What if you can't find Godparents?

  • Thread starter Thread starter BornInMarch
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BornInMarch

Guest
In order for The Church to agree to baptize your child, exactly two requirements are necessary.
  1. that you actually intend to raise your child in the faith (otherwise it would be an empty gesture … I guess?)
  2. that you can find a Godparent to make sure you raise your child in the faith
My question is about the second one.

Say a Catholic Couple doesn’t have anyone in their lives whom can qualify as a Godparent; both the mother and father are orphans (so no relatives to count on) and neither have any friends in the area or with the ability to travel to a baptism ceremony (some people have trouble making friends).

Does that mean they can’t baptize the child? Or would The Priest have to find Godparents for them? Or would something else happen?
 
The godparents (or sponsors as they’re called in Canon Law) actually have the duty of witnessing the baptism. And it’s not an absolute requirement such that the child wouldn’t be baptized if you couldn’t find godparents. What would likely happen is that the priest would get someone from the parish to stand in. It’s not a huge obstacle to the baptism taking place.

-Fr ACEGC
 
BornInMarch said:
In order for The Church to agree to baptize your child, exactly two requirements are necessary.
  1. that you actually intend to raise your child in the faith (otherwise it would be an empty gesture … I guess?)
  2. that you can find a Godparent to make sure you raise your child in the faith
My question is about the second one.

Say a Catholic Couple doesn’t have anyone in their lives whom can qualify as a Godparent; both the mother and father are orphans (so no relatives to count on) and neither have any friends in the area or with the ability to travel to a baptism ceremony (some people have trouble making friends).

Does that mean they can’t baptize the child? Or would The Priest have to find Godparents for them? Or would something else happen?
Click to expand...
It is recommended as far as possible to have a sponsor but its not a requirement. You could ask the priest to find one for you or even ask the priest to be the sponsor.
 
BornInMarch said:
  1. that you can find a Godparent to make sure you raise your child in the faith
Click to expand...
It doesn’t say the couple has to find godparents. It says:

Can. 872 Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents an infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.

Can. 873 There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.

The pastor can call a sponsor from among the community, or even be the sponsor.
BornInMarch said:
Say a Catholic Couple doesn’t have anyone in their lives whom can qualify as a Godparent; both the mother and father are orphans (so no relatives to count on) and neither have any friends in the area or with the ability to travel to a baptism ceremony (some people have trouble making friends).
Click to expand...
If they want a sponsor who is not able to attend, no problem. The person of choice can be the sponsor, and someone else can stand as a proxy at the ceremony.

If they have no one they want as sponsor, the pastor can call on a community member.
BornInMarch said:
Does that mean they can’t baptize the child? Or would The Priest have to find Godparents for them? Or would something else happen?
Click to expand...
See above.
 
Would these people be real godparents though as I doubt they would have much to do with the child afterwards. If me and my husband are ever blessed with children (that’s another topic!) we will be in this situation which is a shame as we do have Christian friends who probably would pray for them and even talk to them about their faith. I guess rules are rules.
 
ConfusedLucy said:
Would these people be real godparents though as I doubt they would have much to do with the child afterwards.
Click to expand...
They would be real sponsors, yes.
ConfusedLucy said:
If me and my husband are ever blessed with children (that’s another topic!) we will be in this situation which is a shame as we do have Christian friends who probably would pray for them and even talk to them about their faith. I guess rules are rules.
Click to expand...
You may have one Catholic sponsor and one Christian witness to the baptism if you like.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top