Godparents

[dconklin]

A lady was over the other day and had some “Catholic” questions for me. She and her husband are Christian but not currently going to any church - neither is Catholic. They recently had their 1st child. She has friends that are Catholic and want them to be their child’s godparents - because they are good people. She would also like to have the child baptized in the Catholic Church, but was told no. I tried to explain the Church’s teaching on this.

Here’s my question. She wanted this particular couple to be godparents because they would take good care of their child if something happened to them. Is this a common practice/concept? Do godparents generally become guardians?

 

[SpaceNeedle]

It used to be long ago that Godparents became guardians if needed. That is not the case anymore (and actually this topic was discussed in the baptism class I took to be a Godparent, because it is such a common misconception).

This lady can always have a will drawn up specifying these Catholic folks as guardians, should they accept. Without a will, the baby would likely go to the closest family member (sibling parent etc.)

 

[Sr_Sally]

First, the Catholic couple can be witnesses to the baptism, but can’t be true Godparents since they wouldn’t be able to help the child with his faith tradition.

As for Godparents being guardians, I know that that was common in the past and some people may still make those arragments. However, just choosing someone as a Godparent does not automatically make him the guardian. A guardianship is a legal arrangment and needs to be discussed and agreed upon ahead of time and written into the parents’ wills.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

A lady was over the other day and had some “Catholic” questions for me. She and her husband are Christian but not currently going to any church - neither is Catholic.

The priest should inform them of the standard which “reasonable belief the child will be raised catholic” since neither is catholic they need to attend RCIA, join the church, then a baptism is appropriate.

They recently had their 1st child. She has friends that are Catholic and want them to be their child’s godparents - because they are good people. She would also like to have the child baptized in the Catholic Church, but was told no. I tried to explain the Church’s teaching on this.

Here’s my question. She wanted this particular couple to be godparents because they would take good care of their child if something happened to them. Is this a common practice/concept? Do godparents generally become guardians?

Actually the correct term is sponsor and the duty is to assist the person in entering the church, which includes an understanding of the church and church teachings. The role does not require any guardianship. However as others have mentioned it was historically a honor bestowed on close friends and relatives with an understanding of guardianship, that practice was not from the church. The bigger issue today is so many move and travel that godparents rarely are able to fulfill their role, however in the same tune education is so available today the role is largely unneeded. So today the role is more honorary than real.

 

[FrDavid96]

A lady was over the other day and had some “Catholic” questions for me. She and her husband are Christian but not currently going to any church - neither is Catholic. They recently had their 1st child. She has friends that are Catholic and want them to be their child’s godparents - because they are good people. She would also like to have the child baptized in the Catholic Church, but was told no. I tried to explain the Church’s teaching on this.

Here’s my question. She wanted this particular couple to be godparents because they would take good care of their child if something happened to them. Is this a common practice/concept? Do godparents generally become guardians?

It’s certainly possible for the child to be baptised Catholic. However, keep in mind that before the local pastor can baptise the child, he has to have at least a “founded hope” that the child will be raised in the faith. The fact that the parents aren’t Catholic does not necessarily mean that the child won’t be raised Catholic, but it does make it very unlikely. So, the child can still be baptised Catholic. There is no requirement that parents be Catholic in order to present their children for baptism.

The Catholic couple can certainly be Godparents if the child is baptised Catholic. That is if the pastor has such a “founded hope” that this will actually happen. A promise made by the Godparents to assist the parents in raising the child in the faith is a standard part of every Baptism–the only “difference” here is that there would have to be a certain amount of discernment on the part of the pastor to be sure that both the parents and Godparents are indeed taking that commitment very seriously.

If the parents want the Catholic couple to be Godparents only because they want them to take care of the child if anything should happen, then this is not a legitimate reason to have the child baptised. If on the other hand, they want the child to be truly raised in the Catholic faith, and the the part about Godparents assuming custody of the children is merely being “added” to their role as Godparents, then that’s fine.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

A lady was over the other day and had some “Catholic” questions for me. She and her husband are Christian but not currently going to any church - neither is Catholic. They recently had their 1st child. She has friends that are Catholic and want them to be their child’s godparents - because they are good people. She would also like to have the child baptized in the Catholic Church, but was told no. I tried to explain the Church’s teaching on this.

Here’s my question. She wanted this particular couple to be godparents because they would take good care of their child if something happened to them. Is this a common practice/concept? Do godparents generally become guardians?

No, this is a common misunderstanding.