I was thinking of this the other day. I do have some cousins that are Catholic. We aren’t close. Like, we hang out at the family reunion, but we didn’t grow up together or anything like that. It would be nice to know what to do. 
The most devout man and/or woman in your parish.
This. It’s a great way to make new friends who are practicing Catholics.
if you cannot find a friend or family member that is a “practicing Catholic” they will probably assign you one…
I agree with this. If I had been Catholic when my daughter was born, I would have probably searched out someone with a strong faith that wouldn’t miind being a godparent. Actually, I think two, a man and a woman, are usually picked. Perferably someone who wouldn’t mind being named in a will as to who would get custod of the child if anything happens to you.In choosing to have your child baptized in the Catholic church, you are consecrating that child to God and agreeing to raise him or her in the Catholic faith. The choice of Godparents is an important one, they must be practicing Catholics, firm in their faith, as they are agreeing to insure your child is educated in the faith in the event that you and your spouse are unable to do so.
As you attend Mass regularly (also a condition of having a child baptized), you may meet and get to know other young parents who are strong in their faith. Also your priest may have some suggestions for choosing Godparents. While it would be nice to include family members,if they are not practicing they are definately not a prospective Godparents.
I will pray for you as you discern and discuss, and pray that family members return to th "One Holy Catholic and Apostolic church. God Bless You.
This issue came up when we were trying to have children. ^^^THIS was my answer to the problem. I would have insisted on asking my best friend to be godmother, because she is the most faith Catholic woman I know and would have been very active in the child’s faith life.
I would not be comfortable with a stranger either, but being a godparent does not mean you assume the responsibility for a child if both parents die. That is a separate legal issue.
In choosing to have your child baptized in the Catholic church, you are consecrating that child to God and agreeing to raise him or her in the Catholic faith. The choice of Godparents is an important one, they must be practicing Catholics, firm in their faith, as they are agreeing to insure your child is educated in the faith in the event that you and your spouse are unable to do so.
As you attend Mass regularly (also a condition of having a child baptized), you may meet and get to know other young parents who are strong in their faith. Also your priest may have some suggestions for choosing Godparents. While it would be nice to include family members,if they are not practicing they are definately not a prospective Godparents.
I will pray for you as you discern and discuss, and pray that family members return to th "One Holy Catholic and Apostolic church. God Bless You.
So, basically a godparent is just for show? They would vow to help instruct the child just for the ceremony? If we don’t that seriously, then why would anyone take any other sacrament seriously?
Then get to know some people in your parish. You have 9 months’ warning that your child is going to need godparents. If you are a practicing Catholic and you don’t know any practicing Catholics, you’re doing it wrong.
Jackie means that the godparents do not automatically assume legal or custodial responsibility for the child, as is often believed to be the case. The parents could choose godparents with that transfer of custody in mind, but it would have to be executed by a separate legal document; it is not presumed in the law. The godparents are still bound before God to assist the parents or guardians in raising the child in the Catholic faith to the extent they are able.
They are supposed to support the parents in raising the child in the faith. They have no legal standing and do not necessarily take on the care of the child should both parents die. That is a separate issue that the parents need to arrange for via a will.
Seeing that I’m just in RCIA, I’m not a Catholic yet. Isn’t RCIA a time to ask these type of questions? Thanks for assuming I’m doing it all wrong when I haven’t even gotten started.
The point of godparents is for the sacrament of baptism. To be assigned a godparent at random does seem like it isn’t taken seriously. I do understand that it is a seperate issue. One would assume that those who promised to help with the child would also be the ones in the will. That really couldn’t be if the person was picked at random.
If you’re in RCIA, you’ve already been involved in the parish for months and you know other practicing Catholics or soon-to-be Catholics. Besides, we’re talking about a hypothetical situation - the “you” was generic.
I would definitely not assume that. I have four (almost 5) kids, and they all have different godparents. Surely, my kids would not go 5 separate ways if my husband and I were to die! They would remain together. Some of my kids godparents are too old or too young to take on my children, and some are not suited to parenthood. My sister and brother in law would get my kids if we died. They are cafeteria catholics, but they are the reasonable choice because they are also raising kids right now, live in our city, are willing to take in all five, and are closest to my kids.
There is no such assumption. I don’t know anybody who has the same godparents for all their kids, and who would want to send every kid to a different house if both parents died? Or in the case of my oldest son, whose godfather is a priest, he could certainly not be expected to take custody of his godson. The godparents would simply be made aware of where the kids are living and who is now raising them, and keep in contact, be spiritual mentors, and continue to pray for their godchildren and encourage them in the faith. A godparent not previously known to the parents before baptism would still incur a spiritual relationship with the family by virtue of being godparents (both the parents and the godparents have to consent anyway, so you can’t be forced to have any particular person as godparent) and presumably that relationship would deepen as time goes by and the godparents become part of the child’s spiritual life.