RCIA and Easter Vigil: Sponsor not able to come :(

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Hello, I am currently a catuchumen who is about to be baptised and join the Catholic church, this coming Easter (so excited!!)

I am experiencing a problem, though. My problem is that my sponsor has had a very serious family emergency that has taken her out of the country starting tonight, and it is not certain that she will be back for the Easter Vigil.
My guess is that mmy RCIA leaders will try to associate me with someone, to stand in at the vigil?
However, this is a very important and personal experience for me and I do not feel comfortable having someone stand in for my sponsor that I do not know or have a relationship with.

Does the person who joins me as a sponsor during the vigil have to be Catholic?? I know many devout Christians, but not any Catholic people that I am close with.
My sponsor will always remain my dear, special sponsor (I am not looking for a new sponsor!) However, I am curious if the person that stands in for her during the Vigil needs to be Catholic.

Thank you!!
 
It sometimes happens that a sponsor can’t be present so a proxy can stand in.

It seems to me a non-Catholic proxy would be VERY awkward, especially when it comes to receiving communion. In part it will depend on how your parish organizes the first communion aspect of things, but we always have the neophytes and sponsors go up to the sanctuary to be the first to receive. How would you feel about having your proxy left out of this when everyone else is receiving communion? How would the proxy feel about being left out? What would the assembly see and think about what was happening?

Even if it’s allowable it seems like a very bad idea to me.
 
Hmm, that is a good point. I do not yet know the structure of the Easter Vigil, but based on what you just said, that is definitely something important that I should consider.
Thank you.
 
Is there anyone on the RCIA team that you feel close to?

One year a sponsor was unable to be at the Easter Vigil and I was asked to stand in. First, I was hugely honored to be asked. But it was also a very special experience for me to be there acting as a sponsor for that brief time. That particular Easter Vigil still stands out in my mind.
 
Last Easter, my sponsor wasn’t able to make it Easter Vigil.

I asked another strong Catholic friend to stand up for me. My “original” sponsor (for lack of a better term) is the one who’s officially on the church’s documentation.

There was one person in the class who was able to get a Ukrainian Catholic to stand up for him, but that was the only unusual request.

I agree with SuscipeMeDomine in that it would be very awkward for non-Catholic to be your sponsor. In most parishes, neophytes and sponsors are the first to get communion.

It also kind of defeats the purpose of the ritual to have a non-Catholic sponsor your entry into the Catholic church. The point is that an experienced Catholic is standing up for the Catholic initiate to be a member of the Catholic Church.

Let the director know and see if he/she knows someone in the parish who’d be willing to stand in for your sponsor. I was in the same boat when I was looking for a sponsor. I was relatively new to the parish and didn’t know too many people. For a lot of Catholics, Easter Vigil is one of their favorite masses and it wouldn’t surprise me if that some would find it an honor to stand with someone who was entering the church.

Even though I have plenty of friends who are devout Christians, I never considered asking a non-Catholic to stand in at Easter Vigil.

I felt weird during some of the rites and when I had to have a proxy sponsor, but the thing is that I’m still greeted by these people when I see them and they hold a place in my heart for what they did for me.

Yes, I’m glad that my proxy at Easter Vigil was someone that I knew. However, I have no doubt that God is going to make your Easter Vigil exactly perfect - regardless of who your proxy is, regardless of your parish, regardless of your doubts.

I can’t imagine having Easter Vigil happen any other way than the way mine occurred, flaws and all. I’m sure every other convert would say the same thing. It’s just a blessed evening - regardless who is standing up for you.

I’m so excited for you. 👍 It will be okay. I promise.
 
Carey822 said:
Hello, I am currently a catuchumen who is about to be baptised and join the Catholic church, this coming Easter (so excited!!)

I am experiencing a problem, though. My problem is that my sponsor has had a very serious family emergency that has taken her out of the country starting tonight, and it is not certain that she will be back for the Easter Vigil.
My guess is that mmy RCIA leaders will try to associate me with someone, to stand in at the vigil?
However, this is a very important and personal experience for me and I do not feel comfortable having someone stand in for my sponsor that I do not know or have a relationship with.

Does the person who joins me as a sponsor during the vigil have to be Catholic?? I know many devout Christians, but not any Catholic people that I am close with.
My sponsor will always remain my dear, special sponsor (I am not looking for a new sponsor!) However, I am curious if the person that stands in for her during the Vigil needs to be Catholic.

Thank you!!
Click to expand...
Sometimes things like this happen. In this event, usually one of the RCIA instructors will stand in as your Sponsor.
 
Carey822 said:
Hello, I am currently a catuchumen who is about to be baptised and join the Catholic church, this coming Easter (so excited!!)

I am experiencing a problem, though. My problem is that my sponsor has had a very serious family emergency that has taken her out of the country starting tonight, and it is not certain that she will be back for the Easter Vigil.
My guess is that mmy RCIA leaders will try to associate me with someone, to stand in at the vigil?
However, this is a very important and personal experience for me and I do not feel comfortable having someone stand in for my sponsor that I do not know or have a relationship with.

Does the person who joins me as a sponsor during the vigil have to be Catholic?? I know many devout Christians, but not any Catholic people that I am close with.
My sponsor will always remain my dear, special sponsor (I am not looking for a new sponsor!) However, I am curious if the person that stands in for her during the Vigil needs to be Catholic.

Thank you!!
Click to expand...
There are people that are in your RCIA program that you know and that are praying for you and have invested in your faith formation. They will gladly step in for you and stand as your sponsor.

A non Catholic would not be allowed (at least not primary you can see if you can have them be a second sponsor) but are you sure they will sponsor you? There is a reason they aren’t catholic.

This is perhaps a trial for you, and a way for you to learn to be open to the grace that flows from the entire Communion of Saints, including those in your own parish. Let God work it out for you…Give it up to him…I m sure he has something special planned.
 
Welcome to the Church! I’ll pray for both you and your sponsor, especially for the family emergency.

I’m sure this is concerning for you, but I hope you feel comfortable enough to ask perhaps the RCIA coordinator for assistance. You might end up with another friend. If there is a non-RCIA (but still Catholic/parish member) stand-in for you, please know that you will be first and foremost on their mind, and that they will be honored to do it for you. I truly feel that the stand-in will be a caring Catholic, ready to welcome you and help you in any way.

I am attending a friend’s joining of the Church on Easter, and I would be inordinately flattered and honored if I was asked to stand in for the morning for any of her classmates, if that were needed (it won’t happen, as it’s in another state/parish, but I would feel the same, nonetheless).

God bless you!
 
You need a Proxy. (a stand-in). The final paper work can be done later (check with your priest)
 
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