RCIA Sponsors?

[Eli4n4]

I’m just wondering if I’m missing something somewhere…

Can a husband or wife be a person’s RCIA sponsor? I know some churches try to discourage it for various reasons, but I tried to find something about it in the Canon Law on the Vatican website the other day and couldn’t find any reason why not. I didn’t find anything specifically about RCIA programs, but as far as being a sponsor for the 2 sacraments that have sponsors asociated with them (Baptism and Confirmation), it doesn’t say anywhere that it can’t be a spouse. Anyone have anymore (name removed by moderator)ut on this?

 

[Mumbles140]

When my sister was receiving her Confirmation, my father was going through RCIA to receive his Confirmation. I believe that my mother was his sponsor, but I can’t be certain (it was 9 years ago). Still, if you can’t find anything specific about it, it may be up to the Pastor/RCIA Director, or it may just be ‘recommended but not required’. Best of luck in your coming journey!

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I’m just wondering if I’m missing something somewhere…

Can a husband or wife be a person’s RCIA sponsor? I know some churches try to discourage it for various reasons, but I tried to find something about it in the Canon Law on the Vatican website the other day and couldn’t find any reason why not. I didn’t find anything specifically about RCIA programs, but as far as being a sponsor for the 2 sacraments that have sponsors asociated with them (Baptism and Confirmation), it doesn’t say anywhere that it can’t be a spouse. Anyone have anymore (name removed by moderator)ut on this?

Canon law does not prevent a spouse from being a sponsor. (A parent can’t be a sponsor, but a spouse can.) However, many RCIA directors strongly discourage it.

 

[RazzsMom]

I have been a member of my Parish’s RCIA team for 6 years. I have also been a sponsor. Our Parish makes a sincere attempt to have someone other than the spouse be the sponsor. The main reason is to keep the inquirer from feeling pressured by the sponsor. Another reason is to help the inquirer feel free to ask questions that he or she may be reluctant to bring up to a spouse. Sometimes it is easier to bring up certain topics with a “stranger” than it is to someone close to you!

However, we have had instances where we had a spouse be the sponsor for a few reasons: one that I remember was that both persons insisted that was what they wanted. Since there is no Church mandate prohibiting it, we allowed it. Another was a person who came into the program a bit late in the year and we had no other sponsor available.

I hope this answer helps. I would really stress that usually it is a good idea to have someone other than the spouse. We have had several inquirers who had a Church member volunteer as a sponsor AND the spouse came to the sessions as a sort of “back-up” as well as to be with the spouse to experience and learn everything the RCIA offered and gave. That was a great compromise and a wonderful experience for all of us.

Good luck and God bless!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I’m just wondering if I’m missing something somewhere…

Can a husband or wife be a person’s RCIA sponsor? I know some churches try to discourage it for various reasons, but I tried to find something about it in the Canon Law on the Vatican website the other day and couldn’t find any reason why not. I didn’t find anything specifically about RCIA programs, but as far as being a sponsor for the 2 sacraments that have sponsors asociated with them (Baptism and Confirmation), it doesn’t say anywhere that it can’t be a spouse. Anyone have anymore (name removed by moderator)ut on this?

You won’t find anything, because they can and nothing prohibits this.
Also remember that the RCIA Sponsor is not necessarly the Godparent and Sponsor for Baptism and confirmation, they are not required to be the same people. Another person could accompany the person thru RCIA and the spouse could then be the actual Godparent for Baptism and Sponsor at Confirmation during the Easter Vigil.

 

[mswood]

I am currently in RCIA. I know that my parish discourages spouses from being sponsors but does not disallow it. In my RCIA group we have a wife sponsoring her husband.

 

[quiet52]

Canon law does not prevent a spouse from being a sponsor. (A parent can’t be a sponsor, but a spouse can.) However, many RCIA directors strongly discourage it.

My understanding is that some bishops have put diocesan policies in place preventing spouses and engaged partners from being sponsors. It may not be canon law, but I see the wisdom behind these bishops’ decisions. I have personally worked with RCIA participants who insisted that their spouse or fiance be their sponsors, and their relationships broke up within a couple of years after they were initiated. I discouraged, but could not officially prevent, their choice of sponsors, and explained well that if they were to experience relationship problems, they might appreciate having a sponsor who could be objective, who could challenge them, who would pray for them, who would be a listening ear, etc. Of course I couldn’t say anything to them about my observations that the spouse and fiance were jerks, and that I suspected their relationships wouldn’t last long.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

My understanding is that some bishops have put diocesan policies in place preventing spouses and engaged partners from being sponsors. It may not be canon law, but I see the wisdom behind these bishops’ decisions. I have personally worked with RCIA participants who insisted that their spouse or fiance be their sponsors, and their relationships broke up within a couple of years after they were initiated. I discouraged, but could not officially prevent, their choice of sponsors, and explained well that if they were to experience relationship problems, they might appreciate having a sponsor who could be objective, who could challenge them, who would pray for them, who would be a listening ear, etc. Of course I couldn’t say anything to them about my observations that the spouse and fiance were jerks, and that I suspected their relationships wouldn’t last long.

Just for the record I have seen dozens of spouses and soon-to-be spouses be sponsors without any problems.

 

[puzzleannie]

There is no specific ban in canon law but the particular law of this diocese strongly advises that the spouse, novio, fiance, bf, not be either the sponsor or godparent for an RCIA or confirmation candidate. My experience heartily endorses this. For one thing there is the issue of pressure, and people going through this for the wrong reasons–to please a spouse or fiancee rather than seeking conversion. The most common here, and every time I see this rule broken it seems to be the case, that the “sponsor” is cooperating in a sinful situation, whether or not the RCIA director is aware of it. Blunt but true. The candidate must be gradually led to learn the true Catholic teaching and practice on marriage and sexuality, w/o the added pressure of sitting next to someone who claims to be Catholic yet is leading them in the wrong direction. The RCIA director who has had to sit through the Easter Vigil watching a catechumen next to his visibly pregnant fiance will understand the precaution.