“Happy Feast of the Baptism of the Lord!“
By Fr. Isaiah Schick
Today is a great day to give thanks for the gift of our own baptism into Christ, but it also presents an opportunity to renew the vows we made (or which were made on our behalf by our parents) and to reflect on how we have put those promises into practice. It is also a good time to explore the significance of godparents and sponsors of Baptism and Confirmation, as often they are roles that are simply taken for granted, or even merely “cultural” honors that can be bestowed without proper discernment. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says “the godfather and godmother . . . must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptized – child or adult – on the road to Christian life. Their task is a truly ecclesial function (officium). The whole ecclesial community bears some responsibility for the development and safeguarding of the grace given at baptism” (CCC 1255). The official requirements of someone who is to carry out this task are as follows:
- Must be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church, including believing in Jesus Christ and all his teachings as handed on by the Catholic Church
- Must be at least 16 years old
- Must have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Eucharist, and Confirmation
- Must be active in the life of their local parish, including regularly attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation
- If not married, must not be acting as if married by living with someone (cohabiting)
- If married, the marriage must have been celebrated in or recognized by the Catholic Church
- If they have children under 18, they must be educating their children in the Catholic Faith
- Cannot be a biological or adoptive parent to the one being baptized (as the parents already have a role in their life – this is supposed to be in addition to the parents!)
- Only one godparent is necessary, but if two are chosen, there may only be one man (godfather) and one woman (godmother)
- For Confirmation or OCIA sponsors, the above requirements are generally the same, except only usually one is chosen.
Many times, people simply choose godparents or sponsors from close relatives or friends without asking whether those chosen will be best to help the one to receive the Sacraments grow the most in their faith. Those who are not intentionally and regularly practicing their faith are not good choices to help others grow! Also, a lot of people do not realize that baptism is not “generic”. That is, baptism not only makes someone a Christian generally speaking, but baptism joins that person to the Church. Baptism by a Catholic priest or deacon initiates someone as a member of the Catholic Church, and it only makes sense that a godparent for a newly baptized Catholic must also be a fully initiated Catholic (having received all of the Sacraments of Initiation mentioned above) to help the new child of God grow both in their faith and as a member of the Catholic Church. Christians of other communities are not eligible to be godparents, but they are always most welcome to participate as a Christian witness to the baptism and to help the newly baptized to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ! Lastly, if you know someone who has not yet been baptized or confirmed, or who has not been invited to join the Catholic Church but would be open to it, do not just say, “You should join OCIA!” or “You should think about receiving Confirmation!” Feel free to also say, “and I would go to the classes too if you want!” Making disciples, as Jesus commands us to do (Matt. 28:19-20), is not about telling people what to do – it is a journey of accompaniment as fellow disciples ourselves. God bless you all as we end the Christmas season and return to Ordinary Time, living life in the Holy Spirit!