Should I decline to be a godmother if I won't be around?

[psalm139a]

My older brother got married recently and I strongly suspect that he will ask me to be a godmother very soon. My understanding is that it is the godparent’s responsibility to make sure the child learns about the faith if the parents neglect their responsibility in this matter.

Unfortunately, my brother is by no means a faithful Catholic – he would have his child baptized due to family tradition though – and his wife does not practice any religion. I am discerning a religious vocation and probably won’t be around much, if at all, after the next year or two. Would it be in the best interests of the child to tell my brother to find someone else, someone who will be around to support the child’s Catholic education? I don’t want to upset my brother, but I want to do what’s best for his child.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Why would you think that a religious sister must be directly involved in a child’s life to be a good godmother? By your example, and by your prayers and sacrifices on the child’s behalf, you can be a good godmother to this child and support him or her in the faith. And, when the child is old enough to read and write, you can maintain correspondence with him or her.

St. Therese of Lisieux was once asked to be godmother to a child not yet born when she was dying of tuberculosis. She agreed and did her duty as a godmother “in advance” by praying for the child who would eventually be her godchild. We can surely imagine that she continued praying for the child even after her death.

If you are asked to be a godmother to your brother’s child, the only recommendation I would make is that you suggest to your brother that he ask a faithful Catholic man who will be able to be a part of the child’s everyday life to be the godfather.