Necessary to Have Many Godparents?

[Milliardo]

I don’t know if this is done elsewhere, or if I could consider it abuse, but here in the Philippines it has become common to have many godparents in baptism and even in wedding. Now, as far as I know only one pair is required, but here it can come to as high as 7 pairs! Would this be considered an abuse?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Milliardo:

I don’t know if this is done elsewhere, or if I could consider it abuse, but here in the Philippines it has become common to have many godparents in baptism and even in wedding. Now, as far as I know only one pair is required, but here it can come to as high as 7 pairs! Would this be considered an abuse?

The Canon Law of the Latin Rite specifies ONE Godparent is necessary except in emergency situations. Another Catholic Godparent of the opposite gender can be added. NO more than TWO are allowed. (one male and one female)

 

[puzzleannie]

the Church requires only one godparent for baptism or sponsor for Confirmation. If there are two for baptism there must be one man and one woman. Sponsors must be asked and give there consent to serve, be taught the duties and role of sponsor, be free to serve (not under any canonical penalty), be fully initiated Catholics (baptism, confirmation first communion) living in harmony with Catholic moral teaching including Church laws on marriage. they may not be the parents of the candidate.

There are no godparents or padrinos required for first communion or weddings. that is a cultural thing, not a Church thing (very common down here with our predominantly Mexican population).
since canon law does not require these other padrinos, there can be no requirements set on who the family chooses to fill other honorary roles, such as at a wedding, presenting the lazo, the bible etc.

In the Eastern Rite and Orthodox Churches the baptismal Godparents of the couple do play key roles in the marriage ritual, but that is something different.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

What Annie said is correct.

IF my goddaughter decides to make her boyfriend her fiance, and IF she leans more toward the Hispanic culture in her family, I get to be madrina of the dress!!! But, as she didn’t have a coltillion, I think we are going less cultural and more American.

And I am still and always her plain old godmother (her fairly odd godmother, to be sure, but her godmother nonetheless). And MY grown-up, adult daughter with 2 kids calls my goddaughter’s mother “Godmother” because that’s who she is! That occurred due to an action of the Holy Spirit, not because either one of us forked over money for sponsorship of a dress or caterer.