Wouldn’t there have been less orphans (historically at least) because of godparents?

[sidetrack]

Okay to be honest, I don’t have a good grasp or even much understanding for the idea but seeing as how it’s said that not only are godparents supposedly to be involved in the (spiritual only?) up-bringing of children but if both parents pass away the children are to live with the grandparents,wouldn’t that mean that historically their would’ve been less orphans because children who’s parents had passed away would’ve gone to live with their godparents?.

It makes me wonder when and how the idea of godparents was formulated and whether it actually has legal recognition for that kind of function, nowadays _.

 

[Thomas_White]

The way I’ve always understood it was that if both parents died, then the godparents were responsible for the spiritual upbringing of the child. It might have differed historically, but I’m certain that today godparents are not legally responsible for upbringing the child.

 

[Bonnie]

A child whose parents die is still an orphan, even if it lives with relatives or godparents.

 

[Allegra]

Godparents are supposed to assist with the spiritual direction of a child, not necessarily raise them. Many people’s Godparents aren’t even married to each other!

 

[Sunbreak]

Godparents are to assist with the spiritual upbringing of a child. Unless they have been asked to do so, they are not obligated to physically provide for the child. Besides, many times the godparents are not even in the same household, so would not as a couple raise an orphan - my godmother was my grandmother’s single sister but my godfather was my married uncle.

 

[1ke]

Okay to be honest, I don’t have a good grasp or even much understanding for the idea but seeing as how it’s said that not only are godparents supposedly to be involved in the (spiritual only?) up-bringing of children but if both parents pass away the children are to live with the grandparents,wouldn’t that mean that historically their would’ve been less orphans because children who’s parents had passed away would’ve gone to live with their godparents?.

It makes me wonder when and how the idea of godparents was formulated and whether it actually has legal recognition for that kind of function, nowadays _.

This is a common myth about godparents.

 

[SighGuy]

Fun fact. In olden days, faithful Catholics had several godfathers and godmothers. St. Joan of Arc was given, I believe, three of each.

Apparently this is because of the lack of a record-keeping system and the less secure times folks lived in. The only baptismal “records” you could produce in a rural community were the records of folks’ memories! And if they died, hopefully another one was still around somewhere.

Nowadays I think you’re only allowed a single set of godparents.

 

[Phemie]

Fun fact. In olden days, faithful Catholics had several godfathers and godmothers. St. Joan of Arc was given, I believe, three of each.

Apparently this is because of the lack of a record-keeping system and the less secure times folks lived in. The only baptismal “records” you could produce in a rural community were the records of folks’ memories! And if they died, hopefully another one was still around somewhere.

Nowadays I think you’re only allowed a single set of godparents.

Yes, while requiring only one godparent, both the 1917 and the 1983 Codes of Canon Law limit the number of godparents to 2, one male, one female.

 

[Phemie]

Okay to be honest, I don’t have a good grasp or even much understanding for the idea but seeing as how it’s said that not only are godparents supposedly to be involved in the (spiritual only?) up-bringing of children but if both parents pass away the children are to live with the grandparents,wouldn’t that mean that historically their would’ve been less orphans because children who’s parents had passed away would’ve gone to live with their godparents?.

It makes me wonder when and how the idea of godparents was formulated and whether it actually has legal recognition for that kind of function, nowadays _.

Because this is a widely believed myth, we make sure to tell parents preparing for Baptism that if they intend the godparents to become legal guardians in the event of their death they need to have legal documents drawn up to that effect.

In his younger days my dad was often called upon to be a godfather. Because he was the head altar server until he was almost 40, he was the go-to guy if families couldn’t think of anyone else. I think at last count he had over 20 godchildren. He often joked that he was glad there had never been an epidemic because he didn’t think he could have looked after that many kids.

 

[Allegra]

Someone told my sister, who is not a practicing Catholic, this myth and she completely freaked out when we chose my sister-in-law for my daughter’s godmother. I had to assure her that at my death, we would not be sending my baby to live out of state.

 

[thistle]

Okay to be honest, I don’t have a good grasp or even much understanding for the idea but seeing as how it’s said that not only are godparents supposedly to be involved in the (spiritual only?) up-bringing of children but if both parents pass away the children are to live with the grandparents,wouldn’t that mean that historically their would’ve been less orphans because children who’s parents had passed away would’ve gone to live with their godparents?.

It makes me wonder when and how the idea of godparents was formulated and whether it actually has legal recognition for that kind of function, nowadays _.

No there would not be fewer orphans. An orphan is a child whose parents have died. They remain orphans even if they were to be brought up by godparents.