What is the purpose of godparents?

[pepper89]

A Lutheran friend told me the purpose of godparents is to have two people to raise your children should something happen to you and your spouse. I always thought godparents were people that were just suppose to help you with your spiritual life. Who is right?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Your friend has godparents confused with guardians. A guardian is someone named by parents in a legal document to receive custody of children should anything happen to the parents. A godparent will not receive custody of the children in the event of the parents’ deaths unless he or she has also been legally named the guardian. Of course, it would be best for Catholic parents to place “practicing Catholic” high on their list of requirements when evaluating possible candidates for the position of guardian, but that is a prudential judgment and not a Church requirement.

A godparent’s role is different. Here is a description of the role by the Code of Canon Law:

In so far as possible, a person being baptized is to be assigned a sponsor. In the case of an adult baptism, the sponsor’s role is to assist the person in Christian initiation. In the case of an infant baptism, the role is together with the parents to present the child for baptism, and to help it to live a Christian life befitting the baptized and faithfully to fulfil the duties inherent in baptism (canon 872).