The role of godparents in catechesis

Mar 14, 2025

Echoing the Faith - Dr Steven Selvaraju
In examining the Church documents related to catechesis, such as, Evangelii Nuntiandi (1974), Catechesi Tradendae (1979) and the catechetical directories of 1971 or 1997, as well as the Directory for Catechesis (2020), it is noticed that godparents have a unique role in the Church in terms of the ministry of catechesis.

Understanding the term “godparent”
The term “godparent” (patrinus in Latin) formally refers to an office (or ministry) in the Church. In becoming a godparent, a person must be ready to perform the responsibilities that are related to the office. This is why Canon Law states that “to be appointed, the person must be suitable and have the intention of fulfilling it” (Can. 874.1).

The office of godparent is most closely linked to the Sacrament of Baptism. Ancient tradition and the current laws of the Church insist that a candidate for baptism, whether an infant, teenager or adult, must have a godparent (Can. 872). Although the absence of a godparent is not necessary for the validity of the sacrament, the role he or she plays is essential to the life of the candidate and the Church.

In Church documents or liturgical books, it is common for the term patrinus to be translated as either as ‘godparent’ or ‘sponsor’. While both the terms may be used interchangeably in certain circumstances, it is important too to distinguish them where necessary. This is especially so in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). We will discuss the meaning of these terms in relation to the RCIA in the next article.

In reference to infant baptism
In infant baptism, the term ‘godparent’ is used in reference to the person or persons, who, together with the parents, “present the child for baptism and to help it live a Christian life befitting the baptised and faithfully to fulfil the duties inherent in baptism (Can. 872).

The duty of godparents begins by them being present at the baptism of the child. By their presence, they “represent both the expanded spiritual family of the one to be baptised and the role of the Church as a mother” (General Introduction to Christian Initiation, 8). At the Rite, the godparents are asked by the presider: “Are you ready to help the parents of this child in their duty as Christian parents”, to which they respond “We are”.

During the Rite of Baptism, the role of godparents as witnesses of faith to the child becomes evident when they take active part in the Liturgy of the Word, intercessions and in the celebration of the sacrament. Together with the parents and the community, they profess the Church’s faith into which the child is baptised and becomes a member. Godparents also present a candle lighted from the Easter candle to the newly baptised. The candle represents the light of Christ which will illuminate the path of the child on the journey of faith.

Therefore, traditionally, the godparent is seen as one who would help the parent in the Christian upbringing of the child, most especially, in cases where the parent is no longer able fulfil this responsibility. This is why godparents are called “co-workers with parents” (Directory for Catechesis, 125). It makes clear that the responsibility of the godparent is a life-long commitment wherein he or she is obliged to ensure that the one initiated grows and perseveres in the faith.

In reference to Confirmation
A godparent is also required for Confirmation, where possible. The duty of the godparent here is to see that the confirmed person acts as a true witness to Christ. The Canon Law expresses that it is preferable that one who performed the role of godparent at Baptism also serves in that role for Confirmation (Can. 892 – 893).

Who can become a godparent?
Canon Law stipulates the requirements for the person who can be admitted to the office of godparent. The requirements are generally the same for infant and adult baptism.

1. Be appointed by the candidate for baptism or by the parents, or whoever stands in their place. Ordinarily, there can be one godparent, male or female, for each person to be baptised or there can be two godparents, one godfather and one godmother (Can. 873). The godparent must have the intention of performing his or her role, which is mainly to assume an ongoing spiritual relationship with the baptised person. In cases where there is a necessity, a godparent can be appointed by the parish priest (Can. 874.1).

2. Be at least sixteen years old, unless the diocesan bishop establishes another age or when the parish priest or the minister considers that there is a just reason for an exception to be made (Can. 874.2).

3. Be a fully initiated Catholic, that is, one who has been confirmed and has received the Eucharist, and who leads a life of faith in harmony with the role he or she is undertaking (Can. 874.3).

4. Explicitly excluded from being a godparent is anyone who has incurred a canonical penalty that has been imposed or declared by a competent Church authority (Can. 874.4).

5. A godparent may not be the father or mother of the person being baptised. This is to help distinguish clearly the role of the parent and godparent. Christian parents have the primary responsibility for the Christian upbringing of their children while the godparent provides supplementary or additional support to the parents (Can. 874.5).

Conclusion
As we have seen, a godparent has a specific role in the Church which is especially related to the Sacraments of Initiation. It is hoped that this article will help those who are presently serving in the office of godparent or may wish to serve in this role in the future to become aware of their role and responsibilities as stated by the Church. In the next article, we will examine the role of the godparent in the RCIA.

(Dr Steven Selvaraju, STD, STL, holds a Doctorate in Theology with Specialisation in Catechetics and Youth Ministry from Pontifical Salesian University, Rome. He serves as Director of the Archdiocesan Catechetical Centre, Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.)

The key ideas in the article are presented in an illustrated format below. The illustrations are by Dr Steven Selvaraju.