Need help QUICK!!

[krystalkay83]

My cousin asked me a few weeks ago to be her little girl’s Godmother. She told me the baptism would take place in the middle of August, so I signed up for my church’s next Baptism Class which is on the 2nd of August. Well…she called me on Thursday and let me know that the Baptism has to be on July 27th because that was the only time that was available and the next available time after that wouldn’t be until October!

I am in a real time crunch!! I have called around to many different Catholic Churches in the Houston and surrounding areas and none of them have classes until next month…I don’t know what to do!!!

Can anyone help me PLEASE!!!???

 

[thistle]

My cousin asked me a few weeks ago to be her little girl’s Godmother. She told me the baptism would take place in the middle of August, so I signed up for my church’s next Baptism Class which is on the 2nd of August. Well…she called me on Thursday and let me know that the Baptism has to be on July 27th because that was the only time that was available and the next available time after that wouldn’t be until October!

I am in a real time crunch!! I have called around to many different Catholic Churches in the Houston and surrounding areas and none of them have classes until next month…I don’t know what to do!!!

Can anyone help me PLEASE!!!???

What is a baptism class and why do you need it? The only criteria for being a Godparent is to be a Catholic in good standing.
I am a Godfather to a number of children in different families and I didn’t have to attend any classes.

 

[MrS]

So take the class on Aug 2nd.

In parishes around here the priests often require the parents to take classes, not necessarily the godparents.

Your position as godparent is to promise to oversee the Catholic upbringing of the child if the parents are not able.

I remember learning (long after his birth and baptism), that if my godson should some day marry, and then some day want to divorce, that as a godparent, I had to intervene as best as I can to resolve that problem.

There is a lot more responsibility than most godparents ever realize… visible example, prayers, almost a second parent.

.

 

[krystalkay83]

What is a baptism class and why do you need it? The only criteria for being a Godparent is to be a Catholic in good standing.
I am a Godfather to a number of children in different families and I didn’t have to attend any classes.

Here in Texas, I have only experienced Baptisms in which the Godparents need to take a class in order to become one.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

My cousin asked me a few weeks ago to be her little girl’s Godmother. She told me the baptism would take place in the middle of August, so I signed up for my church’s next Baptism Class which is on the 2nd of August. Well…she called me on Thursday and let me know that the Baptism has to be on July 27th because that was the only time that was available and the next available time after that wouldn’t be until October!

I am in a real time crunch!! I have called around to many different Catholic Churches in the Houston and surrounding areas and none of them have classes until next month…I don’t know what to do!!!

Can anyone help me PLEASE!!!???

Take your Catechism down off the shelf and read the section on the Sacrament of Baptism! I’m sure it will all come back to you.

 

[als10062008]

In Pittsburgh’s diocese, the parents take the class, not the godparents. Hope this helps.

 

[kage_ar]

Call the Parish where your godchild will be baptized. Speak with either the Priest or the Deacon in charge of Baptismal prep. Explain the time situation, they will help you find a solution. Having these discussions via the parents as middle man, something may get miscommunicated.

 

[SwizzleStick]

…In parishes around here the priests often require the parents to take classes, not necessarily the godparents. …

The parishes around here are the same as yours. My husband and I are Godparents to several children, but we have never been required to attend Baptism class to be a Godparent. However, we were required to attend Baptism class for each of our three children. I believe it is required because the Church wants to insure that the parents understand that the child must be raised as a Catholic, that the family must be active Catholics. Otherwise, what is the point of Baptism if the parents don’t intend to teach their child the Faith by living the Faith? I think the Church holds that if the family is not practicing, then it is better to wait to Baptize the child until a later date.

 

[1ke]

My cousin asked me a few weeks ago to be her little girl’s Godmother. She told me the baptism would take place in the middle of August, so I signed up for my church’s next Baptism Class which is on the 2nd of August. Well…she called me on Thursday and let me know that the Baptism has to be on July 27th because that was the only time that was available and the next available time after that wouldn’t be until October!

I am in a real time crunch!! I have called around to many different Catholic Churches in the Houston and surrounding areas and none of them have classes until next month…I don’t know what to do!!!

Can anyone help me PLEASE!!!???

I just moved away from Houston after living there 15 years. I have **never **heard of Godparents taking baptism class.

Just call the priest and ask him. If he says you need it,ask him how he’s going to accomplish that by next weekend.

 

[kristie_m]

My cousin asked me a few weeks ago to be her little girl’s Godmother. She told me the baptism would take place in the middle of August, so I signed up for my church’s next Baptism Class which is on the 2nd of August. Well…she called me on Thursday and let me know that the Baptism has to be on July 27th because that was the only time that was available and the next available time after that wouldn’t be until October!

I am in a real time crunch!! I have called around to many different Catholic Churches in the Houston and surrounding areas and none of them have classes until next month…I don’t know what to do!!!

Can anyone help me PLEASE!!!???

When I was going to have my third child baptised, we ran into the same problem. Her Godparents asked their pastor to write a letter, stating that they were active Catholics, and were signed up to take the next available class. I would ask your cousin to check with her parish to see if something like that would be sufficient. Congratulations!

 

[acadian]

My husband and I were asked to be godparents for my sister’s new baby. Her church (in another city) wanted us to attend a baptism seminar in addition to having sponsor papers signed by our pastor. When I had the papers signed, I asked my pastor about a “baptism seminar” knowing full well that our parish does not have them. (When parents need to have a baby baptized, they meet individually with the pastor.) He said he was “not concerned” with us taking such a class.

Unfortunately the parish where the baptism was taking place WAS concerned. My pastor was able to write a letter stating that he had talked to us about our duties as godparents, and that satisfied the other parish.

Good luck. Canon law does have some requirements for godparents, but attending a baptism seminar isn’t one of them. By the time I was done, I thought I was going to have to leave a DNA sample to be a godparent. While I understand the need for standards, it shouldn’t be THAT difficult.