"How can you be a good godparent?"

Woodeene Koenig-Bricker (who lives just a few blocks from me here in Eugene, Oregon), has penned a good piece for Our Sunday Visitor on the role of godparents, titled, "Handing on the Gift of Faith":

Being a godparent is one of those not-so-well-understood honors and responsibilities that some of us are asked to undertake on behalf of the children of family and friends. While we may be willing, we don’t always know what becoming a godparent entails.

The role of godparent developed out of the task of sponsor in the catechumenate during the early Church. The function of the sponsor was to insure that a person was ready to receive all three sacraments of initiation — baptism, Eucharist and confirmation — and then to help him or her live out the Christian life. In the early Middle Ages, when infant baptism became firmly established, a sponsor was called a “ patrinus, ” or “godfather,” a term that is retained in popular use although the proper term still is sponsor.

While the early Church understood that a sponsor, or godparent, had a definite, hands-on function, all too often today being a godparent is viewed as a ceremonial honor such as when Bono of the rock band U2 was named godparent to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s twins, children unlikely ever to see the inside of a church, much less be baptized or confirmed. Or godparenting is seen as being a real-life fairy godmother who swoops in bestowing gifts on special occasions. Or it is thought to be akin to the role of a civil guardian who would take over the rearing of a child if the parents were to die.

Actually, none of those is even close to the actual function of a godparent. Essentially, a godparent is a person who aids and assists in the spiritual development of a child (sometimes an adult convert who is a “child” in the faith). As the Code of Canon Law puts it: “In so far as possible, a person being baptized is to be assigned a sponsor. In the case of an adult baptism, the sponsor’s role is to assist the person in Christian initiation. In the case of an infant baptism, the role is together with the parents to present the child for baptism, and to help it live a Christian life befitting the baptized and faithfully to fulfill the duties inherent in baptism” (Canon 872).

Read the entire piece.

Comments

[Ann Onymous]

I was asked by a relative to be the baptismal sponsor for her child.

She has since passed away, and her husband is not an active Catholic. His influence has rubbed off on the child, who never received any of the other sacraments. He is now in his early teenage years and considers himself an atheist.

How can I be a good godparent to this child without overstepping my bounds?

Practical suggestions would be appreciated.

[Kevin C.]

Is there a canonical reason that members of a religious order should not be godparents? There isn't one cited such as with the other restrictions. It seems as though this would be up to the superior of a given order, or maybe delineated in the order's rules.

[M. B.]

"Bono of the rock band U2 was named godparent to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s twins..."

Actually, of these three, Bono is probably the likeliest to really return to the Church. The Catholic influence on U2's lyrics is certainly evident. Perhaps something to add to our prayer intentions. Wouldn't that be something?

[Cristina A. Montes]

"How can I be a good godparent to this child without overstepping my bounds?"

Pray for the child. Be his friend. I would also suggest giving him good books for Christmas or for his birthday, if he's the reading type.