My Catholic daughter wants her only sister to be her baby's Godmother. The Godfather will be a Christian Witness. Her sister was baptized, confirmed, raised Catholic and married in the Catholic church. However for the past 8 years, she has attended the Methodist church with her Methodist husband. When they occasionally visit us, she will go to Communion in our Catholic church. But she does not attend one in her town. Could she still be the Godmother? Could the Catholic grandmother (me) be the Godmother and the sister be a Christian Witness?

-- Lou Rodgers (mamaonnet@aol.com), January 10, 2005

Answers

Here are the relevant articles of Canon Law:

Canon 874 - 1 To be admitted to undertake the office of baptismal sponsor [godparent], a person must:

1'- be appointed by the candidate for baptism, or by the parents or whoever stands in their place, or failing these, by the parish priest or the minister; to be appointed the person must be suitable for this role and have the intention of fulfilling it;

2'- be not less than sixteen years of age, unless a different age has been stipulated by the diocesan Bishop, or unless the parish priest or the minister considers that there is a just reason for an exception to be made;

3'- be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has received the blessed Eucharist, and who lives a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken;

2 - A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community may be admitted only in company with a Catholic sponsor, and then simply as a witness to the baptism.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), January 11, 2005.

Lou,

What is supposed to happen when a Catholic godparent is nominated that the local pastor does not know is that he is to have that Catholic get THEIR pastor to send him letter stating that this person is a practicing Catholic. From what you relate it does not seem that your out-of-town daughter would be able to procure such a document. Yes, have the grandmother be the Godmother.

Hope that's helpful.

-- Fr. Michael Skrocki, JCL (abounamike@aol.com), January 11, 2005.