Non-Catholic godparent question

[Bonnie]

Can’t find my CCC to look this up, so I hope someone can answer the question.

If I remember correctly, at least one godparent has to be Catholic. If the family wants a 2nd godparent who is not Catholic, is he/she still an official godparent & listed in the record as a godparent?

Thanks in advance!

 

[1ke]

Can’t find my CCC to look this up, so I hope someone can answer the question.

If I remember correctly, at least one godparent has to be Catholic. If the family wants a 2nd godparent who is not Catholic, is he/she still an official godparent & listed in the record as a godparent?

Thanks in advance!

No.

Only a Catholic (well, technically Orthodox too) can be a sponsor (colloquially called a “godparent”) at a Catholic baptism.

A non-Catholic Christian (non-Orthodox) together with a Catholic sponsor can be a Christian witness to the baptism. This is because a person only needs one sponsor, canonically. So the Catholic is the sponsor. The non-Catholic is a witness.

Informally you can call both of them “godparents” if you want to but no, the Christian witness is not a sponsor nor listed as a sponsor in the baptismal records.

 

[Bonnie]

Thank you! That’s perfect.

 

[fastenatingguy]

No.

Only a Catholic (well, technically Orthodox too) can be a sponsor (colloquially called a “godparent”) at a Catholic baptism.

A non-Catholic Christian (non-Orthodox) together with a Catholic sponsor can be a Christian witness to the baptism. This is because a person only needs one sponsor, canonically. So the Catholic is the sponsor. The non-Catholic is a witness.

Informally you can call both of them “godparents” if you want to but no, the Christian witness is not a sponsor nor listed as a sponsor in the baptismal records.

This is correct.

My Catholic Grandfather and Greek Orthodox Grandmother were my Godparents.

 

[Blessedwithfive]

Our church listed the non catholic as a christian witness on the baptismal record.

Just to note, the non catholic must be a baptized christian, practicing their faith to be a witness. They can never have been baptized as a Catholic.

 

[Phemie]

Our church listed the non catholic as a christian witness on the baptismal record.

Just to note, the non catholic must be a baptized christian, practicing their faith to be a witness. They can never have been baptized as a Catholic.

Some parishes don’t record them, some record them without distinguishing, and some will ID them as a Christian witness in the register. Our youngest has the Christian witness listed as “godfather” on his certificate, along with a proxy.

 

[Gorgias]

Some parishes don’t record them, some record them without distinguishing, and some will ID them as a Christian witness in the register. Our youngest has the Christian witness listed as “godfather” on his certificate, along with a proxy.

That just means that it was recorded incorrectly; it has no effect on the truth of the situation. In my godson’s baptismal register, I could be listed as “small fluffy puppy”, but that wouldn’t make me a dog.

 

[Phemie]

That just means that it was recorded incorrectly; it has no effect on the truth of the situation. In my godson’s baptismal register, I could be listed as “small fluffy puppy”, but that wouldn’t make me a dog.

I realize that but the question was asked and the answer is that it varies from parish to parish. I know from personal experience that, as long as one of the chosen persons is Catholic, many priests will not even mention the fact that the non-Catholic is simply a Christian witness and not a sponsor and will just enter the names in the register and on the certificate. It was never addressed when my youngest was baptized and neither was it addressed in my present parish until recently.

When I have to enter baptisms in the register I do ID Christian witnesses. But it had not been done before.

 

[Gorgias]

I realize that but the question was asked and the answer is that it varies from parish to parish.

I know I’m picking nits here, but the rules don’t “vary from parish to parish”. Rather, some parishes do it correctly, some (for a variety of reasons) manage to do it incorrectly, and at others, they seemingly disregard the rules. It’s frustrating. :sad_yes:

 

[Don_Ruggero]

/…/ but no, the Christian witness is not a sponsor nor listed as a sponsor in the baptismal records.

They are most assuredly recorded in the registers in my diocese and, for that matter, in every place I have ever been.

 

[1ke]

They are most assuredly recorded in the registers in my diocese and, for that matter, in every place I have ever been.

I didn’t say they weren’t recoded, I said they weren’t recorded as a sponsor which is the question the OP asked.