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Barb Jones
wrote:
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Hi, guys —
I am a practicing Catholic
and I have a question that I need answered.
A friend of mine is having her three-month-old baby boy baptized
in the local Protestant church. The parents do not go to any
church and she has asked me to be the Godmother of their new
baby boy.
- As a Catholic, this would not be an acceptable thing
for me to do, would it?
I wasn't aware that other churches had Godparents.
I thought having Godparents or sponsors for Baptism was
only done in our Church. I do not want to do anything that would
be contrary to my faith.
Thanks for your reply and God Bless you all,
Barb Jones
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Can a Catholic be a Godparent at a Baptism in a local Protestant
church? }
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John replied:
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Hi Barb,
I'm not sure what the canonical impediments (Church
laws that would restrict you) are.
On a common sense level, you are a Catholic. As a Catholic you
know that the role of a Godparent is to bring up the child in the faith,
especially in the absence of the parents (should that become necessary).
My question is:
- How can you bring up a child, in another faith, if you
are a Catholic?
Perhaps, you can use this as an opportunity to witness to your
friend about your faith. I would start by explaining how serious you
understand the role of Godmother. It's not just ceremonial title
given to the friend of the family. It's quite the opposite. When
person becomes a Godparent, he or she enters into a covenant bond with
the child and his or her family.
- Perhaps you can ask them, why they don't attend their church?
- Is there
something lacking in their church?
This could be an opening for them to
explore the Catholic Church.
John
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Fr. Jonathan replied:
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Hi, Barb —
I just wanted to add to John's reply.
The answer is found in the 1993 Ecumenical Documents, number 98. (a)
Directory For The Application Of Principles And Norms On Ecumenism
98. It is the Catholic understanding that godparents, in a liturgical and canonical sense, should themselves be members of the Church or ecclesial Community in which the baptism is being celebrated. They do not merely undertake a responsibility for the Christian education of the person being baptized (or confirmed) as a relation or friend; they are also there as representatives of a community of faith, standing as guarantees of the candidate's faith and desire for ecclesial communion.
- However, based on the common baptism and because of ties of blood or friendship, a baptized person who belongs to another ecclesial Community may be admitted as a witness to the baptism, but only together with a Catholic godparent. A Catholic may do the same for a person being baptized in another ecclesial Community.
- Because of the close communion between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches, it is permissible for a just cause for an Eastern faithful to act as godparent; together with a Catholic godparent, at the baptism of a Catholic infant or adult, so long as there is provision for the Catholic education of the person being baptized, and it is clear that the godparent is a suitable one.
A Catholic is not forbidden to stand as godparent in an Eastern Orthodox Church,
if [he/she] is so invited. In this case, the duty of providing for the Christian education binds in the first place the godparent who belongs to the Church in which the child is baptized. |
Hope this helps,
Fr. Jonathan
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