Role of Godparents: legal and spiritual
CHOOSING A GODPARENT OR SPONSOR
Sponsors for Confirmation or Godparents for Baptism must meet the criteria set by the Code of Canon Law. They must be a fully initiated Catholic (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist). They must be a practicing Catholic (not hindered by Church law in participating in the sacraments). They must be at least 16 years old. If two godparents, one must be male and the other female. A Christian witness may be chosen if the other godparent is Catholic and meets the criteria above. The Christian witness must be someone who is validly baptized and practices their faith. A former Catholic is NOT able to be fulfill the role as they have rejected their Catholic faith. A Godparent or sponsor is one who is able to assist the person to lead a Christian life. Before scheduling a baptism, you must talk to the office before choosing godparents so that they meet the criteria outlined in the Code of Canon Law.
The Code Of Canon Law (#872 – 874)
Can. 872 Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents an infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.
Can. 873 There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.
Can. 874 §1. To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:
1/ be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;
2/ have completed the sixteenth year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;
3/ be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;
4/ not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;
5/ not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
§2. A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.