close to lately, and friends, who are just that… friends. Any suggestions and/or feedback would be so greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Dianna

 

[benedictgal]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the forum… and I come to you with very concerning questions regarding Godparents and First Communion… first off, I want to confirm that we can ask the same Godparents that stood by our daughter for her baptism, for her first communion as well.

I am having such a hard time deciding between family, who we haven’t been very close to lately, and friends, who are just that… friends. Any suggestions and/or feedback would be so greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Dianna

As far as I can tell, you don’t need godparents for First Holy Communion. The child will stand in line and wait to receive Our Lord for the first time from the priest. This is perhaps, along with Confession and the Annointing of the Sick, one of the most personal sacraments someone can receive. While FHC is embedded within the context of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the public, communal prayer of the Church, its reception is individual, meaning that it is between those first communicants and the priest. One does not need to stand with the child for this particular Sacrament.

 

[RosaryFan]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the forum… and I come to you with very concerning questions regarding Godparents and First Communion… first off, I want to confirm that we can ask the same Godparents that stood by our daughter for her baptism, for her first communion as well.

I am having such a hard time deciding between family, who we haven’t been very close to lately, and friends, who are just that… friends. Any suggestions and/or feedback would be so greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Dianna

Are you referring to Confirmation? First Communion does not require “Godparents”. Confirmation, on the other hand, requires a sponsor. In that case, I don’t see any reason why the sponsor for Confirmation couldn’t be the same as a Godparent.

 

[dianna2010]

Thank you so much for your response. I have been asking other parents in the church who have all stated the same… no Godparents… I had a Godparent for my first communion so I just assumed the tradition still went on, but come to find out… it never was a practice in the first place. Thanks again!

Dianna

 

[puzzleannie]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the forum… and I come to you with very concerning questions regarding Godparents and First Communion… first off, I want to confirm that we can ask the same Godparents that stood by our daughter for her baptism, for her first communion as well.

I am having such a hard time deciding between family, who we haven’t been very close to lately, and friends, who are just that… friends. Any suggestions and/or feedback would be so greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Dianna

have had at least a dozen conversations with parents this week on this point, even though it is covered extensively in the parent meetings. The Church has no provision for godparents or sponsors specifically for first communion. There are baptismal godparents, the same person is expected to be the confirmation sponsor, no matter when that sacrament is celebrated. Those persons have a role to play in the rite of the sacrament itself, and in the life of the child, such that there is a canonical rule about who may or may not serve in that capacity.

Since there is no comparable role in the reception of first Communion, the normal and expected thing is that the baptismal godparents will the the persons closest to the child at this important time, next to the parents of course. In fact this is one of times for those godparents to step up and accompany the child in preparation for the sacrament.

Since parents do not have 20 20 hindsight in choosing godparents it often happens that by the time the child is in school those people are no longer part of his life (or you would not want them to be). In our culture down here padrinos are an important part of all sacraments, and very often the parents want someone other than the baptismal godparent, for various reasons. Since there is no canonical expectation or role we set no barriers. they are not listed in the sacramental record and have no active role to play in the rites surrounding the sacrament. We invite the family to invite anyone they wish to sit with the child on this day, without qualification. Other parishes impose stricter requirements, so ask the priest at your own parish the rules that apply where you live.

 

[Phemie]

I don’t see any reason why the sponsor for Confirmation couldn’t be the same as a Godparent.

Not only is there no reason, it’s actually what the Church recommends.

Can. 893

§1. To perform the function of sponsor, a person must fulfill the conditions mentioned in ⇒ can. 874. (That’s the canon that deals with the sponsors at Baptism because the Confirmation sponsor must meet the same requirements as the sponsor at Baptism – Catholic, fully initiated, 16 years old, not the mother or father, living according to the Church law.)

§2. It is desirable to choose as sponsor the one who undertook the same function in baptism.

 

[FAB]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the forum… and I come to you with very concerning questions regarding Godparents and First Communion… first off, I want to confirm that we can ask the same Godparents that stood by our daughter for her baptism, for her first communion as well.

I am having such a hard time deciding between family, who we haven’t been very close to lately, and friends, who are just that… friends. Any suggestions and/or feedback would be so greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Dianna

There are not GOdparents per say for First Echarist, there are however, cultural traditions that the Godparents at the baptism remain active in the religious life of the child throughout thier lives. It actually quite a nice tradition.

Peace, FAB