Godfather to non-Catholic

[Falcon]

Hi,

I have been asked to be the Godfather to my sisters baby; the problem is that I am Catholic and the baby is getting baptised in the Anglican church.

I have told my sister that I can not be the Godfather as I can not agree to raise it in the Anglican faith.

My whole family thinks I am being uncooperative and that the Anglican church will not mind that I am a Catholic; while I know that to be true, I am more concerned about the Catholic church’s opinion.

Is there any documentation that I can show my family as to why I can not be the Godfather.

Your help is appreciated.

 

[1ke]

A Catholic cannot be a Sponsor (Godparent) of a non-Catholic. You are correct.

You can be a Christian witness to the baptism. They will need to have Anglican godparents for their child.

 

[Falcon]

A Catholic cannot be a Sponsor (Godparent) of a non-Catholic. You are correct.

You can be a Christian witness to the baptism. They will need to have Anglican godparents for their child.

That is what I tell them, but they think I am making it up; is there any official documentation that states that a Catholic can not be the Godparent.

Also what is a Christian witness, and what role do they play at the baptism and the child’s spiritual upbringing.

 

[Falcon]

BUMP

 

[Jay53]

This was what I found so far:

Likewise, a Catholic may participate as a witness of a non-Catholic baptism, but not as a godparent. Catholics sometimes wonder why they cannot be godparents at non-Catholic baptisms. It often seems as though the Catholic party could do a great deal of good—up to and including the later conversion of the child to Catholicism. However, the Church has practical reasons for not allowing this. The 1993 Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism (Directory on Ecumenism) explains:

It is the Catholic understanding that godparents, in a liturgical and canonical sense, should themselves be members of the Church or ecclesial Community in which the baptism is being celebrated. They do not merely undertake a responsibility for the Christian education of the person being baptized (or confirmed) as a relation or friend; they are also there as representatives of a community of faith, standing as guarantees of the candidate’s faith and desire for ecclesial communion. (no. 98)

A godparent sponsors the child to be baptized; he is a representative of a community of faith. The child is baptized into the Christian faith, but also into a particular denomination. A godparent implicitly or explicitly (depending on the baptismal rite) assents to the beliefs of the denomination into which the child is being baptized. Although other denominations might allow a Catholic to be a godparent, the Catholic must consider what he would be promising or assenting to by fulfilling that role. A Catholic cannot promise to help raise a child in another faith tradition, especially if elements of that faith tradition conflict with the teachings of the Church. Further, it would be a betrayal of the parents’ trust to sponsor their non-Catholic child with the hope (or motivation) of using one’s influence to convert that child to Catholicism. Thus, a Catholic may not serve as a godparent for a non-Catholic baptism, but may serve as a witness.

The Church’s norms require that a Catholic have Catholic godparents, and that a Catholic not serve as a godparent in a non-Catholic baptism. The exception to these norms is in relation to Eastern Orthodox Churches. .

A Catholic is not forbidden to stand as godparent in an Eastern Orthodox Church, if he/she is so invited. In this case, the duty of providing for the Christian education binds in the first place the godparent who belongs to the Church in which the child is baptized. (no. 98b) cuf.org/Faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffID=259

If I find anything else I’ll let you know. Hope this helps.

 

[Jay53]

This just reaffirms my last post - see #98:

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_25031993_principles-and-norms-on-ecumenism_en.html

 

[Erich]

Canon Law lists the requirements of sponsors for those to be baptised in the Catholic Church. In particular, “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.”

It would naturally follow that, just as a baptized non-Catholic can be a witness with a Catholic at a Catholic baptism, a Catholic can be a witness with a baptized non-Catholic at a non-Catholic baptism.

In fact, the Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, 25 March 1993) says as much:

1. It is the Catholic understanding that godparents, in a liturgical and canonical sense, should themselves be members of the Church or ecclesial Community in which the baptism is being celebrated. They do not merely undertake a responsibility for the Christian education of the person being baptized (or confirmed) as a relation or friend; they are also there as representatives of a community of faith, standing as guarantees of the candidate’s faith and desire for ecclesial communion.

a) However, based on the common baptism and because of ties of blood or friendship, a baptized person who belongs to another ecclesial Community may be admitted as a witness to the baptism, but only together with a Catholic godparent. A Catholic may do the same for a person being baptized in another ecclesial Community.

 

[Falcon]

Thank you for the replies; I will present my family with the details, but I know that they will still think I am being selfish.