Being a Godparent

If you have been asked to be a godparent or sponsor, it will be your role and responsibility to help the newly baptized or confirmed lead a life in harmony with the Gospel.  One of the most effective ways to share one’s faith is through example of the way you live and practice your Catholic faith every day.

To fulfill such a task, one must not only hold the beliefs of the Catholic Church, but live by them in a visible way.

Before becoming a godparent, you need to look honestly at your own faith before publically promising to assist the parents in handing on their faith.

Godparents should be:

 An active and involved member who:
·         celebrates the Eucharist with their community on a weekly basis.

·         knows other members of their “pew community” and is known by their pastor,
·         supports the parish by volunteering or ministry, and supports the parish financially.

In other words, you are living your faith in community.

Being an active and involved parishioner is not the same as:
– I was married in the Catholic Church.
– I’ve celebrated all of my sacraments.
– I went to Catholic school for twelve years.
– I’ve had all of my children baptized at your church.
– My parents/grandparents went there.

Godparents should be prayerfully selected, visibly practice their Catholic Faith, give strong Christian witness, be at least 16 years old, and have received the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation and if married, they must be married in the Catholic Church or have their marriage witnessed by a Catholic priest or deacon. They cannot be the parents of the child.

One Catholic godparent is all that is required, but if you chose, two, one must be male and the other female. Or, a baptized person who actively practicing their Christian faith may be a sponsor in the role of "Christian Witness," but only in company with a practicing Catholic.

Call the Parish office at 320-468-6033 or email stjoes@midco.net for more information.