Baptismal Sponsors

For other than casual discussion, the official term of sponsor is much more reflective of the role godparents play. In any organization that has them, a sponsor

1. vouches for the worthiness of the candidate to become part of the organization, and
2. acts as a mentor in helping the new member fully participate.

That hopefully makes it clearer that someone who is not a full, active and conscious participant in the Catholic faith could hardly be asked to carry out either of those roles. As a parent, I am sure you are already finding out that the really important things in life (like raising a child) demand we say what we mean and mean what we say. So much of what to the casual observer seem like arbitrary rules made up by the church are fundamentally guidelines to help us speak and do the truth. We will solemnly ask the sponsors, at the baptism, if they are willing (and that assumes able) to fulfill those two roles of a sponsor. The goal is that the "yes" response is both fully informed, and solemnly committed to. Canon law (Universal law of the Church) is pretty specific about baptismal sponsors. Only one is necessary but if there are two they must be different gender. Catholics are catholics regardless of which Rite they belong to (Roman, Coptic, Maronite, etc.).

The relevant section of Canon law is below. The second section referring to a Christian witness requires a person who has been baptized with the Trinitarian formula: I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Canon 874

§1 To be admitted to undertake the office of sponsor, a person must:

1. be appointed by the candidate for baptism, or by the parents or whoever stands in their place, or failing these, by the parish priest or the minister; to be appointed the person must be suitable for this role and have the intention of fulfilling it;
2. be not less than sixteen years of age, unless a different age has been stipulated by the diocesan Bishop, or unless the parish priest or the minister considers that there is a just reason for an exception to be made;
3. be a catholic who has been confirmed and has received the blessed Eucharist, and who lives a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken;
4. not labor under a canonical penalty, whether imposed or declared;
5. not be either the father or the mother of the person to be baptized.

§2 A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community may be admitted only in company with a catholic sponsor, and then simply as a witness to the baptism.