Some years back, a woman came to the rectory offices seeking a sponsor certificate. After a short conversation, she made it known to me that she was living with her boyfriend. At this I knew that I could not give her a sponsor certificate, however, I wanted to challenge her but not beat her over the head. I wanted to hold to the truth but reach out to her with a gentle compassion, seeking the conversion of a sinner.
As you might expect, the conversation did not go well. The woman told me I was judging her to be a bad person. I tried to convince her that I was not judging her as a person and said that she was probably a wonderful person. However, because of the situation, I could not give her a sponsor certificate. She demanded the certificate and insisted that I was saying she was a bad person. Finally, after a long dialogue, I said clearly that she was a good person, but a bad Catholic.
So, what is required for a person to be a godparent or sponsor for Baptism and Confirmation. The code of canon law of the Catholic Church has specific requirements for one who would serve as a sacramental sponsor. “Candidates for Confirmation, as for Baptism, fittingly seek the spiritual help of a sponsor. To emphasize the unity of the two sacraments, it is appropriate that this be one of the baptismal godparents.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1311)
Like in Baptism, the Confirmation Sponsor is to be a witness, an inspiration, an example of what it means to be a Roman Catholic in today’s world. It means that the person must be a Catholic not only in name but by the life they lead each and every day.
Let’s break down the requirements. The sponsor/ godparent must:
- be, not less than sixteen years of age.
- be a Catholic who has received the Sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
- be registered and active members of their parish.
- be living in conformity with Catholic morals and in good standing with the Catholic Church (if married, married according to the laws of the Church).
- may not be the mother or father of the person to be baptized.
Finally, they must obtain a Sponsor Certificate, attesting to their fulfilling the stated requirements, from the parish in which they are a registered member.
Before asking someone to take on the role of a sponsor, please be sure they fulfill the requirements of the Church. This will save the person from embarrassment and the family from being disappointed. The Priest has a responsibility before God and in justice to be sure these requirements are fulfilled!
Nice blog post father. Sometimes, people just don’t understand that they need to be a practicing Catholic to to be in communion with the the church and community. I enjoyed reading this and will continue reading your blog posts.
Thanks Fr. Jay;
I serve as a catechist for the Confirmation preparation program in my parish. Every year we face the same issue concerning sponsors. We also have many candidates whose parents do not fulfill their obligation to attend Holy Mass each week. This seems to be occurring more and more each year. It seems strange to me that parents force their teens to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation but don’t themselves live their faith.
I pray for all people who struggle in living the faith. May God show his mercy and show them the way to His Truth. Amen
Thanks again for all you do.
Don
To give a happy example on the other side, my best friend was a very good person, but a lapsed Catholic. When my son asked if he would be his Confirmation sponsor, my friend deiced to become a sponsor by coming back to the church.
Thank you for upholding the church’s values Father. I think there are many, many Catholics who don’t understand the church’s teachings really. You are doing more than your fair share of turning lukewarm Catholics into real believers. God Bless you and your efforts.
Dear Father Jay,
I’m so glad to hear that you are ensuring that Catholics know what it means to be Catholic. It’s painful to be faced with the job of telling someone the truth when they want to pretend that they are living a Catholic life when they aren’t. I am glad you are because I a Jewish friend of mine was asked by some friends to be the godfather for their baby in a Catholic Church and the priest allowed it. The “godfather” was apalled to learn that the church believes in a real devil! And he reacted visibly to the ritual words, “do you deny satan, and all his works?” A stark example of why the person should be a believer, at least so they don’t freak out at the baptism. Seriously, evidently, the parents apologized for upsetting him. When he told me about it, I said that the godparents are supposed to be Catholics and, yes, we do believe in a real satan. I think he expected me to say it wasn’t so. I’m a great supporter of priests, except when I hear or witness this stuff. They have a special responsibility to teach the truth. God help us and those priests who teach and practice error.
Keep up the good work, Fr. Jay.
Mary
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If I was was a sponsor, took the baptism class in the summer of 2007. How long does my baptism class certificate last for and when do I need to retake it? I have heard it lasts for 3 or so years but I just wanted to make sure.
Thank you, mona
It depends on the parish. You need to ask your priest.