Godparent Information

Choosing a godparent to help walk the journey of faith with your child in extremely important. We need to understand the requirements and the role of the godparent before we can choose a proper godparent.

Role of the godparents

Your child will have many mentors and positive influences in their life.  A godparent is a spiritual role model and guide who must fit certain requirements. Therefore, someone that is special in your life (a sibling, friend, etc…) may be a wonderful person and able to have a positive influence in your child’s life, but because they are not Catholic, or do not practice their Catholic faith, or are too young, or are married outside the Church, etc…they would not be a suitable person to ask to be a godparent.

Perhaps an example would be someone applying for a job that needs certain qualification and certifications.  If you don’t have those, it does not mean you are a bad person, just not the right person for the job.
The good news is that, if discussed early enough, the status of a person who is currently not able to act as a sponsor, if they make certain changes in their life of faith, could eventually qualify.

The Church has these requirements not only for the newly baptized but for the potential godparent candidate for baptism as well.  It lets them know that God is calling them to participate in His life, love, and mercy more fully.  Please discuss this with a priest or someone in the religious education office if you have questions.

What are the requirements to be a godparent?  

Here are the basic requirements of a godparent. Please feel free to reach out to a priest or someone in the religious education office for any clarifications.

• Download the sponsor form and and have it signed by a priest and stamped with the parish seal at your home parish.

• Attend a baptism class here or at your home parish.

• Is not the father or mother or the father of the person to be baptized.

• Is a baptized Catholic who has received First Communion and Confirmation

• Is at least 16 years of age

• Faithfully practices and believes in the Catholic faith as a participating member of a parish community.

  • That is, attends Sunday Mass regularly and is registered with a Catholic Church

• If married: Is validly married in the Catholic Church (not just civil marriage)

• If a parent: is raising their children in the Catholic faith.

How many godparents should there be? 

• Church law only requires you to have one godparent; however, it has been tradition to have two.

• Some cultures choose multiple godparents, but only two names can actually be entered into the Baptismal Register.

• If you are having problems finding a godparent, please do not worry.  The church can help you.  Please reach out.

• There is no requirement from the Church for a godparent to become a guardian for the child in the case of an unfortunate loss of a parent. 

Can the same godparents have responsibility for more than one child in the same family? Yes, as long as they take seriously their responsibility and intention to help the children grow in faith.

What gender should the godparent be? If you choose only one godparent, you are free to choose a male or a female. However, if you wish to have two godparents, there must be one male and one female.

Can a non-Catholic serve as a godparent? No.  A baptized, non-Catholic may serve as an “official witness” to the baptism, only if there is a proper Catholic sponsor who fully meets all requirements of a godparent. The non-Catholic who is selected as a witness should be an active and participating member of his/her church community. During the baptism, a non-Catholic witness may perform all the parts of the ceremony that a godparent does. His or her name will be entered into the Sacrament Record Book as an “official witness”, together with the name of the godparent.

What is the difference between a godparent and a witness? Canon (Church) Law describes a witness as “A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community.” A godparent is a confirmed, practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church.

Can someone serve as godparent by proxy (stand-in) if the godparent is unable to participate in the baptism ceremony? Yes. If a godparent cannot attend the baptism ceremony, a proxy can stand in the place of the missing godparent. The name of that person will be entered as “proxy” in the Sacramental Record Book, along with the name of the missing godparent.

Choosing a Godparent
Prayerfully consider a few important questions when choosing a godparent

1. Does the person truly exemplify the faith, by living according to the teaching of the Catholic Church?

2. Does the person truly live a life in harmony with the church?

3. Does the person regularly practice their faith by participating in the sacramental life in the church and is married validly in the Church?