We are baptizing our son next month and my husband chose the godfather and I chose the godmother. If something were to happen to us, do the godparents have legal rights to our child - let's say if our parents wanted to keep him, would they overrule the godparents??

-- Jen Brook (cb40@usa.net), January 14, 2001

Answers

God parents vow to assist with the Spiritual upbringing of the child to the best of their ability and have no legal standing regarding custody.

-- Br. Rich SFO (repsfo@prodigy.net), January 14, 2001.

Dear Jen,

Please consider specifying legal guardians for your children in the event something happens to you and incorporating that into a written will. It will ensure that your children are taken care of in exact accordance with your desires. Try to get this done asap just in case. Also, you'll want to contact those you designate guardian and perhaps even a back-up to make sure they are willing to handle the responsibility.

That reminds me, some friends of ours asked my wife and I to serve as legal guardians to their children years ago when they had their first child. Now they have 6! I really need to keep them in my prayers more often asking for the Lord to preserve and protect their lives!! :-)

Take care.

-- David Bowerman (bowerman@blazenet.net), January 14, 2001.