Godparent for Baptism

[fonzjosemaria]

I would like to ask is there a document or in CCC or in Canon Law states that both Godparent & Godchild must be of the same gender…? and also where in which document or in CCC or in Canon Law states that that its ok to have different gender godparent eg Godfather & Goddaughter or Godmother & Godson.

 

[Phemie]

I would like to ask is there a document or in CCC or in Canon Law states that both Godparent & Godchild must be of the same gender…? and also where in which document or in CCC or in Canon Law states that that its ok to have different gender godparent eg Godfather & Goddaughter or Godmother & Godson.

The Code of Canon Law says this:

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.

As you can see, there is no requirement that if the child has only one sponsor he/she must be of the same sex as the child. I think there are some cultures where it has been the tradition but it’s not a Church requirement.

Now the requirements for sponsors have changed a bit with this 1983 Code of Canon Law. It’s possible that there was such a requirement in the 1917 Code, perhaps someone here knows.

I can tell you that the same requirements exist for sponsors for Confirmation and my daughter had one of her male teachers as her Confirmation sponsor while our son had my goddaughter as his sponsor.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I was sponsor and am the god-parent of one of the women who was in our RCIA program several years back. Later she became the god-parent of one of the men in the program.

 

[fonzjosemaria]

Thanks your replies but would like to hear from a priest if there is one who can help me here. But what about someone who is undergoing going discernment to the priesthood won’t it in somehow affect as some people might not like the idea of (in the future) priests having goddaughters?

Thank you so much.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Thanks your replies but would like to hear from a priest if there is one who can help me here. But what about someone who is undergoing going discernment to the priesthood won’t it in somehow affect as some people might not like the idea of (in the future) priests having goddaughters?

Thank you so much.

I think many of the priests I know who have “God-children” would disagree with you, especially the two I know that became “God-fathers” to nieces/nephews while they were in seminary.
As was linked, Canon Law has nothing at all to say about this, so it’s a non-issue.

 

[Joannm]

I think many of the priests I know who have “God-children” would disagree with you, especially the two I know that became “God-fathers” to nieces/nephews while they were in seminary.
As was linked, Canon Law has nothing at all to say about this, so it’s a non-issue.

I know several priests who became Godfathers as priests. There is no law against it. In fact it must be nice to have a priest as a godfather. My daughter’s confirmation sponsor was a nun.