Godparents and Confirmation Sponsors

03-10-2024Letter from the PastorFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Occasionally, I will receive a call from a parishioner, former parishioner or a non-parishioner who was asked to be a godparent for someone to receive the Sacraments of Baptism or Confirmation in the Catholic Church. Very often the person is requesting a letter from our parish stating that he or she is a Catholic in good standing. This status of a Catholic in good standing is part of what is required to be a godparent. This measure helps to ensure the person receiving the Sacraments will be supported in the Catholic faith

The next question we often hear is: “What does it be mean to a Catholic in good standing?” The response usually stuns the inquirer because it is the first time they have ever had it explained to them. Sadly, many Catholics are not aware of what a Catholic in good standing means. Perhaps these pastor’s notes can help clarify things.

To be a parishioner in good standing includes several things. First, a person in good standing in the Catholic Church registers in the parish they are attending regularly and practices their faith by attending Mass every week. This is not always possible for odd reasons, but it is a generally a good idea to be registered in your home parish.

Secondly, Catholics in good standing contribute to the life of the parish by giving their time, treasure, and talent. Once you recognize that God has blessed you with everything, then offering yourself back to God by living your faith in meaningful ways - giving your time, treasure, and talent - happens naturally.

I have had people tell me that the Church only wants your time, talent, and treasure. Actually, the Church needs your time, talent, and treasure to function in healthy, lifegiving, and meaningful ways. More importantly, your response to this call enables the Church to live Christ’s Great Commission to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Imagine a family who has just experienced the death of a loved one. This grieving family has certain hopes and expectations that the Church will be there to comfort them in their grief and to offer a funeral Mass. Similarly, young couples desire to celebrate their marriage in the Church to ask God to be with them as they begin their new life together. In both instances, the Church is there for these people, to care for them and help them to experience God.

Your active participation enables the Church to function in Her service to God’s people. Your sacrificial gift enables the Church to make disciples as Christ commands us to do. It is fair for you to expect the Church to be there for you and your family when you need; your children baptized, your grandparents anointed, the sound system and the lights to work and the bathrooms to be clean. All this and more requires your involvement, your presence, your support. The Church is blessed when you offer your spiritual gift no matter how small. It all adds up.

To be clear, a Catholic in good standing means the parishioner is active in supporting in the life of the parish. Your participation may include serving in a ministry as a lector or usher or choir member. Your participation may mean you are part of the youth program or assisting with religious education or working in the front office answer the phone. Maybe you are only able to serve at annual events like the parish chili cook off or the school’s Harvest Fest once a year. Those are just a few of the many ways to be involved in the life of your parish. You can visit our website www.saintbernadette.com and click on the “Get Involved” tab for more opportunities to serve.

Of course, not everyone can serve in a ministry all the time for very good reason. We are a very large parish with over 2,300 families and if everyone decided to serve in a ministry at the same time, there would not be enough ministries to go around. Also, sometimes your family needs are so great that there is no time to attend to anyone but your family. Serving your family who needs you to be a good mom or dad or brother or sister or son or daughter is pleasing to Our Lord. But we all know there are those who could serve but refuse because they don’t make parish life a priority. To be clear, part of the reason the Catholic Church is so amazing has to do with the fact that wonderful and generous people share in the mission of Christ, that is, they belong to the Church not to be served but to serve.

In a world that is often described as post-Christian, I feel for people who are in search of godparents and confirmation sponsors. The reality is that a godparent or a sponsor is not a cultural or ceremonial role and finding someone who understands the importance of their role and takes it seriously can be difficult. These roles need be understood as faith mentors which makes them serious commitments.

The Church gives us some clear guidelines if you are discerning to be a godparent or confirmation sponsor. According to Canon law, the godparent or sponsor must be at least 16 years of age, belong to the Catholic Church and have been fully initiated in the Church by receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. In addition, the godparent or sponsor must be a practicing Catholic able to validly receive the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist.

The Godparent or Sponsor, if married, must be validly married in the Catholic Church and may not be the parent of the child to be baptized or confirmed. And most of all, the godparent or sponsor should be someone who will be a positive influence.

It is the custom that the baptized must have a godparent, or two godparents (one godfather and one godmother). It is permissible to have a Christian witness that can be of another faith tradition, so long as there is one Catholic godparent. When a baptized person is later confirmed, they must have one confirmation sponsor. If you have been selected as a godparent at another parish, you must be registered and practicing in our parish for us to send what the church calls, “a letter of good standing.”

But let’s go beyond Canon Law and speak pastorally about why the codes above are so important. That is, the hard part comes after the rite of baptism or confirmation! It is a lifelong duty. The church encourages godparents and sponsors to do some of the following to remind the godchild or sponsored confirmandi of the importance of their faith. Here are some ideas about how to do this which is by no means an exhaustive list!

• Pray for your godchild or the person you sponsored daily and tell him or her regularly that you do so.
• Commemorate the anniversary of the baptism or confirmation with a card or handwritten note.
• Be a Catholic model for them and share important rites of passage such as graduation, the Sacrament of Marriage and so on.
• Attend Holy Mass with them and offer your Mass for them.
• Prepare to be prophetic should he or she fall away from their faith.
• Encourage them in life to discern a lifelong vocation of service in the church (priesthood, diaconate, married or religious life.)

In short, be prepared to mean something to the person you are sponsoring. What they do not need is a stand-in for a photo opportunity. You matter greatly as you walk with others in the Faith!

God Bless,

Fr. Don Kline, V.F.