First and foremost, a godparent must be a person of deep faith. In general, being a godparent means providing spiritual guidance and setting a good example. In some instances, the godparent has also been given the responsibility for naming the child. 4 and 5, specified that for a religious to be a godparent, it required an urgent necessity and the approval of the superiors. In the Christening service the Godparents are required to make specific promises with regard to their future relationship with the child. Choosing a Godparent: The choice of godparents is very important since they serve as role models for the child by living a fully Christian life and encouraging the child in the experience of the Catholic Faith. They have "guardians" appointed for their children in the event of their death, so that isn't my role either. Two Godparents of the same sex is not permitted. The bottom line is a godparent is a child’s representative at the baptism. These titles emphasized that the godparent had been adopted by the Christian parents to protect the faith of their child. The good godparent guide. Some alternative names for Godparents include: Guardian. The godparent cannot be the father or mother of the child. In most circumstances, an auspicious day is selected during which a ceremony takes place, involving the godchild paying his/her respects to his new godfather/godmother in the presence of relatives or friends. Those will include birthdays, holidays, … The role of a godparent is to help our godchild to know and trust in God. A Godparent is a Catholic in good standing, that is, living the Gospel message in … Godparents' responsibilities started from their role in baptisms. Because of where godparents got their start, most of the duties associated with this role are religious in nature. In Catholic baptisms, godparents are typically called sponsors. Back story - my husband and I are not really religious at all. This is why many non-religious families still appoint a set of godparents for their child. Therefore, each parent should choose a godparent not just because of a blood relationship or friendship; rather, a godparent should be a trustworthy witness of the … This practice is largely non-religious in nature, but commonly done to strengthen ties or to fulfill the wish of a childless adult to have a "son/daughter". THE ROLE OF GODPARENTS To be chosen as a godparent is a special honor. However, since many modern Godparent situations do not involve a christening or thought that the Godparent is expressing faith on behalf of the child, this may not be a concern. One of the primary roles of godparents -- whether in a religious or non-religious... Be a Role Model. If not, what would be better? In Judaism, a person nowadays referred to as a "Godparent… An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs. A godparent serves God in developing a close-knit relationship with the child, encouraging through a Christian light whenever possible. As more families are opting to hold non-religious, personal Naming Ceremonies for their children – rather than taking the traditional route of a baptism or Christening – we are now seeing a vibrant range of names used for Godparents. In most circumstances, an auspicious day is selected during which a ceremony takes place, involving the godchild paying his/her respects to his new godfather/godmother in the presence of relatives or friends. The honor of being a sandak has nothing to do with being responsible for the boy's future religious or moral education, which is the Christian idea of a "godparent." In the modern baptism of an infant or child, the godparent or godparents make a profession of faith for the person being baptized (the godchild) and assume an obligation to serve as proxies for the parents if the parents either are unable or neglect to provide for the religious training of the child, in fulfillment of … Typically , a godmother or godfather for that matter, is someone close to a family, such as a relative or very close friend , whom the parents of a baby ask to become the child's god parent. His family is Lutheran but my parents are two different religions and I grew up following no particular religion. While I no longer identify as Christian, I remain respectful of that religion and, to me, the term "godfather" carries a religious connotation. Do godparents have to be at christening? In my experience none of the godparents I had or knew had any religious role in their godchildren's lives, so it really wouldn't matter whether they were religious or not. Godparents who have been named so by non-religious parents, as well as religious godparents, have certain non-religious roles and responsibilities towards their godchild. A Muslim or a Hindu cannot strictly speaking be a godparent, nor can a secularist who has not been baptised." His or her responsibility is to help assist in developing and establishing faith in another, so it is essential that he or she understands Catholic teaching and lives the faith on a deep, personal daily basis. selecting godparents? Traditionally, the role of a godparent was a religious one – hence the title. Traditionally, godparents have played an important role in the wedding of a godchild, whether a goddaughter or godson. While it is preferred to have an adult man and woman to serve as godparents for Baptism, one must be a fully Initiated and actively practicing Catholic. A: There was a general restriction on priests, religious and other consecrated souls acting as godparents that stemmed from the 1917 Code of Canon Law. A baptized non-Catholic can serve as a “Christian witness” provided there is one Catholic godparent in addition. The origin of godparenting is found in the religious institution of baptism. It was well adapted to the rudeness and simplicity of the first ages, when books were few, and philosophy little understood. In order to be a faithful witness and to be properly disposed to accept the responsibilities asked during the Many families like to use a naming ceremony to appoint significant adults to play a role in their child’s life. This is especially so in wedding ceremonies involving persons of Latin or Hispanic heritage. What about a non-baptized or non-practicing Catholic as a godparent? Based on the definition of godparents, it would make sense to have a sibling or relative because the person who is the godparent … It is impossible for an atheist to fulfil these promises and since you shouldn't make promises which you can't keep then as an atheist you can't be a Godparent. I'm a naming celebrant and though most that we do have pagan overtones, we also do secular/non religious namings. A sponsor is a member of the church community who supports the person being baptized in his or her faith life. While some parents might want to ask their non-Catholic friend to be a godparent, this is not possible. Godparents are like the extended family of their godchild. "The only requirement for godparents is that they should have been baptised. Together with the parents, the godparents are to present the infant at the baptism and help to lead the child to a Christian way of life. Policy They're just extra people (besides the parents) who are responsible for making sure the baby is raised in the church. A baby is unable to understand or respond during the service, so it’s your job to make certain commitments on their behalf. It’s one of the main reasons people decide to have a naming ceremony. A godparent is a person who has pledged to help with the upbringing of a child, especially in a religious way. A baptized non-Catholic may not be a godparent but may serve as a Christian witness along with a Catholic godparent. Two Godparents of the same sex is not permitted. As such to serve as a Godparent you must by a fully initiated Roman Catholic (baptized, confirmed and receiving the Eucharist) at least 16 years of age, and who lives a life faith which befits the role to be undertaken (Canon 874). A Godparent’s Duties. (see Costumes, Masks, Theater) Life’s roles: Shakespeare intimated that life was a stage, making dreams the theater of your mind. role of godparents non religious. In the early years of the Christian Church, a godparent was often the “sponsor” who introduced an adult to the faith. Because the godparent is an official witness to the baptism of the child, it is not an office for which a “replacement” can be made. Ceremony. Throughout Church history, devoted Catholics have offered guidance to men and women seeking the peace and love of Christianity. The parents know and the priest knew before ceremony. Some of the special gifts that my daughter received were a very nice hard bound book of children's stories, a silver cup with baby's monogram, a frame, a silver music box. Canon 766, Nos. Non-religious view. So I guess the title and role is really what you want it to be. 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